A remarkable tool for every camp!

We work with a specialized camp population which makes the "standard" software hard to apply in our areas of need BUT CampMinder works with us to adjust, accommodate, or individualize as needed. Our suggestions and issues are met with problem solving with our CM team. Can't say enough about the support you get with this software. Every now and then we look at other products but NONE can match the level of functionality or support that we get from CampMinder.

Pros

While the learning curve is steep, the CampMinder team is with you all the way. This software manages so much information and data for our camp. What we can do with that info/data feels endless some days. We love the ability to run reports, gathering specific information needed on every child. They KNOW camps so many reports already exist at the click of a button. Camp people building software for camps. The overall responsiveness to our needs is incredible as well.

Cons

You will need to take the time to learn how to truly utilize all aspects of this software. There are days where I still feel like a novice, even after years of working with it, but I have learned to reach out to my CM support. Once you start to understand how to set up reports, seasons, documents, etc... It starts to click. Realize I am NOT techie at all.

CampMinder is a very good platform for camp management with truly great customer service.

Before we adopted CampMinder we were managing our business with spreadsheets, so adoption of the software has been a serious game-changer for us. While any good platform would have been a huge upgrade, we have been consistently impressed with CampMinder's customer service that made integration go very smoothly and has helped us realize the maximum benefit from our integration efforts. CampMinder's pace of innovation is outstanding and we are very happy to have adopted this platform. The ratio of function-to-cost (and customer service) is also extremely high -- I am very impressed with what we get for the cost. The no-nonsense approach to pricing is also very attractive to me (flat rate, no contracts, no data-hostage gotchas). I also appreciate that CampMinder presents a very high quality face to our camp families -- CampMinder's recognition that our customers are ultimately their customers is highly productive and reassuring. This attitude that "we're all in this together" is one of the keys to their success.

Pros

Outstanding customer service: fast, friendly, and genuinely interested in the success of our camp. The philosophical anchor to base the presentation of data around the relationship that the campers have to one another and the camp programs makes it very natural and useful to organized camping, which is fundamentally an enterprise engaged in relationship building. The functionality of the platform has been as advertised and rock-solid in terms of maturity and up-time. Finally, the company seems committed to growth and evolving the platform to meet the changing needs of camper families and the camps they serve -- in the three years we've been with them, we've seen consistent growth and we have especially appreciated efforts to involve us in charting their growth map.

Cons

I have minor quibbles with some of the functionality but mostly only regarding their "beta" initiatives. I would, of course, like these to converge faster -- but I don't think that CampMinder is dragging their feet, just resource limited like we all are.

There are things that I wish it had -- a solid app for parents, for example -- but these are more of a "wish-list" kind of critique, not a dislike.

CampMinder - Our Summer Camp Database Solution

Working with CampMinder has helped us feel confident that the data in the database is accurate. In the past, we worked with other online camp database software that had us constantly questioning if the reports we were pulling were complete and accurate. This is a non-issue with CampMinder. We have been able to move our forms and documents online for parents to fill out and for us to be able to report on. This has helped us become more environmentally friendly, since we are no longer requiring multiple paper forms. We also feel well taken care of when calling in with questions, their customer service team is fantastic.

Pros

CampMinder has impeccable customer service. The software is user friendly and inclusive. Parents and Staff have an easy time navigating and using the features of this program. I love the bunking module because it saves an incredible amount of time. The reporting system is very versatile as well. I like that I am able to follow a person throughout all of their interactions over years with the unified person record. It allows me to see a person as a former camper, former staff member, and a parent of an enrolled camper all in one easy to understand record.

Cons

Some of the modules cost additional money, our camp sees many children, but we do not have the high rates that some other camps charge, so we have to do without some of the modules such as fundraising, because the cost is not something we can incur at this point. I also wish there were a better way to report and email groups across seasons. You can produce reports in different seasons, but across seasons is currently impossible as far as I know.

Great Camp software

CampMinder has allowed us to streamline our registration process and enabled us to have so much access to information via the various reports that we can run through the system. The software has allowed us to better track how students find out about us and follow up on leads and inquiries. We are able to track the workload and enrollment numbers at any time.

Pros

CampMinder is very user-friendly and has all the features needed for effective enrollment management. From being able to run enrollment reports, to be able to see if a parent opened and read an email, to allow parents to register their child for camp and make payments online at their convenience. CampMinder has helped our organization bring our enrollment process to the 21 century. Before getting CampMinder we were still registering students via a paper system. CampMinder has allowed us to have access to so much more information at our fingertips.

Cons

There is no adult module and adults have to register themselves as children. Our adult students do not like having to use a workaround to register online. However, our adult students still love that they can sign up online at their convenience and make payments.
Although this is what I like least about the software, CampMinder is working on an adult module at the moment and it is currently in Beta testing. Our adult students will be thrilled when this module is available to them.

Mostly Good

CampMinder has revolutionized the way we manage camper paperwork, check in and check out procedures, and health care at camp. Using CM has allowed me as the director more time to interact with campers and less time spent in the office.

Pros

CampMinder is very easy to use if you are even remotely tech savvy. I love the instructional videos and the articles to help you understand how to set up the system. Tracking a person's history with our camp programs is awesome, allowing us to maintain years of records at our fingertips. Reporting is straight forward and time efficient. I like the bulletin features and being able to tag other colleagues and communicate in a way that directly links to a person's profile page.

Cons

It does not meet all our needs as an organization. We need a way to manage property reservations outside of summer and were told that was platform was being added to CM. We have yet to see it and therefore need to pay for yet another software platform. The customer-facing side, CampInTouch, is clunky compared to other companies and the ability for camps to customize what customers see is limited. Our most common questions revolve around camper guardians being unable to find information packets on CampInTouch, in part because they blend in with camper paperwork. It seems like CM was designed more for large east coast style camps where the campers stay for several weeks. There are far less useful features for those of us who have one-week sessions.

