sQuid - Cessation of Services

[DeGrimmy]

Hi all,

 

We've just had an email that appears to be from sQuid saying that they are ceasing services in the UK from 14th March 2025:

 

Dear Customer

 

Important Notice of Cessation of sQuid Services

 

I am writing to you today to inform you that sQuidcard Limited will be ceasing payment processing services in the UK on 14 March 2025.

 

For some time we have faced relentless rises in our costs, and a reduced demand for our payment services. These twin pressures have created an increasingly adverse business situation which means that it is no longer economically viable for us to continue to process payments in the UK.

 

We have been delivering school payment services for nearly 15 years and have been honoured to serve you, and many other institutions, during that time. It has been a very difficult decision, but the only viable option for us is to focus on profitable activities in other markets and withdraw from the UK market in a properly managed wind-down of services.

 

We recognise that you will need a replacement payment service and we have looked carefully at which supplier in the market might be best equipped to help you with similar capability to ours. Our conclusion is that ParentPay has the technology that most closely matches our service and has the scale and resources to quickly provide a solution for you so that a smooth migration can be achieved in the timescale.

 

We will make arrangements for ParentPay to contact you, and you can also contact them at the following email address, which has been set up to provide you with a rapid response. Of course, you are free to choose another supplier. Email: [email protected]

 

We will do all we can to facilitate the transfer of services to your new supplier. sQuid Services will continue as normal up to 14 March 2025, and our team will be on hand to provide assistance, as always. We have provided a set of FAQs in this email which will give you further information. You can also email us at: [email protected].

 

I would like to thank you personally for your business over the years and also express our regret for having to take this necessary decision.

 

Sincerely,

ADAM SMITH

Chief Executive,

SQUIDCARD LIMITED

 

Has anyone else had this email? I have contacted their support desk to find out if it is genuine. If true, this is going to be a right pain!

Edited February 3, 2025 by DeGrimmy

[MCPearson]

Yes, just received the same email here. My finance department are running around like headless chicken.

[BKGarry]

We just received it too, during our Financial year end, we are now trying to figure out next steps. we moved to Arbor last February but have not rolled out the Arbor App to parents fully yet. So we have several decisions to make in a very short amount of time.

[DeGrimmy]

We just received it too, during our Financial year end, we are now trying to figure out next steps. we moved to Arbor last February but have not rolled out the Arbor App to parents fully yet. So we have several decisions to make in a very short amount of time.

We are currently in the process of migrating to Arbor which won't be fully in place until late April, so not only will we need to sort out a payment system for the interrim, we will then need to migrate it from SIMS to Arbor...

[BKGarry]

We are currently in the process of migrating to Arbor which won't be fully in place until late April, so not only will we need to sort out a payment system for the interrim, we will then need to migrate it from SIMS to Arbor...

 

That is a pain, but what I will say is Arbor's migration team was excellent and that went smoothly for us this time last year (we did it in Feb half term)

[Edu-IT]

Do you have the FAQs document?

[BKGarry]

@Edu-IT

 

You Finance contact that is listed with sQuid should have received this email, and the FAQs are further down the email and not an attachment. It is probably worth speaking to your Finance Team to get a copy of the email.

[Edu-IT]

@Edu-IT

 

You Finance contact that is listed with sQuid should have received this email, and the FAQs are further down the email and not an attachment. It is probably worth speaking to your Finance Team to get a copy of the email.

I've found it on the payments portal now, thanks.

[DeGrimmy]

That is a pain, but what I will say is Arbor's migration team was excellent and that went smoothly for us this time last year (we did it in Feb half term)

Just found out that the other piece of the puzzle (our internal catering system run by a company I probably shouldn't name) does not integrate with Arbor Pay...

[BKGarry]

Luckily ours does, but I am trying to find out whether Tali/Pebble/School Fund Manager does, which is the pinchpoint here, as that is what is our single point of truth is for School fund/trips etc

[Edu-IT]

Luckily ours does, but I am trying to find out whether Tali/Pebble/School Fund Manager does, which is the pinchpoint here, as that is what is our single point of truth is for School fund/trips etc

Can you summarise what the solution does? Does it process the payments, or, just consolidate the data?

[BKGarry]

That the consolidate everything part, think FMS but for your School Fund for trips etc

[SLBates]

Can anyone clarify, is this just the payment part of sQuid that is being cancelled? We use them their school meals ordering system too. We were hoping to move to using payments plus on Arbor anyway but the timescale is just not realistic. Not sure if Arbor payments would be able to link to squid meals system?

[DeGrimmy]

Can anyone clarify, is this just the payment part of sQuid that is being cancelled? We use them their school meals ordering system too. We were hoping to move to using payments plus on Arbor anyway but the timescale is just not realistic. Not sure if Arbor payments would be able to link to squid meals system?

My reading is that the entire company is ceasing operations in the UK, but I think you'd need to contact them to find out for definite.

[Edu-IT]

My reading is that the entire company is ceasing operations in the UK, but I think you'd need to contact them to find out for definite.

Yes. I believe it’s all going.