2020: A unique year for Karri Payments
A new year is on the horizon and we think we speak for all when we say, we’re ready for it.
As we approach the end of this COVID-19 interrupted school year, we’re taking a look back on our triumphs from 2020 and the lessons we’ve learned from this truly unique, challenging and character-building year!
We’ve pulled together our very favourite moments (yes there were some) from 2020.
We continued to pioneer a cash-free movement within the education space and beyond
The Karri team continues to push for a digital revolution within the education space. Hundreds of schools across the country have successfully removed hundreds of millions of Rands from their school by implementing Karri. Our platform is trusted by hundreds of thousands of bursars, teachers and parents in South Africa. Take a look at our latest reviews here.
We used Karri for good during the COVID-19 pandemic
In May 2020, when school gates began to reopen, we saw an opportunity to use our already established and well-integrated app for the better. Karri’s newest attendance feature became the simplest way to screen students and staff before they arrived on the school premises. Screening daily before school was compulsory. So why not simply ask the parents to screen their child via the Karri app from the comfort and safety of their home?
Hundreds and thousands of parents used the app daily to screen their children for COVID-19. The school had access to a digital paper trail of all the results which could be easily accessed at any point.
We were so pleased to make parents and teachers lives a little bit easier over this period.
People can now Scan to Pay Karri Collections
Recently, we released a Scan to Pay via QR code functionality; allowing users to download the Karri app for free, create a profile, scan a QR code and make a secure payment to a school or organisation. All in a matter of seconds. You can enable any of your Karri collections to have a QR code. QR code payments are perfect for collections that you’d like to reach beyond your user base, eg. fundraising events
Most popular collections on Karri in 2020
This year, our most popular collections included school fees, stationery collections and merchandise. With strict COVID-19 restrictions in place within schools, many tuck shops used our Shopping List feature for pre-orders, meaning children did not have to stand in tuck shop queues encouraging social distancing.
Not using Karri for the above? Click here to get in touch with one of our friendly account managers in your area.
We added Biometrics to the Karri app
Among numerous other improvements and enhancements added to the Karri app this year, we also added another layer of security upon sign in. Now you can sign in to Karri using biometrics on your phone! Have you tried out our new biometric feature yet?
We partnered with Bidvest Waltons to bring our schools and parents the simplest, COVID-19 compliant Back To School stationery solution
Going into the new Back To School season – Parents were able to purchase their Bidvest Waltons Stationery Packs securely through the Karri App.
The days of cumbersome order forms, walking up-and-down crowded retail store aisles or fumbling with cash or EFT proofs of payment at school handouts are officially behind us. Parents could now buy their stationery packs directly through the Karri App in mere seconds. We saw parents and schools across the nation welcome with arms wide open an easy and COVID-19 compliant solution to ordering stationery.
What our schools have to say about us
“We would just like to thank Karri – it was a great decision to join. It has made our staff and parent’s lives much easier with ease of use and access. We are able to load collections within minutes, and parents can order and pay at the touch of a button.
We no longer have to collect cash on Campus and therefore, the safety issue surrounding having so much cash is a moot point. And thank you for the great service and continued support!” – Tracey and Suné, Eduexcellence.
“The app is super user friendly for our sponsors & staff. The support from the team is amazing, issues resolved the same day, sometimes in minutes. I love the app, my kids’ school uses it and it’s so easy and the reminders, for a busy man, LIFE-saving.” – Lameez Elliot, Pearson Insitute of Higher Education.
“We have saved hundreds of hours of man-power in counting physical money.” – Casey Korck, Wynberg Boys’ Junior School.
A note from our CEO, Doug Hoernle:
2020 has been an extremely challenging year for our schools, our Karri team and country as a whole. I’ve been overwhelmed on a daily basis by the determination, resilience and efforts shown by everyone to make the most out of a very challenging year.
I am incredibly pleased that the Karri team was able to support all South African schools efforts in the fight against Covid, and look forward to continuing the journey with our schools to make them truly cash-free, while making our parents and students lives just a little bit easier.
As the saying goes, never waste a crisis. I firmly believe that this is true of our team, partners and schools, and can’t wait to see what a fresh new year holds for us all.
