SproutAbout

Since Day 1 of using the app, I have been unable to read messages from my child’s Care Circle. I receive the notification that it was sent and can read the first few lines of it, but after selecting the notification, I am brought to a blank screen within the app with no error codes and am unable to see the group the message is in. I have tried logging out of the app, uninstalling/reinstalling the app, and restarting my phone to no avail. I was told to take screenshots of what I was seeing and send them to the Tech Support team to investigate, which I have done. I also received two case numbers that documented the issue. I might have been able to overlook this as glitches within the app, but the clincher is that I have both called and emailed the SproutAbout Tech Support team about this issue with the information they requested and have not received any additional support or acknowledgment on this case. It has been over a week with no call-back or response to my app issues. As someone who works in the Tech Support/Customer Service industry, it’s really frustrating to be on the other end of the line where you’re waiting for a reply with no indication of where the investigation is sitting or if a solution is around the corner. Edit: App issue was resolved; while I thought it was a bit of a wait, Tech Support associates did call back and escalate the issue, and it was fixed next day.

I wanted to update this review to say that the bulletin scrolling issue has been fixed. However, we still have massive issues with notifications. Badges specifically do not work. I will say banner notifications work about 70% of the time, but still… And the school frequently has to alert us that the app is down or not working properly. We were definitely spoiled with Brightwheel and being able to tailor notifications. I know it was easier for staff to take photos too. The idea of this app is great and, when it works, it’s wonderful. But I stress *when* it works. Since we’ve had the app, there’s been glitch after glitch after glitch. And one glitch - where the bulletins freeze as you attempt to scroll and it takes you five minutes to read a message that should have taken less than one - that glitch has never been addressed. Yes, we’ve contacted the email address about it to no avail. I’ve uninstalled, reinstalled, logged out, back in, yada yada, as has my husband and two other families (both using two phones each) and we all *still* get frozen on bulletins. To the point that I’ve asked the Director if she can just email. Well, she also has to text because - surprise - notifications don’t always work. Bring back Brightwheel please! Please, please, please! We have it for years and never had issues like this. If they could get a competent team to update the app and make it functional, it’d be awesome and I truly thought it was great at first. Not anymore. Now it’s a headache. Please don’t reply telling me to contact support - SIX OF US HAVE and you’ve been unable to fix it.

It’s a decent app…when it works properly. The video section is unbelievably glitchy. Whenever I try to use it I get a note that there are unlimited 30 minute viewing windows which is fine but as soon as you try to view it freezes then you have to fuss with the app to get it to display the message to allow you to view again. This seems to happen lately whenever I try to view video which seems odd. Assuming this is a new addition because that didn’t previously happen. It’s absolutely annoying so I hope this is fixed sooner rather than later. The app also doesn’t always send messages so I echo the sentiment of others on this. I’ve logged in and out and even restarted my phone to see if it resolves the issue but it doesn’t so the issue definitely seems to be with the app itself. Also it occasionally will say there are no active children enrolled on the account but then the app will miraculously show them after a bit more fussing with the app. Not sure what is going on behind the scenes with the app but hopefully the bugs are worked out soon.