When the COVID-19 pandemic struck, Procare Solution’s Francie Dudrey saw how impactful her industry was. She’s the director of content, events and brand at the child care solutions provider, and when child care centers across the country closed their doors in March 2020, many parents, including Dudrey, a mother of two, were affected.
“Parents and caregivers were left to figure out how to manage while still trying to work or find work if they lost their jobs,” Dudrey said. “Trying to be a parent, teacher and employee or job seeker at the same time is not only difficult, it also isn’t sustainable. We need child care.”
But how would those centers adapt to the restrictions and safeguards necessitated by the pandemic once they were permitted to reopen? For many, they leaned on child care solutions companies like Procare, which provides businesses child care management and parent engagement software, along with integrated payment processing, and other technology and services.
“The industry is realizing how child care management software can save a significant amount of time so child care professionals can focus more on their passion: supporting the growth and development of the children they serve,” Dudrey said. “Plus, when you factor in the pandemic, the ability for more digital, contactless solutions is becoming a must-have for centers.”
Dudrey shared how her work at Procare became even more meaningful in the last eight months and what the future holds for the company, below.
Tell us a little bit about your background and your role at Procare Solutions. What made you want to work there?
I’ve spent the majority of my career in public relations and corporate communications roles — from working at a small educational nonprofit in Kansas City to a Fortune 200 technology company in Broomfield, Colorado. Prior to joining Procare, I focused on customer experience communications and marketing.
I loved my last role; however, I met Procare’s CMO by happenstance and after learning about the company and its mission, I had to pursue the opportunity. Procare combines two things I love: technology and children. As a mother of two young girls, I’m very familiar with the child care industry. Being able to take my skills and help further the growth of child care businesses across the country is incredibly rewarding.
It’s no secret that child care has been a historically ‘pen and paper’ industry.’’
What are the general features that Procare Solutions provides?
Procare is a company built upon 30-plus years of knowledge helping child care businesses operate more efficiently so they can spend more time focused on the children in their care. We offer all-in-one child care management software solutions that address everything from business processes like billing, payroll, tuition collection to classroom and curriculum management, along with parent communication and engagement.
The child care software solution industry has grown over the years. Why?
It’s no secret that child care has been a historically “pen and paper” industry. However, the onset of the digital transition over the last decade has created a level of expectation among families and child care staff for a more digital approach to child care. For example, parents want to be able to pay online rather than mailing or dropping off a check. Parents also want to be immersed in their children’s day through photos, videos, updates on daily activities, etc. We have an app that does all of that and more.
How is Procare affecting the childcare industry? How has the industry as a whole been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic?
Most child care centers have made significant changes in how they run their businesses. And a big part of that has to do with implementing new technologies. Procare brings to the table solutions that help child care businesses navigate the challenges created by COVID-19 — from contactless check-in/out that parents can do on their smartphones, to touch-free billing and tuition collection. With centers limiting in-person interactions with parents, it’s hard to build and maintain strong relationships; however, we have a parent engagement application that allows centers to share photos, videos, milestones, daily activities, newsletters and more. Plus, parents and staff can interact within the app.
What product enhancements has Procare made related to the COVID-19 pandemic, and why?
Perhaps our most popular enhancement has been contactless check-in/out. Typically, a parent checks their child in by entering the child care facility and punching in a code on a touchpad. Or they may do it the old-fashioned way and sign in on a piece of paper.
With centers now limiting foot traffic into their facility, they’ve needed a safer way to check children in and out. Procare offers two different ways to enable contactless check-in — either using a QR code, where a parent scans a code using their phone, or via GPS, where the school sets a GPS boundary and once the parent enters that boundary, they’ll get a prompt on their phone to check in their child.
Can you speak to Procare’s culture and how that culture is enabling the company to navigate this uncertain time?
When we moved to a work-from-home arrangement, some had doubts about what we could accomplish. However, we quickly proved that with the right support and management, we can do big things. Not only did we launch a new brand while working from home, but we also launched a new website and a number of new products. It speaks volumes to the company’s culture that we were able to accomplish so much during one of the most difficult situations many of us have ever experienced.
The pandemic showed us how important child care is, and I believe the future for this industry is bright.’’
What does the future of the childcare software industry look like? How will Procare influence the market?
The pandemic showed us how important child care is, and I believe the future for this industry is bright. I think we’ll continue to see child care centers shift to a more digital approach, and that many of the new processes and protocols they’ve introduced because of the pandemic will stay in place even after we’re out of the woods. As a trailblazer in the child care management software industry, Procare will continue innovating in ways that ensure our customers have everything they need, all in one place.
