Schools Week - Arbor’s Kickbacks

[Bromcom-PR]

Schools Week - Arbor’s Kickbacks

 

Three councils have received cash from Arbor Education, one of England’s biggest MIS providers.

 

Councils have received thousands of pounds in “referral fees” by a tech company in return for their schools switching to its management information system (MIS).

 

https://schoolsweek.co.uk/councils-accept-referral-fees-for-schools-mis-switch/

 

Councils accept ‘referral fees’ for schools’ MIS switch

Conflict of interest concerns as councils reveal fees handed to them amid growing MIS tussle

 

Lewis Alcraft, the chief executive of ParentPay Group, an organisation that runs SIMS, said referral fees were “inappropriate”.

 

For instance, Bromcom, another provider, does not offer referrals, but does charge schools less if support units – as opposed to the company – provide helpdesk services

[Steve21]

That's rather poor of you again Bromcom. You're now purposely leaving out part of the story to make it sound better for Bromcom...

 

Lewis Alcraft, the chief executive of ParentPay Group, an organisation that runs SIMS, said referral fees were “inappropriate”.

 

But James Weatherill, the chief executive of Arbor, said his company’s fees were based “off those offered by others in the market to ensure a level playing field”.

 

For instance, Bromcom, another provider, does not offer referrals, but does charge schools less if support units – as opposed to the company – provide helpdesk services.

 

You really should know by now that no-one enjoys these kind of games from the amount of flak you've already had on Edugeek because of those kind of posts

 

Steve

[Ditto]

That's rather poor of you again Bromcom. You're now purposely leaving out part of the story to make it sound better for Bromcom...

 

 

 

You really should know by now that no-one enjoys these kind of games from the amount of flak you've already had on Edugeek because of those kind of posts

 

Steve

Agreed. Nothing has suggested illegal practice and history suggests that would be challenged in the courts if this was the case. It does come across as sour-grapes. They'd be better focussing on the frequent reporting of poor performance than shooting at a major competitor with biased facts.

[sigma]

Regardless of the way this topic has been raised. It does seem that Local Authority procurement of MIS systems for schools might not pass the sniff test.

 

(Suffolk CC is migrating all its maintained schools from SIMS to Arbor).

[Bromcom-PR]

Nothing has suggested illegal practice and history suggests that would be challenged in the courts if this was the case.

 

 

In the financial services sector, recommending a financial product in exchange for a kickback payment is unlawful under the **Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (FSMA)** and the **Retail Distribution Review (RDR)** rules enforced by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA).

 

These regulations were designed to ensure advisers act in the best interest of their clients and that any potential conflicts of interest are fully transparent. Just like financial advisers, councils advising schools on MIS procurement should be held to similar standards of impartiality.

 

In the Schools Week article referral fees is seen as influencing decisions, much like a financial adviser might be tempted to recommend a product based on the kickback they receive rather than its merits.

 

The fact that such practices would be unlawful in financial services underscores the need for transparency and ethical governance here, too.

[FN-GM]

The posts that Bromcom make on here are comical. Their PR would be improved if they kept quiet.

[DrCheese]

The posts that Bromcom make on here are comical. Their PR would be improved if they kept quiet.

 

Agree. This is just sour grapes. If something is legal then they can't do jot against it. If they feel there's a case to answer, take them to court.

Else dignified silence & focus on making their own product super competitive is the way forward.

 

Customers don't care about corporate slapfights and trying to drag them in seems silly.

Edited September 30, 2024 by DrCheese

[synaesthesia]

This and exactly this. The product might be decent, but Bromcom's PR is more political and bitchy than anything we've seen in the educational sector for years. Should be concentrating on advertising the product, what it can do, what the company will do, how they'll support schools and their patrons. Leave the political side to the articles - those interested will have seen them and don't need signposting like a child trying to get another child into trouble.

[sefton]

I've come to the conclusion that they are parody accounts.

[Cat_Jam148]

The fact that such practices would be unlawful in financial services underscores the need for transparency and ethical governance here, too.

Well I'm sure you'll be taking Arbor to court over this then just like Bromcom did to that academy trust...

 

Never forgetting that one.

 

 

Bromcom's handling of PR is something to be studied. Better off keeping quiet.

[synaesthesia]

Bromcom's handling of PR is something to be studied. Better off keeping quiet.

 

At this point it's going to take Ryan Reynolds level of marketing prowess to do something positive!

[dmj]

Hypocrisy at it's finest.

Bromcom literally employing a PR team to spread s**t about their competitors for spending money on councils.

