Frequently Asked Questions

We work at your pace to get you up and running smoothly. Most schools are fully operational within 2-4 weeks, with ongoing training and support from your dedicated Account Manager. We handle the heavy lifting with setup, training, and testing so you can stay focused on running your school.

Our onboarding team guides you through every step: migrating your student data, setting up your billing cycles, configuring your class schedule, connecting your website, and training your team. The EFC support team, our online tutorials, and onsite visits will help you seamlessly implement the systems into your business. You'll have dedicated support to ensure a smooth transition with minimal disruption to your business.

No technical skills required. EFC Customer Management is our market-leading software that will revolutionise the way you work! Say goodbye to tedious tasks and hello to increased productivity with our user-friendly interface and advanced features. Accessible through a web browser or as a download, EFC Customer Management will be with you everywhere you go, allowing you and your team to manage your business and complete tasks quickly.

Yes. We'll help you migrate your current student records, billing information, and membership details from your existing system. Our onboarding team handles the data transfer to ensure accuracy and completeness.

We help hundreds of schools switch from other platforms every year. Our team manages the transition, including data migration, system setup, and training. We'll work with you to minimise downtime and ensure your school keeps running smoothly during the switch.

Percentage of Membership Collections: 3-6% Plus VAT

(Subject to completing our qualification process)

Our fee structure includes:

• Fee Collection
• Software System
• Business Coaching & Support
• Expansion & Development

With over 56 years of experience in the Martial Arts & leisure industry worldwide, we are uniquely placed to help you run a successful business that still gives you time to do what you enjoy.

Professional onboarding is included. There are no separate setup fees—we handle migration, training, and implementation as part of your service.

Your EFC membership includes:

• EFC Billing Fee Collection - Modern Direct Debit EFC Billing & SEPA SEPA billing systems built seamlessly into your EFC Customer Management software
• EFC Customer Management Software - Complete business management solution
• Members App & Online Portal - Branded for your school
• Owners App - Run your business on the move
• Business Growth Academy - Coaching, masterclasses, and educational resources
• EFC Academy Client Portal - Self-learning platform
• Annual UK Conference - Yearly client conference and Business Bootcamp events
• Dedicated Account Manager - Personal support from experienced team
• EFC Community - Facebook community group and global network
• EFC Websites Website Option - Convert better leads with our AI-powered websites

We are so confident in our offering that there is no tie-in, and just a one month's cancellation notice period if you ever wish to cease our services. We want our work and your business success to be the reason you stay with us, not a cancellation policy.

We accept EFC Billing and major payment methods for our services. Our systems are BACS Approved, paperless, and fully automated for steady cash flow.

Yes. EFC handles your student billing and payment processing directly using our modern EFC Billing collection system that is fully integrated with your school management software. This makes the collection of your fees hassle-free and automated. Our admin team is on hand to free you from time-consuming tasks, and our call centre is available to support your members, leaving you with peace of mind and the time to concentrate on providing five-star service.

Our modern Direct Debit EFC Billing & SEPA SEPA billing systems are built seamlessly into your EFC Customer Management software package and take care of the time-consuming tasks of membership fee collection and administration so you don't have to. Set up membership plans with recurring tuition amounts, and EFC automatically charges students on their billing date each month.

EFC manages the whole collection process from start to finish. Unfortunately, from time to time a membership fee may fail and become outstanding, and EFC are here to handle all of that for you too. Our systems are fully prepared and ready to deal with any unpaid membership payments that may arise. Our in-house follow-up procedures ensure that missed payments are followed up quickly. Both your EFC Customer Management software and your dedicated Account Manager will keep in contact with you throughout the process to update you on any progress.

"On average 96% of collections successfully collected first time"

Our dedicated, ethical, and professional approach to dealing with late membership payments sets us apart from the rest and makes us a vital part of your business operation. Our highly trained Account Manager staff are equipped with the experience and expertise to help maximise your collection totals, but in an ethical way tailor-made to the customer service industry. We essentially work for you, so we will handle your membership base in the way in which you want us to.

Payment processing is included in our percentage-based fee structure (3-6% plus VAT). This covers all aspects of fee collection, software, and business support.

Our modern EFC Billing system handles automated payments. Families can set up Direct Debit mandates for recurring membership payments, providing steady cash flow and predictable income for your business. The system is:

• Easy to use and professional
• Stress-free solution
• BACS Approved
• Paperless and automated
• Provides steady cash flow
• Fully managed and supported

Yes. In addition to recurring tuition billing, you can create one-off invoices for testing fees, equipment, uniforms, special events, or any other charges.

Absolutely. If you're happy with your current design, we can connect it to the EFC CRM to capture and track leads automatically. If you'd like to update your site, our Website team can rebuild it using proven layouts that turn visitors into students. Either way, your website will work as part of your business system, not separate from it.

Our proven website system powered by AI technology helps you to outrank your local competition on Google and provides a full funnel approach for your martial arts marketing. EFC Websites is designed to build high-performing martial arts websites quickly and efficiently, and is programmed to make sure that your website performs to its maximum potential automatically, generating you more qualified leads and new members. It is fully integrated and works hand in hand with the EFC Customer Management software system.

