SPEAKup is a communications training provider based in London, UK. They run live online training via Zoom and have helped over 10,000 people through their workshops and courses, with students from 37 countries across the world choosing to train with them.
The Challenge
SPEAKup was using a range of generic software tools and trying to make them work together. The system was difficult to use, kept breaking, and was hard to train staff to use. It also confused learners who had to navigate multiple platforms.
Their fragmented setup included: Eventbrite for bookings, a separate tool for invoicing and payments, spreadsheets and manual emails for sending instructions, another tool for certificates, another for feedback forms, and yet another for hosting videos and files to share with learners.
Scheduling was a nightmare. Keeping trainer calendars in sync was challenging. Sometimes a presenter would add the wrong date to their calendar, resulting in the need to manually check with presenters each week to make sure everyone had the same schedule of events.
Payment management was overwhelming. Deposits and payment plans were essential for giving learners access to courses, but super challenging to manage. They dealt with daily requests for payment plan changes, updating payment methods, and chasing overdue balances. All this took time away from delivering great training and caused significant staff headaches.
The Solution
SPEAKup was able to cancel 6 software subscriptions and bring everything under one platform built specifically for managing training courses. Teachbox now handles everything in one place: scheduling, bookings, payments, certificates, surveys, and more.
For presenters, the scheduling chaos was solved with a central calendar that everyone works from inside Teachbox. It's easy to book a presenter onto an event, and their calendar updates immediately with all the details. They get reminders for events just like learners do, meaning there are never any conflicts or scheduling mistakes.
For payment plans and deposits, this is fully solved by Teachbox's flexible payment plan builder, which collects payments automatically with smart retries and handles all reminder emails and chasing. Learners can use the self-service portal to access invoices, make payments, and more—meaning fewer support tickets.
The Results
Hours of Admin Time Saved Per Month
By consolidating their fragmented software stack into one purpose-built platform, SPEAKup now saves 50 hours of administrative work each month. This time can now be redirected to business development, course improvement, and actually delivering the excellent training they're known for.
Teachbox has transformed how we operate. We've eliminated the stress of juggling multiple systems and can now focus on what we do best - delivering excellent training. The automated payment handling alone has been a game-changer.
Looking Forward
With their operations streamlined, SPEAKup is now focused on expansion. They're planning to launch new course formats, confident that Teachbox can scale with their growth.
Teachbox has given us the foundation to scale. We're no longer worried about whether our systems can handle growth - we know they can. Now we can focus entirely on serving our clients and expanding our reach.