The world has become a digital one – how we shop to how we book our doctors appointments. Parents are accustomed to tapping a phone screen and receiving things immediately, so why should preschool enrolments and communication remain in the dark ages? We have witnessed too many centres using spreadsheets and lengthy email exchanges to handle waitlists. It puts staff under strain, it puzzles families, and it ends up taking the attention of what is important at the end of the day: the kids.
The problem of old-fashioned systems.
When you have attempted to maintain a preschool waitlist in Excel, then you know it is no fun. One parent swaps days, the other wants to change part time to full time and before you know it you are in the colour coded cells tangle. Now add in a couple of staff members who are now updating the same sheet and you have the ideal formula of errors.
This is the same case with parent communication. Critical alerts get crowded in inboxes, documents get misplaced, and employees waste hours searching all paperwork rather than strategizing on tasks. Once the situation of the admin overload turns into the order of the day, teachers start questioning why they opted to take the early childhood teaching or administration school.
What digital transformation would mean in pre-schools
Going digital does not mean making teachers techno-savvy. It is about providing them with the tools that will simplify the background work so that they could concentrate on children. Imagine:
- Online enrolments where all the information is securely kept in a single place.
- An up-to-date live list which is automatically updated with the arrival and departure of families.
- Communication tools that can reach parents fast without the feared lost email excuse.
This is not a pipe dream, but a reality of digital-first centres already.
Preschool staff benefits.
The biggest win? Less paperwork. Employees can log in and see precisely where families are at and have a sense that the information is correct. There are no more late nights spent filling spreadsheets or attempting to figure out the colour-coding system used by a colleague.
It is also an opportunity to spend more time on the work they actually like. Teachers are able to work on relationships with children, assisting families, and operating a centre that appears relaxed, not disorganised.
Benefits for families
Parents can see the difference, too. An online enrolment procedure is fast, easy and straightforward – no long forms or visits to the office. Waitlists are more transparent and this way the families feel confident knowing where they are. And when there is a flow of communication, parents feel connected and are certain that their child is in safe hands.
In a nutshell: more happy employees, more happy families.
How EnrolNow helps
This is what we intended EnrolNow One to do. Our platform removes the burden of enrolments, communication and wait list management. The family is able to sign up online, the employees could view all the details under a single platform, and automated communication ensures that nothing falls through the cracks.
It is not about introducing more technology into already hectic days it is about eliminating the noise and reclaiming time by preschools.
Looking ahead
Digital transformation in early childhood education is no longer a nice to have. Parents are expecting it, regulators are promoting it and staff are in need of it. The positive thing is that there is no need to make it complex. Switching to smart systems instead of spreadsheets will enable preschools to release staff members, keep families at ease, and create additional space on what really matters, which is taking care of children.
At EnrolNow, we are of the view that technology must not replace the human aspect of the early learning, but rather facilitate it. Should your centre be prepared to leave the grind of administration and enjoy more time with the kids (where you really want to be), we would be glad to help you get started.
