Introduction
St John Fisher Catholic High School, part of Wigan Council, recently upgraded its cashless system by implementing Fusion Cashless, Facial Recognition, and iDStore identity management. Since upgrading, the school has noted the positive impact on pupils' meal service experience, highlighting a significant increase in speed of service.
Objective: improving the school meal service
The primary objective of upgrading was to increase the efficiency of the school’s meal service and create a seamless payment experience. St John Fisher sought a comprehensive software solution to facilitate quick and secure transactions while offering innovative identification options such as Facial Recognition and iDStore.
The implementation process
The CRB Cunninghams team worked closely with the school to facilitate the entire process and ensure a smooth upgrade to Fusion Cashless.
1. Software upgrade
CRB Cunninghams upgraded the existing Biostore V2 system to the latest iDStore software, allowing students to use fingerprint authentication or Facial Recognition.
2. Installation
To enable the upgraded system, CRBC installed new tills, fingerprint readers, and Facial Recognition in the school’s new building for seamless software integration.
3. Training and support
CRB Cunninghams conducted comprehensive training sessions and provided ongoing support and assistance to the school's catering team and Wigan Council staff to ensure a seamless implementation.
When speaking about the implementation process, Mark Farrimond, IT Manager at St John Fisher Catholic School, praised CRB Cunninghams, highlighting the professional service from onsite engineers and the project management team:
“I cannot thank the CRB Cunninghams team enough. From selecting the products for the school with advice from Paul Banks (Senior Account Manager) to the efficient rollout of the project managed by Louise Hawkes (Project Manager), the end-to-end service has been incredible.
I appreciate that we changed the implementation date several times, but Louise always found a way to accommodate the school, which has been a godsend. I’d also like to personally thank engineers Ian and Saddam for being the feet on the ground and delivering a professional service that made a difficult task look easy.”
Pupils now benefit from reduced waiting times, allowing them to enjoy their meals more efficiently, while staff members find it easier to manage transactions and cater to student needs. Thank you to the CRBC team - you have a very happy customer.”
CRB Cunninghams' Paul Banks shared his perspective on the successful implementation:
“Our team is delighted to have supported St John Fisher Catholic High School in upgrading the Fusion cashless system with Facial Recognition and iDStore. We were committed to delivering a seamless transition and ensuring the system’s smooth operation.”
“The seamless integration of Fusion, Facial Recognition, and iDStore has transformed the school's meal service, enabling quick and secure transactions and streamlining the overall process."
An improved meal experience for pupils and staff
The upgraded Fusion cashless system yielded remarkable outcomes, dramatically increasing the speed of service and enhancing the meal service experience for pupils and staff.
1. Improved efficiency
The school's new cashless catering system has significantly accelerated the school’s dining service, allowing the staff to serve students more efficiently without the risk of pupils forgetting cash or waiting for change. The streamlined payment processing has reduced waiting times and enhanced overall operational efficiency.
2. Easy operation
The upgraded software and hardware have made navigating and managing transactions easier for the school’s dining staff. The intuitive interface and enhanced functionalities have simplified their tasks, resulting in a more seamless dining experience.
3. Positive feedback
Mark Farrimond, the IT Manager, acknowledged, “The system has sped up the dinner service and made it easy for the dinner staff to serve the students.”
Conclusion
The collaboration between St John Fisher Catholic High School, Wigan Council, and CRB Cunninghams exemplifies a smooth cashless implementation that has positively impacted their school meal service - increasing service speed and elevating the overall meal service experience for pupils and staff.
The positive feedback from Mark Farrimond and Paul Banks highlights the impact of Fusion, Facial Recognition, and iDStore on operations. Mark Farrimond praised the CRB Cunninghams team for their professionalism, flexibility, and support throughout the upgrade process. He was especially pleased with the team's ability to accommodate the school's changing requirements and commended their contribution to making a challenging task appear effortless.
Download the full PDF version of the St John Fisher Catholic High School case study here.
