The Payment Revolution: How Delhi Public School Went from 71% to 94% Fee Collection
The inspiring story of how one principal's bold decision to offer flexible payment plans transformed not just fee collection, but the entire parent-school relationship.
The Crisis That Started Everything
"We were about to shut down our music program," recalls Mrs. Anjali Kapoor, Principal of Delhi Public School, Rohini. "With only 71% fee collection, we couldn't pay teachers on time. Parents wanted to pay but couldn't manage lump sums."
It was March 2023. The board meeting was tense. Outstanding fees had crossed ₹3.2 crores. Parents were withdrawing students. Teachers were resigning. Something had to change.
The problem wasn't that parents didn't want to pay. Research showed:
- 78% of parents faced cash flow issues during certain months
- 63% had multiple children, making quarterly payments of ₹1.5 lakhs impossible
- 41% were self-employed with irregular income patterns
- 89% said they'd prefer monthly payments if available
The Bold Decision: Unity's Flexible Payment System
Instead of hiring collection agents or sending legal notices, DPS Rohini implemented Unity's revolutionary flexible payment system. Here's what changed:
Phase 1: Understanding Parent Needs (Week 1-2)
- Surveyed 500 parents about payment preferences
- Identified 6 different payment pattern needs
- Created customized plans for different parent segments
Phase 2: Implementing Smart Payment Options (Week 3-6)
- 12 EMI options with zero interest for on-time payments
- Partial payment acceptance through WhatsApp
- Auto-debit setup for working parents
- Grace period management without penalties
Phase 3: The Transformation (Week 7-12)
- 450 families switched to monthly payments immediately
- Collection rate jumped from 71% to 84% in first month
- Reached 94% collection rate by month 3
- Zero parent complaints about payment inflexibility
The Human Impact: Stories from Parents
"I'm a startup founder. Some months are great, others tough. The 12-month payment plan saved my daughter's education. I can now pay ₹15,000 monthly instead of ₹1.8 lakhs quarterly."
- Rakesh Sharma, Parent of Grade 8 student
"With three children in school, quarterly fees meant ₹5.4 lakhs at once. Now with monthly payments, we manage easily. It's transformed our family's financial stress."
- Dr. Meera Gupta, Parent of 3 students
"The partial payment option through WhatsApp is brilliant. When business is slow, I pay what I can. The school understands, and my child's education continues uninterrupted."
- Amit Malhotra, Small business owner
The Financial Transformation
Before Unity
- • 71% fee collection rate
- • ₹3.2 crore outstanding
- • 18% default rate
- • 47 withdrawal requests monthly
- • Delayed teacher salaries
- • Programs being cut
After Unity (3 Months)
- • 94% fee collection rate
- • ₹1.1 crore outstanding (66% reduction)
- • 3% default rate
- • 4 withdrawal requests monthly
- • On-time salary payments
- • New robotics lab approved
CFO's Analysis: "The ₹2.1 crore improvement in cash flow didn't come from aggressive collection. It came from making it easier for parents to pay. Unity's flexible payment system understands that parents WANT to pay - we just needed to make it possible."
The Unexpected Benefits
Beyond financial improvements, DPS Rohini discovered something remarkable:
Parent-School Trust
89% of parents reported feeling the school "understands their situation" - up from 34%
Word-of-Mouth Admissions
67 new admissions came through parent referrals citing "flexible payment options"
Teacher Morale
On-time salaries improved teacher retention by 91% and classroom performance
Academic Programs
Launched 3 new programs with improved cash flow: Robotics, Arts, and Sports Academy
Your School's Payment Revolution Awaits
If DPS Rohini could go from 71% to 94% collection in just 3 months, imagine what's possible for your school.
Quick Assessment: Is Your School Ready?
- Is your fee collection rate below 85%?
- Do parents request payment flexibility regularly?
- Are you losing students due to payment issues, not academic ones?
- Is cash flow affecting your ability to pay salaries or run programs?
If you answered "Yes" to any of these, you're leaving lakhs on the table every month.
Transform Your Fee Collection in 90 Days
Get a free payment flexibility analysis for your school. Discover how much revenue you're losing.