What to look for when choosing childcare billing software.

As you well know, running a daycare center involves juggling numerous moving parts, all of which are essential to your ability to provide an environment where your little charges can thrive. In addition to a competent and caring staff and an appealing, well-stocked facility, you must also have the infrastructure in place to administer your human and financial resources. From your payment processing provider to the billing software you choose, every element should work together seamlessly to ensure your success.

The key elements you should look for.

These days, daycare centers seem to be a dime a dozen, so it should come as no surprise that the childcare management and billing software market has also exploded. Because the cheapest solution is not always the best one, carefully consider the following important elements as you do your research.

• Intuitive record-keeping capabilities. Choose a payment acceptance solution that allows you to easily enter, update, and access your various business materials.
• Cloud-based options. These will let you keep abreast of what is happening at your business even if you are not physically at the location. Moreover, the fact that sensitive data is not stored on-site provides you and your clients with an added layer of security.
• Scheduling capabilities. Whether you need to change a staff member’s shift or modify the days of the week when a child will be attending sessions at your center, scheduling capabilities are a must for your daycare software.
• Multiple payment options. As much as you love every one of your tiny clients, you’re not doing this for free. Therefore, anything you can do to simplify the payment process and provide parents with choices is in your best interests. Pick software that allows people to pay using credit or debit cards in person, or over the phone. Also, give your clients the option of recurring billing, which allows you and the parent to agree that a set amount will be withdrawn from their credit card or bank account on a specific date for a predetermined amount of months. This subscription model provides everyone involved with added predictability and reduces the need to chase down late payments.
• Smartphone capabilities. Software that integrates with parents’ smartphones lets them pay bills and view attendance records from anywhere, enabling you to offer full transparency at all times.
• Compatibility with modern credit card readers. Investing in updated card readers helps to ensure that the customer’s payment experience is as secure as modern protocols allow. Furthermore, you will then be able to let parents pay contactlessly if they choose to do so simply by placing their credit card or smartphone within one to two inches of your reader. All details will be transmitted securely thanks to the encryption built into the customer’s credit card or digital wallet. Best of all, the transaction will be more hygienic because there need not be any physical contact between you, your payments hardware, or the payee.

Reputable, state-of-the-art daycare management and billing software is one of the most important assets you can bring to your center. Investing in the package of hardware and software that best suits your child-care business will benefit you, your staff, and the parents you serve for years to come.