A Key to Our Success

I love that the CampMinder crew is an extension of our year round team!

Pros

CampMinder helps to facilitiate all aspects of running our camp. It's an integral tool for all members of our year round team, as well as our seasonal staff.

Things I love the most..
1. The People. The support at CampMinder is top notch. Help is a phone call or a ticket away, and the CampMinder folks are dedicated to developing not only software solutions but relationships with their clients.
2. The Functionality. I believe that CampMinder is easy to learn, easy to use, and can do almost anything I need it to when looking for info on a camper, parent or staff member. I find this system to be intuitive and walks you through the steps you need to be successful.
3. The Continual Growth. CampMinder has been through serveral versions since it's inception and the team there is always looking to make the lives of us camp folks easier. They ask the right questions, and do their best to deliver.

Cons

As a long time CampMinder user, I have witnessed some growing pains as they have expanded their client base and thus their client support team. On occasion, the support team offers "101" or beginner level assitance for a user that is operating at a "301" or advanced level. That said, the customer service is always been attentive, kind, warm and determined to get an answer for me.

CM Review

My overall experience with CampMinder has been great! I think the customer service is awesome! I have used CampMinder for 2 different camps but I have never had proper training, so I tend to teach myself a lot and it's very helpful to have people who are friendly and understanding in the call center to assist! so thanks for that!

Pros

I really like having the ability to pull reports and that they generate quickly. I like that CampMinder isn't just a registration service, but it has budgeting, HR, bunking, travel, newsletters, health center, etc. features. This is really helpful for camps who are not affiliated with an organization such as a JCC or a YMCA.

Cons

That I have to pull a report just to see the number of campers registered in one session rather than clicking on it and a having a roster pop up. I also don't like that CampMinder isn't compatible with many other software services-this makes camps have to do double entries.

Girl Scouts of Greater Atlanta

We had some challenges with accrual accounting but have developled a plan that works, I know this is in the works to change this year. If it works for us it will cut down on the number of programs becuase I have to make one for June and one for July. I have very much enjoyed working with CampMinder for the years we have had it.

Pros

The ability to see the customer record and log in as if I was them.
The ability to send invoices easily by clicking and dragging them to an email
Sending out mass emails to parents and selecting the group you want to send it to.
Finding out all the things you can do that you had no idea, there are so many fields that I have not clue are out that and will help with reporting
CUSTOMER SERVCIE I ALWAYS get great help when I send in tickets. I love dealing with your team of experts.

Cons

I would like a better way to track camper retention, canned reports that would report out on each camper in each program even if the camper is coming twice. Instead of adding the sessions to a feild in the report. I do the overall reports not camp specific and to run each session at each camp to get the total number of campers is not reasonable. I have had a custom report developed that works great but it would be nice to pull this directly from the system.

Why I love CampMinder

My overall experience with CampMinder has been A++. I became director in April, so even during the Summer I did not quite know what I was doing on CampMinder and definitely did NOT feel comfortable using it (SO thankful for my tech savvy assistant director). As soon as Summer Sessions ended I started using CampMinder daily and calling when I had questions, whether it's that I have called so much and they have completely walked me through how to use it by now or I just spent time figuring it out myself, I am completely dialed in on this deal and can navigate almost as well as anyone else. A big shoutout is due to the CampMinder staff. So grateful for them. I have recommended CampMinder over and over to Camps on a popular Facebook page "Summer Camp Pros", making sure they know this is THE Camp System of America, no doubt. Thank you CampMinder for all you do for us, Happy Campers here at Kiowa because of you.

Pros

What I like most about this software is the bulletin board full of information I want to see without having to navigate through different tabs. Another HUGE pro is how comfortable I feel to Call customer service/support when I do not know how to do something, they are so nice and soooo helpful.

Cons

This is not an actual con but something I need to improve for myself...There are so many settings I don't remember what to do sometimes to receive the information I am looking for.

Love CampMinder

The software is very easy to use and each summer when I get seasonal help, there isn't an issue with someone learning it at all. Customer service is great. Have been waiting for the groups/family module since 2011 though when we first signed on with CampMinder. The company has become very popular and the number of camps using the software now leads to LOTS of requests for updates and changes so it sometimes takes a long time to see a change because everyone wants the same info but in a slightly different way or more detailed, etc. Still I am very happy with CampMinder.

Pros

The ability to basically create almost any report that we need. In comparison to the last software product that we used this is miles ahead. The customer service is awesome. Everyone is helpful and professional, friendly and they make sure that they get an answer for you. Have been with them since 2011.

Cons

We do run into issues at the end of the season with trying to find out exactly what funds we brought in. Simpler way to see exactly what money you took in as a total without running all the charges, credits, discounts, etc. Also waiting for the groups and family module to be available and hope that it will be separate from the camping side.

A Camp Database Built for Camp People

Pros

CampMinder is the most essential tool to run our camp. It houses all of the camper and camper family information, staff information, financial information, travel information, summer blogs and photos, AND does mass communications, unlimited reporting and much more. The best part- the staff at CampMinder are incredibly helpful, endlessly patient, and very responsive. You can call them anytime (during the summer, literally anytime, but during the off-season it is normal business hours) and they are always willing to help you find a solution, hop on a screen share, or investigate things on your behalf. They're great!

Cons

I wish the financials and communication pieces could be overhauled. In the communication realm, you can't update an email list for a mass email- you have to filter with many criteria to get a certain list. Financials are not always clear, and there are no options for multiple household payments (divorced parents), or manually scheduled payments. The batch billing as a whole is very confusing, as are the financial reports that are generated.