I saw your post on Facebook and was going to comment but didn't. If the
IICRC would invest in the technology they could create an entire system that would benefit them, the instructors, and class attendees.
We recently created a system for driving schools/traffic schools where users are able to search for a school near a zipcode or city and the results are filtered by proximity. When the user selects that school, that can see the class dates available. On the school's website the user actually registers with the state and the driving school instructor gets an email confirmation and it goes into a database. The user is then able to pay for the class through that particular driving school's website since they're all independently owned.
The driving school owners have to log into the state's software after the class and simply check a box that the person attended and click a submit button. Then the state sends out certificate of completion and notifies the BMV that person fulfilled their obligation.
The
IICRC could do something similar. As I understand it, the greater majority of these classes are scheduled way ahead of time and the
IICRC website could allow a search by instructor, proximity, date, etc. The distributors could still handle the registration but they could sign on and enter attendee information. If they're an existing
IICRC member they could search for that person and add them to the class list. This could be done on the first day after people show up. When the class is said and done, the test will be taken, and when it is graded whoever grades it could enter the grades and the attendee could get an email notification. That would speed up that process a lot than waiting for a letter/certificate. The attendee could then request a certificate be sent. They could request the cards as well. The truth is some people care about the certs and cards and some simply don't. Why waste the resources unless the attendee wants them?
Attendees/owners could submit an online application for
Certified Firm status and they could use a simple automated subscription billing model to handle all of that. The
certified firm could turn off the billing and not renew if they wish. 60 days before expiration an email could go out about renewal, then one on 30 days. Based on the class dates and length since the classes were taken you could create an algorithm that would calculate prompt an email to be sent out for continuing education needed to maintain various Master statuses. The email could prompt them to go check out the dates and locations of classes.
Even with all of that, there could be an online classroom pre-requisite with video and a quiz between sections. If they get it wrong it shows them the correct answer and the minute-second mark in the video to go re-watch if they'd like. Then a quiz of everything at the end to show understanding of information. Then when taking the actual class there could be a quick overview but the rest would be true hands on. Then the final test that gets graded.