Ask the vendor to walk one student from enquiry to certificate in a single sitting, live on screen, with no slides. Then ask where each field in your NCVER file comes from, what stops a certificate issuing too early, what the trainer sees when they mark, how your data gets in, and what happens when something breaks.
Why the demo matters
A sales demo is designed to look good. The questions below make it show you how the software works on an ordinary Tuesday, with a real student, a real trainer and a real report.
1. "Show me enquiry to certificate, live"
Ask them to take one student through the whole journey: enquiry, application, enrolment form, USI check, class booking, assessment, marking, competent, certificate and NCVER report. If any step is a slide instead of the software, ask why.
2. "Where does this field in the NAT file come from?"
Pick a student and ask the vendor to trace their date of birth, outcome, funding source and delivery location back to the screen that captured each one. If nobody can show you, someone's going to be typing it in at reporting time.
3. "What stops a certificate issuing when it shouldn't?"
You want to hear: the USI is verified, the student's profile is complete, the enrolment is ready to report, and only the right people can release it.
4. "Show me the trainer's marking screen"
Ask to see what the trainer sees, not the admin. Look for evidence, feedback, the assessor's declaration, resubmissions and the final competent call, all on one screen.
5. "How does my data get in, and can I undo an import?"
Ask how your old system's export is matched, how duplicates are handled, whether your real enrolment dates come across, and how they stop old records being reported to NCVER twice.
6. "Which features are switched on for every client?"
Every platform has features in pilot. Ask which of the features in the demo are on for everyone today, and which emails actually send.
7. "Where is my data kept?"
Ask where the database, files and email are hosted, and what the AI features send where.
8. "What happens when something breaks?"
Ask who answers, how you reach them, and how fast they reply.
9. "Show me the export"
Ask to download every report and your NAT files, and ask what it costs to take your data with you if you leave.
How RTO Grow answers
We run our demos exactly this way. Book one and we'll walk a student from enquiry to certificate live, show you where every NCVER field comes from, and tell you which features are on for every RTO. Every report downloads for free, and support requests are handled the same day.
See the whole journey
Book a demo and ask us every question on this page.