200+ businesses across the world have now signed up to have their website built and managed by EFC Websites.

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Most websites are completed within 2–3 weeks. EFC Websites is state of the art, and the artificial intelligence system builds and manages your website to get the best possible SEO ranking.

Your website is hosted on EFC's platform and included in your subscription. You own your domain name, content, images, and branding. If you leave EFC, you can take your domain and content with you.

Yes. All EFC websites are mobile-first, meaning they're designed to look perfect and load fast on phones, tablets, and desktop computers.

Seamless Integration - Your EFC Websites website will work hand in hand with your school management system EFC Customer Management, adding your new prospects to your "leads" list in the software instantly

Instant Trial Bookings - Optionally choose to allow leads to book into a trial class. Synced in real-time with your EFC software

Optimised SEO - Your website pages are optimised to convert like a funnel

Follow Up Tools - Every time your website generates a new prospect, EFC Websites will text and email you to let you know

Service Builder Library - EFC Websites automatically builds you a library of all possible services & wordings from across the web

Copy Generator - Provide EFC Websites with criteria of what copy you are looking to write, and it will generate a library of suggested copy

Landing Pages - Build custom landing pages for your ad campaigns in just a few minutes

Events - Create & advertise your upcoming events, whether free or paid

Analytic, Keyword & SEO Reports - Ask EFC Websites to run you an analytic report, keyword & SEO report on your site

Make Edits Quickly - Your user-friendly interface allows you to edit your website directly, without needing to ask

Automatically. When someone fills out a contact form on your website, they instantly appear as a new lead card in your EFC Customer Management pipeline. No copying information, no manual data entry, no integration required—it just works.

Introducing EFC Customer Management, our market-leading software that will revolutionise the way you work! You will gain access to EFC Customer Management from day one, with all available features included in your EFC package.

Manage all aspects of your business including:

• User management
• Direct Debit payments
• Classes and bookings
• Attendance registers
• Self check-in kiosk
• Grading and assessment
• Licences
• Point of sale / Shop
• Task automations
• Zapier connection
• Mailbox & communication
• Two-way Email & SMS messaging
• Badges & awards system
• Templates manager
• Lead capture & management
• Events registration & sales
• Form builder (e.g., waivers)
• Report builder
• Staff management
• Performance tracking and lots more!

Leads move through stages in your visual pipeline. You always know who needs follow-up and where leads are getting stuck. The system tracks conversion rates at each step.

Students check in via a front desk kiosk or by scanning a QR code from the mobile app. Attendance is recorded automatically, class rosters update in real-time, and you can view attendance history for each student and each class.

Record each student's current belt rank, promotion history, and testing goals. Students and parents see all progress updates in their member portal and mobile app.

Send emails, SMS text messages, and push notifications from one unified hub. Use templates with automatic merge fields to send personalised messages at scale.

Automate your business to win back your time. Focus on the bigger picture and ask our automation platforms to take care of the regular time-consuming tasks. Set up single or multi-action automations, and call upon the EFC support team to assist with implementation so that it is done correctly from the get-go.

Yes. Through the member portal and mobile app, families can view their membership details, upcoming classes, past attendance, belt history, instructor feedback, and more. They can also pay balances, update contact info, and manage payment methods themselves.

Allow a whole new way of learning and training in martial arts for your members! Online and virtually through their own members app & online portal they can:

• View full video curriculum by video, image, PDF, and skills
• Receive real-time training feedback and progress updates through "observations"
• See personal training tasks and goals through "next steps"
• Receive important messages through the portal noticeboard
• View progress to the next grading visually with personal progress bar
• Journal the training experience and keep notes on classes
• Book for class through the class reservation module
• Check into class via QR code
• View and register for upcoming events
• View membership payment status
• Refer a friend
• And lots more!

Want to make EFC Customer Management your own? Brand your member app with a splash of colour and your business logo.

The EFC Customer Management app is designed to streamline your operations and boost productivity. With user-friendly features, you can easily manage everything remotely including tasks, collaborating with team members, view data and reports, and run your business on the go. Say goodbye to scattered information and hello to a more efficient way of doing business.

Yes. The EFC Software provides easy management of multi-locations and franchises, including the ability to easily control your intellectual property and access to your curriculum across multiple locations.

The "plug and play" option means you can create and share the following assets, and stay in control:

• Curriculum including programmes, grades, skills & members app media content
• Email and SMS templates
• Electronic forms, including T&Cs & waivers
• Programme sign-up packages
• Student badges & recognition system
• Automation flows
• Organisation reporting & financial management

You'll have a dedicated Account Manager and support team. The EFC support team, our online tutorials, and onsite visits will help you seamlessly implement the systems into your business. Our support is continuous and ongoing.

EFC's business growth education journey will take you through recommended systems, principles, practices, and procedures to help you recruit more members, retain more members, and grow your martial arts business! The pathway has helped thousands of martial arts businesses across the world and allows you to implement improvements at your own pace.

