Customer Access Settings – Existing Account Settings
The existing account settings, under Customer Access Settings, gives you the ability to control what information customers have access to and what they’re able to do with it. Ultimately, the parent portal gives your customers the ability to view and update contact and credit card information, view charges and make online payments, view current class enrollments, and request future classes. However, Akada gives the studio the ability to limit or completely take away any of those features.
In the example screenshot above, the parent would be able to see but not edit their name. They can edit their address, phone, email, and source (how they heard about you). They would not be able to see their billing frequency (payment plan). We do recommend not allowing parents to be able to edit their Account Name.
To change Data Fields status:
- From the Akada home screen click on the main menu in the top left corner of the screen.
- Select the arrow beside Settings.
- Select the arrow beside Customer Access Settings.
- Select Existing Accounts
- Use the drop-downs to make your selections for each of the sections (Account, Parent Information, Emergency Contact, etc).
- Once all selections have been made select Save. The changes will automatically update within your parent portal.
Credit Card Information:*
In the past, when a customer wanted to edit a portion of their credit card information it was necessary to re-enter all of the information. We have now broken this down into individual sections so that they can edit their billing address or recurring billing status without having to re-enter the card number.
- In the screenshot above a credit card would be required to select classes. To require a card use the drop-down and select “required.”
- You can remove a parent’s ability to remove credit card information, once saved on the account. Use the Can Clear Saved Credit Card drop-down and select “card cannot be cleared”.
- Setting the “Recurring billing On by default” would automatically set new cards saved to be part of your recurring billing. This would force the cardholder to opt out of recurring billing when saving their card.**
*If you are not set up to process credit cards in Akada this section will not appear on the screen. If you feel like you are set up and do not see it double check the settings on your credit card setup screen.
**While some studios do prefer to use this selection we do not recommend it as some customers may miss the option and have their credit card charged without their knowledge.
Additional Options: These additional options above give you the ability to limit certain functions within the parent portal without completely taking them away. Want to let your parent see their current classes but not register online? Easy, just use the drop-downs to update your selections, and be sure to Save your changes.
Transactions and Online Payments:
If your studio is set up to process credit card payments, you will have the option to allow parents to select multiple charges at one time along with allowing them to pay all open charges with one click.