VIVO miles

[maniac]

Any other schools using this rewards scheme?

 

If so, how heavily are you involved in the running and support of this system, and how much of your time does it occupy on a weekly basis?

 

Reading through the way it works, I can see it being an administrative headache and I'm keen to distance myself from it as much as I realistically can. I can't get through to people that just because the system uses ICT does not mean I have to be the person running it!!

 

Mike.

[webman]

Our school run the scheme, with one senior teacher mainly in charge of it.

 

We personally have nothing to do with it apart from helping run the SIMS report for new students every year for the new intake.

[ec94210]

Hi Mike

 

This might be a bit late but I would strongly advised against using this product! Its programming is careless and the SIMS username and password you feed it to connect is stored in clear text. Earlier versions stored the credentials in a text file and the more recient versions now store this in the registry where ALL users of the machine can access it. When security is so careless in the client application this would make one think how careless they are with the sensitive data they hold about children in your school and others!

 

While I am not aware of any other products that do what this one does I do know for sure that every other product I have used to extract data from SIMS or any other MIS system either prompts the user for credentials on extract or stores the password in a encrypted database.

 

I also believe Capita have just "approved" this product which just has to question the approval process. Do they fully test products for data security or do you become "approved" when you sign a large cheque?

 

Anyway, rant over

[maniac]

Bit late ec94210 as we've been using it for a few months now, but thanks for the information.

 

They have recently updated their client, so there's a chance they have resolved this security flaw, but I'm just about to check and see. It's installed on a server anyway which only system admins can log onto so it's not a major concern, although I agree it shouldn't be stored in clear text.

 

Mike.

[jdoyle]

we use Vivo. More concerned about what a con job it is for students than about the security side of the tool.

[ec94210]

Hi Mike

 

Check out HKLM\Software\VivoSIMS

 

SIMSpass and SIMSusername keys....

 

Glad to hear you are running it on a server My concerns were if the development team were so careless with the client I hate to think how "secure" the data is sent over the web!

 

Eric

[ec94210]

we use Vivo. More concerned about what a con job it is for students than about the security side of the tool.

 

Hi jdoyle

 

As a google search will see you are not alone in your opinion and if I were a parent I would also be concerned. However, that aside I have concern with any product that requires an extract of such data and sends it off to a datacentre in the sky. I bet there are a load of schools out there that if at any point were asked exactly where their data is held would not know.

 

Its about being responsible with the data and 3rd party software providers are not usually very good at letting you know how "safe" it is. This is a major concern for schools without experienced ICT staff.

 

Eric

[Roger_vfcss]

Anyone tried to communicate with Vivo Miles ??

 

They don't answer phones or emails!!!

[Roger_vfcss]

So far trying to contact Vivo Miles today ............

 

Phone called 09:03 left urgent message, no reply

Emailed 10:01 no reply

Emailed again 10:43 still no reply apart form automated response

Waiting now and not very hopeful of any reply this century

Are they still in business or what ???

[sippo]

Try [email protected]

[Roger_vfcss]

No good there either

 

Hi,

I am currently out of the office and will return on Tuesday the 3rd of February.

Please contact [email protected] for any technical queries.

Best regards

Steve

Vivo Support

[7UD9]

I have these contact details for their tech support, any help?

 

t. 020 3117 0616

e. [email protected]

[Scotbynature]

we have just recently started using their system and we had the same issues, could not get the exporter to work and no one would ever answer the phone. Once it is up and running it seems to be ok but setting it up was a headache.

[ctstone]

Hi. Ive recently taken over as a Vivo Leader at the school I work in. Does anyone know how I pull a report of staff that have given at least 50% of there Vivo's out? Thanks

[bluevanman63]

Hi.

We have used it for the last 3 years. It has it's good points if staff make proper use of it as a rewards scheme. However staff and students quickly lose interest if it is not managed properly.

My issue is with their shop. Our students have been given a month to use or lose their Vivo points since we are not renewing the contract.

When you look through the shop there are loads of low value items (badges, pens, hair bands and similar), however all of the higher value things (1000+ Vivos) are conveniently out of stock.

As a result the students who have saved their Vivos for 3 years, hoping to buy something that they can value are extremely disappointed.

Regards

[bluevanman63]

Please be wary of Vivo Mile, Vivo Edge or similar products from this company.

As of the current time the Vivo store is almost empty and has been for months. As a result our students cannot spend their accumulated Vivos.

Emails to their support team are not answered.

Regards