Case studies by Meantime IT

The problem

Helen O’Grady Drama Academies needed a way to keep track of the 15,000 children attending 50 academies around the UK each week. The paper-based recording system it used to keep track of pupils, accounts and to deliver marketing campaigns was proving to be a major headache for the academy’s principals and the franchisor's head office. Each academy had developed its own way of working, some using Word and others Excel, so head office spent a huge amount of time chasing payments and reports.

"Our network of franchises was growing at such a speed, we realised we had to do something as a company to streamline all the administration systems. We needed a system that would do everything from registering enquiries, enrolling new children, recording attendance, fee collection, marketing - everything."

Margaret Darley, training manager

What we did

Meantime created a web-based system called Midas - Management Information Data and Support - which can be accessed by every franchisee at any time of the day or night. The bespoke software replicated the paper-based system used by head office, with easy to navigate screens that look like the paper forms head office had used for years.

The system lets head office see at a glance how many pupils are in each class and exactly how much money each franchisee owes at any one time. For franchisees, simply entering a student’s name and date of birth creates an automated process to take care of enrolment, fees, marketing and certificates. And as it’s all in real-time, franchisees and head office can call up information on any pupil, class or franchise from anywhere at any time.