FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

How do I know my customer's data is secure? Are you PCI DSS compliant?

WPM Education is classed as a Level 1 service provider under the PCI DSS standard and, as such, has an annual independent audit carried out to certify this compliance. Institutions using WPM services that do not handle the card details themselves are covered by WPM Education's compliance.

Do you have a service guarantee?

WPM Education’s industry leading service level agreement guarantees 99.5% availability of the service. Typical availability for the 12 months ending 12/2009 was in excess of 99.98%.

Is your solution scalable, can it expand and adapt with our institution?

WPM Education’s solution architecture is completely modular, therefore, our solutions can fit together to provide a completely integrated online payment system. Additionally, each solution can be run in its own right and work in conjunction with an institutions existing systems to allow for flexibility and the ability to add additional solutions while evolving functionality over time.

How do I keep my solution up-to-date with industry policies?

WPM Education believes that any university or college should be able to rely on their online payment solutions provider to keep them informed of changes and adapt their solution in line with industry requirements. Therefore, any changes made due to amendments to the card processing requirements are included under the WPM Education maintenance fee.

How much experience have you got processing online payments?

WPM Education has been successful in providing e-payment solutions to universities and colleges for over fourteen years. The WPM framework has proved to be continually dependent and resilient, and has processed over £1.5billion in payments, along with millions of transactions. To reduce the risk to your business, we recommend you source evidence of your online payment solutions provider's ability to provide the service. Make sure your provider has firm financial foundations, a good track record and is professionally run.

What level of support can you provide?

All of our solutions are fully hosted and managed by us, WPM, minimising the downtime and maintenance costs of implementing an in-house online payment solution. WPM provides a dedicated Help Desk and an extensive training programme to help you get the most out of your new WPM solutions, even more; our systems can be implemented with minimal impact on IT staff resources.

Do clients and industry experts have input when you’re developing an existing or new solution?

WPM Education understands the value of listening to its clients' needs and suggestions to develop bespoke solutions that are relevant, useful and effective. We encourage our clients to be proactive with their recommendations and have their say whilst our solutions are being developed.

All WPM Education’s solutions are fully scalable. WPM host a number of regional demo days and one national user group annually for the express purpose of informing our clients of developments within our systems. These events are also used to gather information on the needs of the education sector to inform future developments. It is impossible to anticipate any constraints without indication of future requirements. However, in the years we have been providing solutions for our clients we have never had to refuse any reasonable suggestions.

Are you able to put me in contact with an existing client?

Yes, we strongly encourage institutions considering our solutions to speak with our existing clients to find out how our solutions are of benefit to them. You can find a full list of our existing clients on the clients page of our website. Alternatively, if you wish to be put in touch with a client, please contact us and we can arrange a call or meeting.

Can I visit a reference site?

Yes, we can also arrange a visit to a reference site so you can see how the client is using similar systems and how their existing processes have integrated with our solutions. Please contact us and we can supply you with a list of compatible reference sites.

Is it possible to see a live demonstration of your solutions?

Yes, if you would like to have a demonstration of a particular system we will happily arrange this for you, please email us or call us on 0844 264 1580. We also hold a number of webinars and demonstration days throughout the year. Please visit our events page to find the next scheduled demonstration. If any of the dates are not convenient, we can arrange for a representative from WPM Education to come to your institution for a meeting to demo our software.

Do you attend industry events to make sure you’re always up to date?

Yes, we feel that our presence at key industry events is vital in order to keep abreast of industry issues and to meet and network with our clients. You can find us exhibiting every year at the BUFDG, AOC Finance Director and UCISA CISG conferences. We also attend and exhibit at a wide range of other exhibitions, forums and conferences throughout the year. For a full list of exhibitions we attend, please visit our events page.

What is your pricing model?

Our solutions are provided under an annual licence which covers the hosting and maintenance of the system and any amendments to the card processing requirements, this also includes our industry-leading Service Level Agreement guaranteeing you 99.5% availability of the service.

Do you have a standard price list?

