Spectrum Online Case Study “It Doesn’t Happen By Itself”

Background
The JCC Metrowest serves the 10th largest Jewish community in North America. Two centers, one in West Orange, NJ, and one in Whippany, NJ, serve an area of 400 square miles – from New York City to Morris County. Through classes, theater events, summer camps and community-wide festivals, the JCC Metrowest touches over 50,000 people each year.

The Challenge
The JCC Metrowest needed a robust, real-time system to increase their online program and class registration.

The Solution
JCC MetroWest went live with Spectrum program registration and online registration in December 2005. All programs other than Camp, Early Childhood Education (not including after-school enrichment programming) and Maccabbi, have since been available for registration using Spectrum Online.

MetroWest’s online registration has grown from 8-10% in the completed Winter and Summer 2006 sessions, to 24% in the Fall 2006 session currently underway. In most Fall program categories over 40% of registrations are online.

The MetroWest Marketing department is growing online registration by promoting awareness of the availability of online registration; teaching members how to login online and find programs they want; and encouraging online registration. Specific actions have included:

1. Setup of an ‘intermediate’ web page between the MetroWest website and Spectrum online website, with detailed login instructions

2. Putting course links on the MetroWest website, that take members directly to the desired category in Spectrum online

3. 3-page ‘how to login’ spread in Fall Program Guide

4. Training staff in use of Spectrum online, to better support members

5. Automatic 5% discount off online registrations for Fall 06 session, using a feature in the Spectrum Course Setup screen

6. Setup self-service online registration kiosks in the lobby of each branchnext page

7. Opening online registration earlier than in-person/phone registration.

The Benefit
Future steps to further grow online registration include:

• Targetting the online registration discount, to program categories where online registration is lower
• Mailing login IDs and passwords to members
• Further training for staff in Spectrum program setup and in online registration, so program information is entered in a user-friendly manner

- JCC Metrowest Case Study PDF