Making the Right Choice: A Framework for Evaluation
When evaluating mobile credential vendors, focus on criteria that actually determine program success:
Track Record and Experience
- How many campuses has the vendor successfully launched?
- How many credentials are actively in use on their platform?
- What’s the typical adoption rate at their campuses?
- Can they provide references from similar institutions?
Operational Capability
- What’s included in their launch support?
- How do they handle integration with your existing systems?
- What ongoing support do they provide post-launch?
- What tools do they provide for daily operations and user management?
Technical Breadth
- Do they support all major mobile platforms (Apple, Google, Samsung)?
- What wearables do they support?
- How do they handle platform updates and new device releases?
- What’s their approach to reader infrastructure assessment and planning?
Security Posture
- What certifications and security validations do they maintain?
- How do they handle security incidents and vulnerabilities?
- What audit and compliance reporting do they provide?
- What’s their track record on security issues?
Innovation and Roadmap
- What’s their product roadmap for the next 2–3 years?
- How do they incorporate customer feedback into development?
- What R&D investments are they making?
- How do they stay current with emerging mobile technologies?
Partnership Approach
- How do they work with campuses during planning and deployment?
- What’s their approach to customization and campus-specific needs?
- How do they handle issues and escalations?
- What’s the experience of campuses who’ve worked with them for multiple years?
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