Our solutions are bespoke to your needs and therefore prices are available on application and dependent on requirements, we do however have a guide price list which is available on request. WPM Education does not charge per transaction, nor place any restriction or charge additional fees, based on the number of transactions that are placed through the system.

Are there any hardware costs?

WPM Education’s solutions are fully managed and hosted on WPM’s secure network, requiring no initial hardware investment or ongoing hardware maintenance.

What systems can you integrate with?

We have a vast amount of experience integrating with a wide range of finance, accommodation, student records and many other systems, we are confident our solutions can integrate with any system, therefore if we don’t have a solution that integrates with your system we will create one that will. We provide various options for real-time and batch data exchange to ensure the relevant data required for validation and the relevant transactional details are passed through to the finance and other systems.

Are your solutions straightforward to implement?

Yes, our solutions are fully hosted on our own secure network and accessed remotely; therefore we can ensure that the implementation process runs as smoothly as possible.

Once a solution is implemented do you provide product training?

We are always happy to provide product training as and when required by any of our existing clients, additionally we offer full support throughout the working day with out of hours support for critical issues.

Are you a PSP?

No, WPM Education’s solutions facilitate the booking and payment of courses, materials and services. As such, we do not actually ‘take’ the payment as this is the role of the Payment Service Provider (PSP). The PSP will charge per transaction.

Can your solutions support multiple PSP’s?

Yes, our solutions are Payment Service Provider independent and can support multiple PSPs and merchant accounts within a single implementation. This allows the use of different PSPs for different commercial entities using the solution. It is also possible to, with a minimal amount of disruption, to change from one PSP to another at any point. This means the institution is not reliant on a specific PSP and can shop around for the best combination of transaction charges and functionality. You also have the option to run a combination of PSPs in situations where transaction volume or value dictates that one cannot adequately cater for both extremes.

Would I have to change my existing PSP provider?

No, it’s completely up to you if you would like to stick with your existing PSP provider or shop around for the best deal.

Will the Card Payment Gateway integrate with our existing internal systems?

Yes, the Card Payment Gateway will easily integrate with your current systems and existing website. It can be implemented within just a few weeks and once set up it can easily be updated and expanded to increase payment options and functionality, ensuring that it is a long term element of your e-payment strategy.

Does the CPG process payments in real-time?

Yes, all payments are processed in “real-time” through a Payment Service Provider (PSP) of your choice, guaranteeing the availability of funds. Funds are then automatically transferred to your account within 3 working days (depending on your acquirer and PSP).

Can the CPG fraud screen payments?

Yes, making use of the PSP’s and our own fraud screening methods, transactions can be blocked or automatically highlighted in the case of potential fraudulent payments.

Are there any payment type limitations?

No, there are no limitations in terms of the types of payment that can be taken online.

Does the system track all successful payments?

Yes, the system tracks all successful and attempted payments, providing a transparent record of activity which can be accessed easily via an online management and reporting system. Reports can be generated on user-specified criteria in real-time, providing easy access to management data and allowing in depth analysis of payment trends.

Where are the recurring card details stored?

The card details are securely stored and encrypted on the WPM Education servers that fully comply with PCI DSS at a level 1 standard. This removes the risk away from the institution as no card details are held onsite.

Can a user easily set-up their own payment instruction?

Yes, users can set up their own payment plans based on pre-defined plan templates which can use both pre-defined dates and payment splitting or dynamic logic.

Is it possible for staff to set up payment categories?

Yes, staff have complete control over the set up of payment categories and templates to allow a streamlined set up of plans, as well as complete control over each payment instruction. This allows the system to be used both for large-scale requirements such as the payment of fees but also for ad hoc use to fulfil a particular requirement or accommodate a specific payer.

Does the system process different payment types?

Yes, the system can be used to process different payment types, including fixed instalments such as tuition or accommodation fees, as well as recurring payments such as subscriptions or donations.

Can the system support the Visa Account Updater?

