Our organization faced a critical communication problem. Too many individual pieces of information were getting lost in the flurry of daily operations. This issue stemmed from several factors, some interconnected and others standalone.

When I refer to our communication challenges, I mean a broad spectrum of interactions. There were voice communications between administration and customers, written messages between administration and customers, verbal exchanges between customers and child supervisor staff, and both written and verbal communication between administration and child supervisors. Additionally, we experienced lapses in communication between customers and bus supervisors, and further breakdowns between bus supervisors and administration.

Originally, if a customer had a concern or request, they could call or email the administrative office. Once received, the information would be passed along, often via paper notes and conversation, to the relevant staff member—whether a bus supervisor or a child supervisor. If the issue was urgent, there would be a direct voice call to the necessary staff. Once the request was addressed, the staff member would notify the administration to confirm completion, ideally resolving the issue.

The communication process, however, was fragmented. With so many handoffs involved, the likelihood of losing or miscommunicating important information was high. This breakdown in communication often resulted in customer dissatisfaction, particularly when it involved the safety and well-being of the children in our care.

I was determined to solve this problem. Having been on the receiving end of countless customer complaints due to communication failures, I knew we needed a more efficient and reliable solution.

Our team initially investigated applications used by school districts, reasoning that they likely faced similar communication issues. However, as we reviewed the available options, we found many applications lacked the flexibility and functionality we needed. For example, many applications allowed students to be grouped in only one classroom, but we needed the ability to place students in multiple groups—such as activity groups, swim groups, bus groups, and age divisions. Additionally, most school-focused apps required year-round subscriptions, even though our program was only active during the summer. This created additional costs, especially considering that app updates typically occurred during the summer, often causing downtime or user experience (UX) issues.

Given these challenges, we decided to build our own app from the ground up. The project was ambitious, especially with a tight timeline. We began the process in November 2017, aiming to launch the app by the summer of 2018—just five or six months later.

To start, I created a wireframe for the app’s layout. It would consist of three main modules: the administrative console, the parent portal, and the staff login. Each module would serve a different user group, providing a customized experience. The administrative console would function as the backend, the parent portal would be a news feed similar to Facebook or Instagram, and the staff login would serve as a CRM (Customer Relationship Management) tool on mobile devices.

We developed a proposal and began interviewing app development companies. The bids varied significantly, ranging from $5,000 to $120,000. After careful consideration, we settled on a company that offered a reasonable price between $60,000 and $80,000. Interestingly, the CEO of this company lived in a neighboring town, which led to an in-person meeting that fostered a personal connection and sealed the deal.

To ensure smooth development, we held weekly Zoom meetings, often at 6 or 7 AM to accommodate various time zones, including India, the United Arab Emirates, England, and California. These meetings were crucial for providing feedback on the app’s progress. Despite our efforts, development moved slower than anticipated. By May, we had not yet released a beta version, and the alpha version didn’t go live until July—three weeks later than originally planned. Several factors contributed to the delay, and while it was disappointing, we took full responsibility.

Once the app, named CoolAppName2018, was launched, it significantly improved communication both internally and externally. Parents could now select specific staff members to message directly, ensuring their concerns were heard. Group counselors could share photos of the children in their groups, and with facial recognition technology, parents received notifications when their child appeared in a picture. The swim staff could easily communicate swim levels, which, given the 21 levels in the Red Cross system, were complex to explain. Senior staff could send mass notifications to parents, keeping everyone informed of special events like Wild West Day or Carnival Day. Staff also used the messaging feature to communicate internally, eliminating the need for staff members and administrators to run around campus to relay information.

Additionally, CoolAppName2018 served as a digital archive, storing around 120,000 photos taken throughout the season. We also saved hundreds of hours of video footage, which we could repurpose for marketing. The app also provided written records of most complaints and concerns, as parents could message directly rather than calling.

The success of the app led to significant infrastructure improvements. We upgraded our outdoor Wi-Fi system to support over 100 devices uploading photos throughout the day. We also built a new office to accommodate 10 full-time administrators. Finally, we purchased around 100 iPads, ensuring all staff had access to the app, enabling them to communicate more effectively and efficiently.

In the end, CoolAppName2018 transformed our communication, both between staff and administration and with our customers, ensuring a smoother and more reliable experience for all involved.