[sims] SIMS agreement reminders to complete

[maxbradley]

Our CFO has been getting reminders (for every school) to;

"We would encourage you to please log-on, to review the information presented, to discuss this where necessary with colleagues and to complete the process promptly."

Alongside an (extended) deadline of 10th March.

 

Completing the process as far as I can tell means approving a new contract with lower rates but a new 3 year term, so ending in 2026 not 2025. The difference in rates is lower than the cost of an additional year.

 

I spoke to support on the portal, who said that there is no way to reject this contract, it can only be accepted, or allowed to run out of time. Therefore, I'm advising our CFO to let the timer run down, but it obviously seems like risky advice.

 

Is anyone else receiving these emails and am I understanding this right?

 

If yes, this seems like dodgy practice on the part of ESS, this approach feels like schools could be pressured into extending their contracts without understanding that that is what they're doing.

 

If I'm not, and there is a way to lock in the lower prices without extending the contract, please let me know.

Edited February 28, 2023 by maxbradley
Formatting

[DrCheese]

You can still go on and accept your existing contract renewal (Keeping it at the 2 remaining years in the existing contract)

 

You do have to be careful with all the whiny alerts it throws up tho trying to force you back onto the new 3 year contract.

 

You won't get the "cheaper" price but ESS can pound sand with this awful attempt at forcing you to sign up for a fresh 3 year agreement. If we can't terminate after a year, then why they hell should they be able to?

[PotNoodleTech]

The entire renewals process is done in such as way as to be as devious as possible into forcing you to accept the new contract on worst terms and conditions.

 

We have been instructed by the LA not to even log into the portal without a member of the LA SIMS team - and to then complete the renewal of existing contract under their instruction.

 

This is like PPI all over again.

 

I was already disgusted at capita and ESS general behaviour but ESS have really taken it to a new level of pure criminality.

[JATSO]

Yes were getting them as well and they sent us the wrong a login details for for another, school, I logged checked the profile and it wasn't even our school, same school name and correct DFE number but profile details and contract was for the other school in another part of the country and yet were supposed to trust them with our data.

 

ESS is part of Parentpay another pushy lot.

[SayLHP]

The entire renewals process is done in such as way as to be as devious as possible into forcing you to accept the new contract on worst terms and conditions.

 

We have been instructed by the LA not to even log into the portal without a member of the LA SIMS team - and to then complete the renewal of existing contract under their instruction.

 

This is like PPI all over again.

 

I was already disgusted at capita and ESS general behaviour but ESS have really taken it to a new level of pure criminality.

 

Makes me think I need to get in touch with my LA tomorrow, we’ve already had confirmation that they want us to stay out of contract.

 

I know of one HeadTeacher who’s selected the wrong box and ESS are refusing to let them out of it.

[DBR99]

Has anyone sucessfully managed to get ESS to reset the portal choices - Our Finance Manager understandably took the wrong option of the new 3 year 'reduced price' contract for two of our primaries which we don't want - the original plan was to give them time to develop all that's been promised for so long - and failing that look at the competitors. We are also very happy with our current hosting and support provider (SCOMIS) and don't want to change that to ESS. I reckon Arbor here we come!

[PotNoodleTech]

Has anyone sucessfully managed to get ESS to reset the portal choices - Our Finance Manager understandably took the wrong option of the new 3 year 'reduced price' contract for two of our primaries which we don't want - the original plan was to give them time to develop all that's been promised for so long - and failing that look at the competitors. We are also very happy with our current hosting and support provider (SCOMIS) and don't want to change that to ESS. I reckon Arbor here we come!

 

This is what ESS were banking on schools doing all along - good luck getting out of that contract I recon you got SIMS till 2026 in those schools!

[SayLHP]

This is what ESS were banking on schools doing all along - good luck getting out of that contract I recon you got SIMS till 2026 in those schools!

 

It's devious what they're doing, ESS rang the office the other morning asking to speak to the Head. I took the call from the receptionist, but they were being pretty pushy.

[PotNoodleTech]

It's devious what they're doing, ESS rang the office the other morning asking to speak to the Head. I took the call from the receptionist, but they were being pretty pushy.

 

The banks etc thought they could get away with misselling PPI too and look where that got them. ESS will get it's karma at some point, either that or they simply won't have any customers left.

[DrCheese]

It's devious what they're doing, ESS rang the office the other morning asking to speak to the Head. I took the call from the receptionist, but they were being pretty pushy.

 

Yes same - I had someone from ESS ring up pretty aggressively asking me to bring the contract up on my screen & to go through it - When I said I wasn't in front of my PC & I was already part way through the approval process for the original quote (Just needed my PO number) they said they'd call back the next day - They didn't. I suspect because they realised I was IT and not someone they could blindside.

 

Awful company.

[Griffta1970]

Does anyone know of any schools who has managed to get out of the new contract?

[maxbradley]

I got the call last week (or rather, intercepted it). My plan was to feign ignorance and get a feel for how pushy they were being, whether they detailed the downsides (the extension) along with the upsides (the price cut). In fairness to them, I think they were about as transparent as you'd expect a salesperson to be. That said, I told them we weren't happy about the last 3 year contract debacle and wouldn't be getting ourselves into another one. The truth of course is that we don't expect to be using SIMS by then.