Rising postage prices prompt schools to reduce costs by texting letters to parents
With Ofcom’s recent announcement, increasing first class stamps from 46p to 60p and second class stamps from 36p to 50p, schools throughout the country have welcomed electronic solutions to posting letters. In a bid to alleviate the impact of soaring postage costs and school budget cuts, technology such as ‘Text a Letter’ - a practical feature of Call Parents from Contact Group that allows letters to be sent via text message - has heralded a new era in school communications, effectively making traditional mail obsolete and at a fraction of the price.
Call Parents’ Text a Letter function allows schools to text letters to parents directly for the cost of a text, ultimately saving time and money for schools. Unlike traditional mail, Text a Letter ensures that parents still receive mail from their child’s school, even if they are away from home, and schools can see if the letter has been viewed. In addition, letters can be scheduled in advance and set up to go out during school holidays, increasing efficiency when staff levels are low. For a demonstration please see http://www.the-contactgroup.com/products/call-parents/Text-a-letter
Since Ofcom unveiled the new pricing regime for Royal Mail in March, the demand for this technology has increased as schools seek cost effective solutions to replace post and inadvertently reduce many other associated costs such as printing toner, paper and labour.
Stephen Clarke, Managing Director of Contact Group said: “As budget cuts hit hard, schools have been increasingly selective with their technology investments, balancing their budget with their need to accommodate for the growing demand for ICT equipment and software. The price of first and second class stamps have increased by 30% and 39% respectively, Royal Mail’s biggest price hike in 37 years. Over the next 7 years, the price of second class stamps will be capped at 55p but this limit could still rise with yearly inflation. It is therefore essential that schools look at alternatives to postage that deliver high cost savings whilst optimising the administration of their communications. Texting letters to parents will directly save schools money and alleviate the financial burden of price increases on stamps. ”
For further information, please visit http://www.the-contactgroup.com/products/call-parents/, call 0844 448 4422 or email sales@the-contactgroup.com. Follow @contactgroup on Twitter.
About Contact Group
Contact Group, the trading name of Truancy Call Ltd is the leading provider of automatic notification systems which facilitate two-way communication between public sector organisations and schools. Its solutions enable schools and local authorities to disseminate important information quickly and easily via email, SMS and automated phone call.
With over a decade’s experience delivering solutions informed by, and designed to answer real school needs, Contact Group works with over 2,000 state and independent primary and secondary schools, academies, nurseries and sixth form colleges in the UK and Ireland.
Highly flexible, Contact Group’s solutions help facilitate whole-school communication with parents, governors, staff and students, providing an efficient and cost-effective way to manage student behaviour, attendance and bullying and notify parents quickly of school closures, payment reminders and general announcements.
Contact Group has strong partnerships with many top academies and federations including ARK, Oasis Learning Community, EACT and Pimlico Academy.
Contact Group solutions integrate seamlessly with all school Management Information Systems (MIS), enabling schools to send messages at the touch of a button, dramatically reducing the administrative time and costs associated with contacting parents individually by phone.
About Call Parents
Call Parents can help send messages quickly, saving time, effort and money. Send a message via text, e-mail or phone to parents, teachers and students with a few simple clicks. Letters to parents don't need to be printed, they can now be e-mailed or texted via the unique 'Text a Letter' function. Call Parents can also be accessed remotely away from school. It's easy to use and requires very little support.
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