Building relationships that last through transparency and trust from the start

Faith Lutheran College Plainlands is a leading secondary college in Toowoomba Queensland, with an emphasis on holistic education, academic excellence and student wellbeing that equips young people to boldly and confidently shape our world.

In a thriving area of south east Queensland, with many other independent schools, Faith Lutheran stands out with their unique secondary offering and by delivering an excellent parent experience. Bianca Coleborn, Director of Marketing, shares how partnership with Feesable was a key element in establishing trust with families and fostering lasting relationships.

When families are deciding where to send their children to school, two key factors weigh heavily on their minds: value alignment and the financial commitment. As Bianca points out, after families confirm that the school is the right fit for their values, the next critical question they ask is, “Can we afford this?”

Traditionally, schools provide fee information through a static PDF Fee Schedule which outlines fees, terms, and conditions. However, these documents can often be overwhelming for families to navigate as Bianca explains, “Most schools will have a PDF that lay out all the fees and the terms and conditions, but these can be confusing for families”.

With all the variables involved, such as different year levels, sibling discounts, levies, multiple application or enrolment fees, and more, fees become complex, and this lack of clarity can undermine trust and creates uncertainty for families.

The static PDF can only do so much to solve this complexity, and makes the parent work hard to understand fees, creating friction and ultimately does not meet the expectations of modern parents who are accustomed to quick, intuitive, and interactive online experiences.

Add all this up, and it has a big impact on trust in the school, and affects confidence in making a decision about a family embarking on this long-term financial commitment.

Recognising the need for greater clarity and simplicity, the College partnered with Feesable who setup a customised School Fee Calculator based on Faith Lutheran fees and unique requirements. This clever tool sits nicely on the College website fees page, alongside other key enrolment and fee information.

Now, instead of simply presenting a one-size-fits-all PDF or static fees information, the fee calculator allows families to add details, such as year level, and entry year for each child, and receive a clear, personalised estimate of the fees for their family.

This shift from static, often confusing PDF’s to an interactive fee calculator offers genuine transparency, giving real clarity to families as they seek to understand the financial commitment they are considering.

Transparency is at the core of what Faith Lutheran seeks to offer families. As Bianca highlights, being open and honest about fees is essential for building long-lasting relationships with families, especially when they are making a commitment that could span decades. By providing clear, upfront information, the school will foster trust, ensuring that families feel confident about their decision from the very beginning.

Beyond new families, the calculator is also invaluable for current families who can use it year after year to reassess their financial situation since fees change annually, and their children advance through different year levels, incurring all sorts of different charges across grades and activities.

Ultimately, Feesable has been a game-changer for how the College communicates fees.

By adopting Feesable, Faith Lutheran College has positioned itself as a forward-thinking school that is committed to being open, honest, and supportive. As Bianca states, “If you want to be transparent and open with your fees to families and gain that trust with them right from the very beginning, then having the Feesable Fee Calculator will really help you with that.”

Having implemented it at multiple schools, Bianca is convinced of its importance and plans to continue using it wherever she works in the future. She notes, “I’ve used Feesable at two different schools, and I plan to take it with me to every school I work at in the future. It’s the best way to be transparent and build trust with families from day one.”

For schools looking to foster transparency, enhance trust, and create a seamless experience for families around fees, Feesable is a powerful tool that makes a lasting impact.