[PotNoodleTech]

As sad as it is to see supposedly professional companies mud slinging in public - the do kinda have a point, councils are some of the worst when it comes to benefits, bribary and brown envelopes full of cash so they do need to be held to account given they do what they do, whilst asking cleaners in schools to delclare all their private intersts "just incase"

[Chockster]

As part of a correct procurement process, I'd not be allowed to use my experience of a provider badmouthing another provider to sway our decision; but equally, I couldn't use the details of what the other had done to sway it either.

 

Makes all this stuff seem pretty pointless, and as others have pointed out, a bit of a waste of money.

[Ironside]

If there's any truth to this it should be fought in the court of law on a case by case basis, not shouted on Edugeek in a mudslinging war.

 

Weapons grade sour grapes.

[AlistairB1983]

Lewis Alcraft, the chief executive of ParentPay Group, an organisation that runs SIMS, said referral fees were “inappropriate”.

Interesting that you chose to quote that part of the article instead of this part:

 

"Nottingham received just over £20,000 for what it said was "a rebate on additional products purchased by schools using SIMS."

 

So it's "inappropriate" when Arbor do it, but when SIMS does it that's just fine is it?

 

Nothing like a nice bit of selective reporting to try and boost your own PR ... for all the good it's done you!

[Ditto]

In the financial services sector, recommending a financial product in exchange for a kickback payment is unlawful under the **Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (FSMA)** and the **Retail Distribution Review (RDR)** rules enforced by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA).

 

These regulations were designed to ensure advisers act in the best interest of their clients and that any potential conflicts of interest are fully transparent. Just like financial advisers, councils advising schools on MIS procurement should be held to similar standards of impartiality.

 

In the Schools Week article referral fees is seen as influencing decisions, much like a financial adviser might be tempted to recommend a product based on the kickback they receive rather than its merits.

 

The fact that such practices would be unlawful in financial services underscores the need for transparency and ethical governance here, too.

You quote "transparency" and "ethics" to me. I suggest you re-read the reply to your OP and address that. That'll be my last comment in this thread. I'll leave to other edugeekers to share their views as they see fit.

[FN-GM]

Waiting for the reply from Bromcom, like the past, they won’t be reading the room and will double down.

[psydii]

I've heard it alleged (*years* ago) that others in the market did things that potentially harmed Bromcom's revenue so significantly that the compensation for such actions paid for the first few years of development of the Bromcom MIS.

 

Muttering about deals and kick-backs and unfair practices that ensured the dominant player stays dominant are as old as the hills. ...and yet when push has come to shove, government and the courts have (broadly) come down against those Bromcom accuses.

 

The MIS market is basically a three horse race, and that is just below the bare minimum to prevent monopolistic practices harming the consumers (schools). All of them need to play with a straight bat and live or die by the merits of their products, and if one of them behaves poorly/illegally then that needs to be addressed, and redress awarded if so appropriate. We all loose if this becomes a two horse race because we'd be a decade at most from it returning to a single dominant player.

[pete]

I've come to the conclusion that they are parody accounts.

 

Internal PR teams are often indistinguishable from parody accounts.

[synaesthesia]

I've heard it alleged (*years* ago) that others in the market did things that potentially harmed Bromcom's revenue so significantly that the compensation for such actions paid for the first few years of development of the Bromcom MIS.

 

Muttering about deals and kick-backs and unfair practices that ensured the dominant player stays dominant are as old as the hills. ...and yet when push has come to shove, government and the courts have (broadly) come down against those Bromcom accuses.

 

The MIS market is basically a three horse race, and that is just below the bare minimum to prevent monopolistic practices harming the consumers (schools). All of them need to play with a straight bat and live or die by the merits of their products, and if one of them behaves poorly/illegally then that needs to be addressed, and redress awarded if so appropriate. We all loose if this becomes a two horse race because we'd be a decade at most from it returning to a single dominant player.

 

You're not wrong - it just needs handling in a manner more appropriate than this. Currently it feels like Donald Trump - how long before any facts get thrown out of the window and start relying on playground insults. Putting down the other side(s) rather than shouting about your own is poor form.

[Edu-IT]

The article is called “Councils accept ‘referral fees’ for schools’ MIS switch” too. Nowhere is it just about Arbor.

 

All you’ve done in this thread is demonstrate poor marketing.

[dmj]

Waiting for the reply from Bromcom, like the past, they won’t be reading the room and will double down.

 

... or sue us

[bald_pig]

 

I have no idea what Bromcom are trying to achieve here...

[FragglePete]

... or sue us

 

At BETT last year and while at the Arbor stand getting a demo with my colleague, he asked the rep following the demo "Why should we choose your product over Bromcom?", their reply.... "We won't sue you".

 

Joking aside, it really does feel childish of Bromcom to post something like that on this Forum of all places.

 

Pete