Tackling issues that matters the most to you:
- Reducing workload
- Raising pupil performance
- Complying the recommended methods of communications issued by the government.
ESP is a next generation messaging solution which uniquely integrates to your telephone system and School SIMS (Schools Information Management System) to enhance incoming, outgoing and internal communications within the school.
A powerful business tool that frees up staff time, allows you to offer a better service, increases efficiency & productivity, improves internal communications and provides additional management information on calls made.
Introducing ESP providing you support for key school policies such as Safeguarding, Inclusion & Attendance and facilitates enhanced parental contact also providing demonstrable support for the schools SEF (vital for the new OFSTED framework).
ESP’s CRM features, such as notes and contact history, record all important communication and provide documented evidence/audit trail, in support of schools handling of incidents/situations.
Who Benefits?
• Headteacher, SLT & Governors,
• School Office and Admin Staff
• Parents/Carers
Due to a number of factors, ever increasing responsibility and burden is being placed on school office/administration staff, which is increasing the frequency and level of communications with parents/carer’s. (Attendance chasing, extended schools & clubs, admissions, parents evenings, school trips etc ...).
In addition there are key school policies such as Safeguarding, Inclusion & Attendance which the school must demonstrate are robustly and pro-actively supported – this is most important for the school’s Self Evaluation Form (SEF) by which the school judges how effective they are and which forms the basis of the current OFSTED inspections.
The school is required to show clear supportive evidence for the SEF and this is a key area where ESP’s CRM “audit trail” of contact history and notes are of strategic value. In addition, there are numerous incidents that need to be dealt with on a day to day basis where it is in the best interest of school staff to document and record how the incidents are handled.
ESP provides this as well as making communicating with parents on an individual or group basis fast and efficient. A lot of schools will already have some form of basic off-site electronic communication system in place (perhaps an email system or SMS texting) and we acknowledge that automated contact is useful and does have its role to play.
However we believe that the ability to review previous communications with the parent and then tailor the contact made is, in certain circumstances, much more effective.
We make personal telephone contact easier and more efficient (for absence, disciplinary/positive achievement) and look to improve the school/parent relationship and support the schools effort to be as inclusive as possible.
• Deal with absences and lateness in a pre-emptive rather than a reactive manner.
• Deliver the cost and time saving benefits of sophisticated communications technology but avoid the impersonal automatous nature of attendance messaging and similar systems.
Parental Expectation
Various studies by the DCSF and BECTA, have highlighted that parents desire more personal communication with the school regarding the progress of their children. Also there is a higher expectation that schools use electronic communication (e.g. emergency school closure).
Communication is not just with parents …….
Schools control more of their own contracts and therefore have increased day to day dealings with Companies, Suppliers (Bursar/Business Manager Roles are increasing), SLA/Contracts, Governors, Local Authority etc.. all add to the workload for the school office.
The ESP/CTI Address Book acts as a central directory/CRM for all school contacts –names and numbers can be captured from live calls or easily added (plus any additional notes you wish e.g. Contract/Policy Numbers, Equipment Serial Numbers, Contract Dates/Amounts etc..) -This allows simple look-up & dialling on screen and allows a record card pop when answering a call.
Benefits for the School Office
The efficiency and time saving benefits from the SIMS linked ESP CTI Smartphone & ESP RecordCard literally give a helping hand to the school office staff in dealing with calls at the busy periods at the start and end of the school day.
The busy lamp field, instant on-screen messaging, absence text and call back facilities aid internal communications particularly on a campus site. It is proving very popular using virtual smartphone extensions for classrooms without phones as an internal communication tool using the free instant messaging features.
Using ESP Contact for communicating with parents about anything from absence, child feeling unwell, dinner money overdrawn, dealing with admissions enquiries, arranging parent evenings, after school club cancelled etc…. is simply more efficient (on-screen dialling, SMS etc), more effective and saves time.
The ability to log all communications also provides useful continuity where there is a team manning the office (part and full time staff) and the CRM features that provide an audit trail of contact also ensures the office staff are able to clearly document the handling of any particular incidents that occur and action taken.
The ability to capture new numbers and deal effectively with suppliers and other outside agencies again make the office work more efficiently and frees up valuable time spent on the telephone.
The downloading of business contacts direct from SIMS FMS and the ability to store detailed information about suppliers, SLA’s, Asset Register type all in one system not only aids compliance with FMSIS (basically a financial audit system) but is of great benefit to the schools business manager and the admin office.
Benefits for School Leadership
The Headteacher, Senior Leadership Team (SLT) and Governors will see the benefits of support of key school policies, particularly the fact that there is demonstrable supporting evidence.
The call logs, contact history and general CRM audit trail are of use in dealing with any incidents or complaints or even just in keeping centralised case notes to ensure any on-going issues are dealt with consistently and in line with school policies and procedures (complaints, exclusions, attendance notices/fines etc….).
Get better productivity from admin/front office staff and be able to operate on lower staffing levels at busy times of the day. Improve the parent-school relationship and show compliance with Gov/LA guidelines and advice in utilising modern electronic communications.
The call logging and line usage information from the CTI server allow the school to better manage usage of the telephone system, identify any unauthorised or inappropriate calls and verify telephone bills.
ESP provides more than just another SMS/Messaging solution – we acknowledge that it is likely schools will be already using some form of electronic communication.
ESP can compliment or enhance an existing solution with the potential to replace existing systems with resultant cost savings.
ESP pricing includes an a free SMS allowance based 6 messages per pupil per annum (so a 1600 pupil Secondary school would get 10000 messages), there is an option in the pricing tool to remove the SMS allowance.
Data Protection and Resilience
• All data held securely and safely on site within school network as opposed to in remote web servers
• From a nightly copy of SIMS, ESP updates all parent records meaning it is always using the latest information without have to re-upload SIMS info
• Any PC in the school running the ESP applications can be remotely connected to by school staff for sending messages (such as in bad weather)
• The PC running ESP can use a mobile broadband dongle in the event of loss of internet OR can be physically moved to a location with internet access retaining full SMS functionality
• NO additional SIMS information is shown in the Group Contact list allowing users with no SIMS access to use the system (e.g. after school clubs)
Benefits of utilising Email to SMS
• Typical delivery of messages is <20 secs even when mobile networks congested
• An email is received confirming delivery of the SMS to the handset
• Any SMS replies to messages are received by email
• All emails confirmations contain the body of the original msg, message id, sender’s initials etc…
• Mail rules can distribute/copy emails as required
• There is an ESP tray icon being finalised to process SMS related emails to ‘screen pop’ incoming replies and indicate delivery within ESP Contact History
• Message templates can be stored
• A group contact facility is available
• A CRM type note is kept of all messages
• It is possible to schedule sending of an SMS
• The system uses the SIMS ‘main’ number, but allows a priority to be set against numbers to ensure best numbers are used (this is also linked to the CTI new number capture)
• The system can be simultaneously be utilised by many users
• Messages can be sent to both mobiles and landlines (text to voice)