Smart Tuition |
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Consumer reviews about Smart Tuition |
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Kudos
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Jan 23, 2016
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Smart Tuition: opportunistic collection agency in disguise
I was surprised to get hit with a $40 late fee on an ad hoc $100 fee for a mid-year school event. At the time the school posted the $100 fee, my Smart Tuition account balance was NEGATIVE $7000, as I prepaid our final installment payment two months in advance of the due date. You'd think they would apply $100 from the $7000 collecting interest in their bank account to the charge--nope. Instead, Smart Tuition printed an invoice on Dec. 26 and sent it by mail--it arrived a few days prior to the January 15 due date. We missed the payment deadline, got hit the the fee. Interestingly, we did not receive an email notifying us of the payment due, but we sure did receive an email firmly announcing the late fee the moment the deadline had passed. A phone call to customer service cleared the fee with a 'one-time courtesy fee waiver,' but that only solved a single transaction..not the massive flaw in the company's business model.
In its white paper titled "Late Payments: A Burden for Your School Business Office?", Smart Tuition lays out its core beliefs, most notably:
"Fees are a useful deterrent to keep families on-time."
source: https://www.smarttuition.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/Smart-Tuition-White-Paper.pdf
The glaring issue with this company is that they focus their revenue model on late fees, set-up fees, credit card payment fees and other service fees--opportunists to collect at every available moment.
The takeaway for parents and schools evaluating billing services is this: Smart Tuition's business model is built on the view that parents are first and foremost liabilities and high-risk delinquents-in-waiting that must be dealt with swiftly and firmly to keep school financials in check. They tout their service as 'tuition collection services', which closely resembles dreaded collection agency models. They are enthusiastic advocates for late fees and collections for any parent who might not open the mailbox just in time...it's as if they despise the school's customers and are actively advocating for schools to treat them as the biggest threat to the school's success.
For school administrators considering Smart Tuition's services, ask yourself one question: are you willing to have your brand tarnished by the opportunistic collection agency you hired to mange tuition fees? If so, be sure to hand out pitchforks to parents at the parent welcome event....no doubt you'll spend a ton of time dealing with an endless stream of angry parents.
- concerned parent, 30-year business and brand consultant
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Smart Tuition
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Jan 25, 2016
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Smart Tuition
I would like to review your account. Please contact me directly at [email protected].
Jim Lozano
Director of Parent Experience
Smart Tuition
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