Is your school ready to go mobile with it’s own app ? Five questions to consider

With the number of smartphone devices rapidly rising it makes sense for schools to consider implementing their own school app to utilise the functionality of mobile devices and simplify communication with parents and other school stakeholders. When considering smartphone apps your school should consider these five questions .. 1. Is my school interested in new ways to communicate with and engage our school community? For most schools this is a simple yes.  Parents’ are busier than ever before so anything that simplifies the communications process with parents and the greater community will often be welcomed.  Mobile phones are already the most popular communications platform in Australia and are the most powerful tool available to schools to increase parent and community engagement. 2. Do a majority of my school’s community members (parents, alumni, staff) have smartphones? For some schools this may already be a clear yes, whilst for other schools the answer may not be so clear.  A quick survey may help give your school to find the answer to this and help guide your decisions around which mobile platforms you want to cater to. 3. Are parents at my school asking for easier ways to get school-related information? If the answer is yes then mobile is definitely an excellent solution to consider. With a mobile solution parents can have access to any information that is relevant to their child’s school and educational community. A mobile solution can include things such as a mobile website, a calendar that integrates with a mobile phone’s native calendar, instant contact information to reach teachers and administrators, parent directories, latest newsletters and much more. Though many schools are doing an excellent job of increasing communication with parents and the community, mobile is just another step in making information accessible any time, any place. 4. Is my staff up for it? This may be one of the most important questions to ponder. Even though all your parents might have smartphones, if the teachers and administration don’t want to do what is necessary to keep a good mobile solution alive and thriving (just as a good Facebook page needs effort), then it can quickly lose effectiveness. Figure out if you can excite your staff enough truly make this a beneficial offering to the school’s community (prospective, current, and alumni). 5. Can we afford this? A comprehensive Mobile Solution for your school or district can get expensive. But if you know what you’re looking for and know what your community can most benefit from, you may be able to find an affordable option that fits your budget while simultaneously meeting your needs. At a marketing agency or a mobile application development company, a fully customized mobile application for your school might cost you anywhere from $10,000-$30,000. This typically never works with a school’s budget. With Crescerance you can get your customized Mobile Solution (mobile app on multiple platforms, mobile website, text messaging, and more) for an easy and affordable Monthly/Annual Mobile Solution Subscription (no set up fees, no worries).