Implementing Customer Service Software: 6 Considerations for Schools

In today’s competitive educational landscape, customer service is no longer a luxury for schools – it’s a necessity. With one-third of parents unsure where to seek information and a significant portion feeling dissatisfied with communication, schools need a better way to connect and engage with families.

Implementing customer service software like Let’s Talk can be a powerful tool to improve communication, streamline workflows, and ultimately, boost your school district’s ROI. However, a successful implementation goes beyond simply installing the software. Here are some key considerations:

1. Building a Districtwide Customer Service Culture

Customer service in schools impacts every family’s experience, from enrollment to graduation. For a successful software implementation, ensure all departments are involved. Consider including leaders from district offices, boards, principals, and heads of communications, IT, transportation, nutrition, and campus-specific departments.

The first question you need to ask your cabinet is “Are we committed to a districtwide shift in operations to ensure we’re delivering superior customer service at every touchpoint?” 

2. Aligning Expectations for Customer Service Software

Successful implementation requires a clear plan with agreed-upon goals, metrics, and timelines. Ensure everyone understands this initiative’s importance by incorporating it into your strategic plan and communicating how the software will contribute to a districtwide shift towards superior customer service.

Choose a vendor that is invested in your transformation. At K12 Insight, we see our client districts as partners in the journey to superior customer service and believe in transparency and honesty about what we can deliver throughout the implementation process.

To ensure your goals and expectations are met, there must be strong communication between your internal project team and your vendor.

3. Meeting Your Community Where They Are

Modern families expect convenient communication channels. Explore options like website chatbots and department-specific texting lines. Some schools have seen success with AI-powered chatbots to answer general questions, freeing staff for more complex inquiries.In a recent report, 43% of families indicated they are open to receiving automated responses from AI for general questions.

Real world examples: Pasco County Schools (Florida) opened an text line so students can send a simple text message when they forget their login credentials. Fort Wayne Community Schools (Indiana) has answered nearly 7,000 inbound inquiries with their chatbot (named Charley).