Demand for management software systems is steadily growing as nurseries identify the need to be responsive to a changing and complex market, and hone their business efficiency. In line with this, competition from suppliers is also hotting up, with evermore sophisticated systems being developed.
First Steps Software is an established player and recently launched a version 12 of its established system, which is designed to streamline all managerial, administrative and financial tasks. The package comes with basic and optional features, including an app which automatically updates government legislation and local authority directives. For chains it is now promoting its Group controller system which offers 'enhanced' enquiry reporting and measuring of marketing effectiveness.
Burnley-based company Connect Technology is also targeting the market with its ConnectChildcare package which can be delivered over the internet or installed on PCs. It recently acquired substantial investment from the North West Fund 4 Digital & Creative to drive its sales beyond the 400 early years users it says it already has nationwide.
Company founder Chris Read says, 'With around 15,000 nurseries throughout the UK to approach, we needed to increase our sales team in order to maximise these opportunities, and in the first instance the funding will enable us to employ sales managers for both the North and the South.'
For suppliers the challenge is to engage nurseries in a dialogue about what systems can achieve for their businesses. Software needs to provide payback on initital investment relatively quickly and have the ability to evolve along with the business. It also needs to be user-friendly.
AGILE SYSTEMS
At its most basic level any system needs to make life easier for managers. It should also contribute to profitability and improve the provision in the eyes of parents, and ideally it should also enable practitioners to spend more time with children.
The beauty of the latest software is that it can be tailored to meet an infinite number of requirements - whether it is organising data relating to finance, occupancy, staff, training, Ofsted and EYFS requirements, or providing a tool for marketing and strategy.
Versatility is undoubtedly the name of the game and UK technology consultancy Trustmarque has prioritised this with the development of its QlikView Business Discovery Platform. QlikView features dashboards that are task-specific apps, allowing nurseries to combine their data sources.
Mike Cawthorn, practice lead, business performance manager at Trustmarque, says, 'QlikView is customised by the user. They start with a blank dashboard and add on to it all the areas of the business they want to record and analyse. It's an agile system and it's all about allowing everyone to tap into business intelligence.'
Kidsunlimited introduced QlikView a year ago. Trustmarque worked with financial controller Olivia Dyer to set it up and it was subsequently rolled out across the group's 64 sites.
Mr Cawthorn says, 'Kidsunlimited wanted to bring together different data sources on to one platform, to empower staff and their participation in the business. It identified that gathering information more efficiently would enhance its service to its customers, and the system now enables kidsunlimited to more easily tailor its service to children's needs. For example, it allows staff to have better access to information such as dietary needs and any special requests. It also enables the group as a whole to keep on top of occupancy and maximise uptake of places.'
For Ms Dyer (pictured) QlikView is a great alternative to spreadsheets and is an efficient way to get key information out to nurseries.
She says, 'Formerly we had a variety of different systems relating to areas such as finance, occupancies, staff and customer details, but this pulls everything together and makes it accessible to everyone.'
She believes it also enables kidsunlimited to more easily tailor its service to children's needs, by allowing staff to have access to information such as dietary needs and parents' special requests. It takes attention to detail to a new level.
'The system incorporates key financial information along with information about the staff and the children, such as birthdays. The mix allows for all sorts of trending information to be gained for sales and marketing and helps with the very important business of converting enquiries into bookings.'
She adds, 'The beauty of it is it doesn't look at all scary and it's a lovely system to use. We've carried out staff training but basically it is point and click.'
Further information
WHAT IT CAN DO FOR YOU
- The ability to spot trends and correlate information across sites to make informed business decisions
- Improved inputting from all staff and greater understanding of how the information is used
- Improved efficiencies in reporting and analysis across a group
- Easy access to key sales and performance data
- Ability for staff at all levels to ask questions and participate in decision making
- Improved customer service through better access to information and forecasting.