Yes, WPM Education's Account Updater supports both the Visa Account Updater (VAU) and MasterCard Automatic Billing Updater services which enable the automatic updating of account information electronically from participating issuers.

What happens if a recurring payment fails?

If a payment fails the system will automatically retry the transaction after a pre-defined interval (this can be disabled). If the payment fails after the second attempt, or initially fails because of an expired or invalid card number, the system can generate an email to the payer requesting new payment details. This removes the requirement for manual intervention and action by staff throughout the collection process.

Only if, again after a pre-determined time interval, the payer has not entered valid card details nor has insufficient funds in their account to make the payment, actions are taken to alert staff to the failed payment.

Is the Online Store bespoke?

No, the Online Store is not a bespoke build for each client, it is a modular system with an e-commerce framework designed to meet the unique needs of the education sector. However, WPM Education will work with the institution to ensure that the branding matches requirements within the structure of the systems. The system can be linked directly from an institutions website and branded to the universities or colleges requirements.

Who has ownership and control over the content within the Online Store?

The client has full control and ownership over the content within the Online Store, the content is managed via a simple staff administration website interface, offering the institution the flexibility for staff to set up new categories and to add additional products or services easily and quickly.

What can I sell via the Online Store?

There is no limitation to the types of products or services your institution can sell online. The system was originally developed to sell products; however, it quickly became apparent that taking payment for services was the primary driver for take up and expansion of the Online Store. Clients now use the store to sell anything from conferences and events, short courses, nursery fees, printing credits, replacement ID cards, car parking permits to merchandise and library fines. The Online Store can take payment for any real-time fee or payment your institution requires.

Are there any limitations or additional costs to the amount of services and products an institution can sell?

No, your free to sell and market as many products and services you wish. The Online Store is now being used by our clients to process several millions of pounds annually, and across the sector, payment volume is more than doubling annually as the range and type of products and services sold via the Online Store expands.

Is the system secure?

Yes, the Online Store, like our other solutions, benefits from secure managed hosting ensuring the Online Store stays compliant with current security requirements associated with taking payments online such as PCI DSS. Additionally, the system comes with an industrial strength security online shopping cart.

Are users able to pay in their own local currency?

Yes, the Online Store supports Dynamic Currency Conversion which gives users the option to pay in their own local currency. DCC can also support multiple languages for the interface but this is dependent on your PSP’s functionality.

Is it possible to have multiple store faces that can be managed through one centralised system?

Yes, due to the systems modular approach it is possible for numerous store faces to be set up using the one system. This makes it possible, for example, for an institution to host its core university or college store along with other separate department store faces that can all be maintained and administered through a single centralised system.

Are there any limitations to the amount of departments within an institution that can have access to the store?

No, all departments within your institution can use/administer the store via a centralised system.

Does the Online Store capture users’ details once they have purchased a service or product?

Yes, the system logs all payment details so you know exactly who purchased what, when and how much they spent. Additionally, the system allows you to generate in-depth payment reports giving you a transparent view of your revenue stream.

Is it possible to capture additional information from users?

Yes, you have the choice to include an optional questionnaire with every product or service you list, for example, if the questionnaire was for an event your hosting you could include questions such as special dietary requirements, accessibility requirements, seating plan options, choice of food etc...This information is not only valuable but also helps to exceed customer expectations.

Are your Direct Debit solutions BACS compliant?

Yes, both systems are compliant with the BACSTEL-IP application protocol. BACSTEL-IP delivers fast payment confirmation, the highest levels of security, on-line access to reports and faster transmission speeds.

Do the systems come with PAF lookup?

Yes, both DD systems come with optional integration of PAF (Postal Address File) data to allow customers and administrators alike to make use of postcode lookup and validation processes. This allows time to be saved when entering addresses as well as ensuring less ongoing administration related to incorrect address data.

Does the system come with integrated sort code and account validation?

The system comes with fully integrated sort code validation and modulus checking on bank/building society numbers, based on the latest technology data. Thus eliminating input errors and also ensuring no third party software is required to achieve this.