We recently sat down with Yaron Lipschitz, Program Director for JCC Maccabi Israel to talk about how he’s using Regpack to improve productivity for his business.
As the coordinator for several teen trips to Israel every year with a variety of JCCs (Jewish Community Centers) around the United States, Yaron knows first hand the importance of a functional and easy-to-use and manage JCC registration software. Managing multiple types of trips happening on different dates, with different JCC program coordinators and participants from all over the country can be challenging.
Having access to an online registration database that presents all the information you need, whenever and wherever you need it, is the key to staying organized.
For Yaron, managing several trips required a sophisticated system that would allow him to view and manage all of his upcoming programs as well as work better and more efficiently with his trip coordinators at each JCC. He also needed a system that allowed him to access participant data anytime.
Whether he’s on site with a group, at home or in the office, in Israel or the United States, Regpack’s admin system allows Yaron and his JCC counterparts to access the data they need, run reports, coordinate important events like flight arrival information or dietary needs, and much more.
Check out our conversation below to find out more about how Yaron and JCC Maccabi Israel are using Regpack to save time, improve communication and expertly manage their registrations!
Why did you decide to work with Regpack?
I’ve been involved with educational tourism for a number of years now on all ends bringing teens from the US and coordinating programs here in Israel. There’s a lot of information we need to know about the teenagers and for insurance purposes. We need medical forms, etc. By the end of the process, there is a lot of paper that is wasted.
Also, because we organize the trips from Israel and the participants are in the United States, as far as the teens are concerned, the person communicating with them is the JCC or camp they are a part of. Since they get the information from their JCC or camp organizer, I need to send the paperwork to the JCC, they need to get it to the parents, and then they either need to scan it and email it to me or fax it to me and it’s just a lot of paperwork and a lot of time that’s involved. So for me, Regpack was a natural step. It was contemporary since technology is used everywhere today. Two, it’s a time saver, and three, it’s environmentally friendly. Regpack was the obvious choice in order to get our registration process on the right track.
How did the JCC’s like using Regpack? Do they prefer it over the old paper system?
Regpack’s interface is very easy to use for the admin, it’s very user-friendly and I think that really helps with the camps and the groups being able to use the system. Everything is coming in on time and because I also have admin access I can support them when needed. So the support system has been very solid. The responses from the JCCs about using Regpack have been positive.
Do the parents of your participants feel comfortable uploading their teen’s information online?
Working with parents has been really easy. One of the things that we’ve integrated into the Regpack system is not only getting information from the participants but also being in a position that we provide information. We’ve created a page for the parents while they’re already logged in that gives them the opportunity to download their program itinerary. It also gives them access to links for renting cell phones in Israel and travel insurance, ordering a prepaid debit card in Israel; all this information is there for them and they can access it at anytime. So it’s a secure area for them to be in and get all this information.
Have you used the reports function and if so, is it helpful?
Yes, we’ve been using the reports all the time. Since we organize the flights for the participants, we get all their flight information through the reports function. We have scans of their passports, their frequent flier information, allergies and food requests, so that they get the right meal order. So, we just have a report called “Flights” which gives us all the information we need. We have reports for Insurance, we have reports for hotel rooming. If our groups have home hospitality, we do reports that give the partnership region that houses them in families, all the participants dietary needs, allergies, interests and hobbies so they can make the best match possible.
Currently you don’t use the conditional emailing function Regpack offers? In the future is that something you would like to use?
Absolutely I think it’s definitely something we want to look into.
Do you think that using Regpack has saved you time and made your job easier?
It’s made things easier, it’s made things a lot more accessible. It’s saved time and saving time saves money. And it’s allowed us to go in different areas. I think part of the advantages also is that the admin access is available to me anywhere with Wifi and a laptop or a computer, which throughout the summer is very helpful. If someone loses their passport we can have access to a photocopy so we don’t have to drive back to where the file is kept.
Do you have any comments about the service you receive from Regpack, both as a JCC registration software and from your Account Manager?
Regpack is really attentive to our needs. They are able to create a platform tailor-made to our needs. Even the functionality of the system, within its limits, the interface and the look and everything really makes it ours.
Working with our account manager has been amazing. His response time is excellent. He walked me through all the functionalities at the beginning, he asks questions in addition to providing solutions. It’s been great.
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We want to thank Yaron for taking the time to chat with us! We’re so excited that Regpack has made his work and the work of his colleagues easier. We strive to achieve awesomeness everyday at Regpack and hearing that our clients love our product drives us to continue supporting them and improving our product to give them everything they need. Find out more about us and our mission on our website.