While you learn, you also earn! As you progress through the coaching programme and your business grows, you will earn business growth awards to keep you motivated and striving for the next goal. The awards are presented to you in front of your peers at our annual UK & Ireland client conference.

"Our encouraging, guidance approach lets you grow your business at your own pace"

The EFC Academy is your self-learning platform for everything EFC and business growth. Accessible directly from within your EFC Customer Management software and including access to:

✅ Helpful articles

✅ Video interviews

✅ Masterclass coaching session recordings

✅ Fully customisable marketing templates

✅ Online courses

✅ EFC podcast

✅ EFC Customer Management training resources

✅ EFC news feed including upcoming events, software release notes, and more

Listen in to the EFC Podcast "Raising the Standards" through your EFC Academy portal or on Spotify & Apple Podcasts as we take a deep dive into the processes, procedures, principles, and more of growing and operating a successful martial arts school.

Our regular, online Masterclass coaching sessions are available to EFC clients to help them with their business growth and personal development. Sessions run once per month with our executive coaches and cover topics from marketing, instructor development, mindset, retention, and more.

Annual UK Conference & Workshop Events - Attend our annual UK client conference and immerse yourself in a weekend of learning & networking with martial arts business leaders from across the UK & Ireland. Choose from multiple sessions on the agenda that suit you best and come away with a plan, renewed motivation, and the knowledge to take your business to the next level. Our yearly "Business Bootcamp" event is also held at a venue around the UK.

EFC Customer Management Software "Sessions" - Our support is continuous and ongoing to help you with the successful implementation of your EFC Customer Management software systems, whether that be through Zoom training sessions one-to-one, online group sessions with your team, or through our once per month "EFC Customer Management Software Sessions" online.

Over a period of 56 years, EFC have created a library of information on the running of a successful business. Your Account Manager will be able to provide you with any information that you desire. Whether it be telephone scripts, internal business documents, or guidelines and SOPs on how to run a great internal event, EFC can help you.

"Whatever it is that you need help with, we have the resources and experience available"

One of the great benefits of becoming an EFC client is the worldwide network of martial arts schools at your disposal. Through our global EFC Connect system, we are able to source any information for you that you might require from martial arts schools in operation around the world.

Our EFC Facebook Community group is an exclusive platform for EFC clients to share new ideas, share challenges, ask questions, and network with each other, all in the aid of helping you to grow and manage your business. EFC also uses this group to share news, information of new releases, service updates, advice, ideas, and more.

Access the EFC Management Guide Levels 1, 2 & 3, and the EFC Marketing Guide digitally via the EFC Academy Client Portal – EFC's written guides to the basic principles and procedures to produce a professional, high-performing martial arts academy – built by the late EFC chairman Nicholas Cokinos, who pioneered the modern management systems you will still find in place today in countless schools worldwide.

Yes. EFC uses industry-standard security measures including secure data centres, regular backups, and compliance for payment processing. Our systems are BACS Approved and fully compliant with UK banking standards.

You do. Your student records, contact information, and business data belong to you. If you ever leave EFC, you can export your data and take it with you.

Yes. EFC is web-based and works on any device with a browser. Accessible through a web browser or as a download, EFC Customer Management will be with you everywhere you go.

EFC includes Zapier connection for specific integration needs. For other custom requirements, contact your Account Manager to discuss what's possible.

We're not just a software company. EFC is a complete growth system built specifically for martial arts schools. You get:

• Fee collection with personal support - Dedicated Account Manager handling collections
• Software that revolutionises your work - Market-leading EFC Customer Management
• Proven business coaching - Growth Academy, masterclasses, and resources
• Supportive community - UK & Ireland network plus global connections
• 56+ years of experience - Pioneer of modern martial arts management systems
• Personal, long-lasting relationships - Flexible, client-focused guidance approach

Yes. We help schools switch from other platforms regularly. Our onboarding team handles data migration and training to make the transition smooth with minimal disruption to your business.

EFC UK was launched in 1997 and is a UK-based and run company dealing with martial arts schools & other leisure businesses throughout the United Kingdom & Ireland. Our UK head office is currently located in Swindon, Wiltshire.

"EFC was the first billing company in the UK to offer EFC Billing billing for martial arts schools"

Since 1967, Educational Funding Company (EFC) has been dedicated to fostering strong partnerships with martial arts schools. We were the first company to offer a complete, fully managed fee collection service to martial arts schools in the UK, and have since pioneered the modern management systems you will find in place today in countless schools worldwide.

"EFC UK celebrated 27 years of supporting the martial arts & leisure industry during 2024!"

We aim to raise the standards of martial arts for our clients by extending to them insightful management services, empowered by future technological tools and information which increases core business focus and contributes to the growth of their business.

We are proud of our long-standing reputation and constantly strive to be a dependable, trustworthy business partner to our clients. The relationship between us and our clients is very personal, and we like to build long-lasting relationships. As a result of our flexible, client-focused 'guidance' approach, the majority of our clients have been with us for many years.

Whether you are a start-up business, a part-time owner, running your school alone with small numbers, or a multi-school operator with hundreds of members, our systems and tools are designed and specifically aimed at you.