Did you know that on average, K-12 visitor management clients pay $1,600 per building? This might seem reasonable for K-12 security until you learn that only $480 of this goes towards software. The remaining $1,120 goes to marked-up equipment and hidden service fees.
This means the average school pays a mark-up of over 300% for K-12 safety!
Things to Watch for When Price-Comparing Visitor Management Systems
A Quick Checklist
- High up-front technology investment required that forces your district into vendor loyalty – this should be a Bring-Your-Own-Device world; branded scanners can run $495, while they sell for roughly $75 on the open market
- Fees for database setup, activation, and installation – in most modern security systems, no on-site installation is needed; this is either a false charge or indication that the system is outdated and provides little automation, which will also negatively impact your flexibility; additional costs can be $350-750 per location just to start service
- No free trial available – with such a high price-tag, vendors should allow you to try out their products to ensure it’s worth the investment
- Price competitiveness that relies on steep discounts – prices are inflated as much as 30% to cover this; and of course many districts lose the discount after the first year
- “Training” listed as a separate charge – this is a warning sign for one of two things: 1) the system is not user-friendly or 2) the vendor is building in extra charges
- The system is missing key elements of self-service – tools such as FAQ’s and self-guided trouble shooting options reduce a system’s expense and allows for better services to a broad audience
- Advertising widely available services like QR code capability, SMS messaging, etc. as special features – these should be built-in parts of your service that don’t require extra fees
- Tiered pricing for different visitors, such as students, faculty, parents, etc. – these should not incur extra costs
The biggest drain on your budget is point one. Here’s why.
Inflated Technology Costs and Forced Brand Loyalty
This is a big one. VMS providers have built minimum required hardware sales goals into their overall sales strategies. This has nothing to do with K-12 security. They profit off of inflated hardware costs. From firmware to USB scanners, companies will:
- Take open hardware such as a plug-and-play USB tool
- Brand the hardware
- Sometimes code the VMS to work exclusively with this branded hardware
- Charge up to ten times the actual price of the technology itself
And of course, when this “high-quality” equipment breaks, districts are forced to shell out even more for the branded equipment required with the K-12 visitor management system they already have in place.
After your district invests so much in hardware tied to a specific vendor, it will be harder for you to switch in the future. This is especially true if your district obtains a grant for start-up costs but is then left to finance ongoing replacement costs in the following years. This is how providers lock schools into their system: by tying their software to required branded equipment that isn’t compatible with competing systems.
Transparent Pricing at EduQueue
EduQueue is built around a model that cuts away all the fat to offer a streamlined and flexible software that has no hidden fees and does not require branded equipment. EduQueue also gives you the freedom to make changes to your hardware as needed.
Don’t Pay for Unused or Imagined Services
Ten-plus years ago at the beginning of the move towards K-12 safety, when many of these companies were established, there was no such thing as software as a service. Historically, this is where things like “database setup” fees came from. Both providers and clients had to become used to pricing based on access instead of “services.” Because of the evolution of the market, large companies now have an outdated price structure.
With EduQueue, you can just go to the website, sign up, and get going; there is no waiting for setup, no activation fees – and you can try the system out for free.
Avoid False User “Tiers”
Many vendors charge different prices for different types of users within the visitor sign in system. Parents, teachers, students, and volunteers may all be separate line items in a bill. This inflates the cost for protecting different types of visitors within the same database. There is no reason for this other than it allows vendors to price-guard a variety of functionalities. EduQueue doesn’t add this barrier to K-12 security.
Enjoy Easy-to-Use System with No “Training” Needed
Many vendors charge schools just to show them how to use the product – a sign that the system is not user-friendly. EduQueue is streamlined, easy to use, and has a FAQ and self-help tool online.
Have the Flexibility to Choose Your Vendor and Equipment
EduQueue is unique – we are not in the business of selling you hardware or forcing you to use a specific brand. If you’re responsible for deploying a visitor management solution for your district, you need a software that can maintain your current equipment and future purchases. As the vendor, we have created a software that gives you the freedom to choose your own hardware.
EduQueue’s focus on access and flexibility allows you to only pay for what you need while utilizing an advanced software to keep students, staff, and faculty safe.
Read about how to adapt your visitor management system for the needs of COVID-19
