Incoming and returning USC students are adjusting to the recent switch to Mobile CarolinaCards.
The Daily Gamecock interviewed 21 students to gauge student opinion about the change. Out of the students interviewed, around 71% had activated their Mobile CarolinaCard. A few students voiced a need to keep their physical cards or to have the option to switch between both. However, physical cards are deactivated once a student moves over to digital.
This switch comes as a result of USC’s mission to upgrade the student experience.
“Students were asking for the more modern experience, and the Mobile CarolinaCard definitely offers that modern experience with access to everything from food to buildings,” said Joe Fortune, Director for Business Affairs.
Students' reviews
Students excited about the switch to digital are praising the convenience of having easy access to their residence halls, parking garages, campus buildings and dining locations using their phone.
“You don't have to keep track of a physical card anymore. Rarely, if ever, nowadays do people go somewhere without their phone," said second year finance operations and supply chain student Kate Murphy.
To make scanning into buildings even more efficient, first year political science student Lana Zfayli is taking advantage of the feature which allows Mobile CarolinaCards to be stored on up to two devices.
“I put it on my Apple Watch, so whenever I'm holding a lot of stuff… I just tap my wrist, and it works perfectly, and it works for paying as well,” Zfayli said.
While some students have not adopted the new technology, many see the pros of going digital. While second-year integrated information technology student Ellyanna Mattingly has not yet activated her digital CarolinaCard, Mattingly wishes they had been available last year when she was an on-campus freshman, she said.
Third-year finance student Hunter Soep also sees benefits to the online switch. Instead of searching through his wallet for his physical card, the Mobile CarolinaCard could make parking an easier experience for him.
However, there are a few concerns from students. Many are worried about losing access to campus buildings if their phone loses its battery. Second-year mechanical engineering student Evan Steffee cites this as a reason he is keeping his physical card.
“My phone died last night, and I thought to myself, '…I would not have been able to get back inside if I had already switched it over,’” Steffee said.
Addressing student concerns
Chavis McDonald, director of customer experience and change management for business affairs, explained how students are able to use their Mobile CarolinaCard even when their phone is out of charge.
McDonald explained that while both iPhones and Androids allow students to access their Mobile CarolinaCard, they have different power-saving systems. After an iPhone has died, it will go into power reserve mode which will still allow for students to use their Mobile CarolinaCards for up to five hours. However, for Android users, students will have to manually turn off their phones before they lose power for their Mobile CarolinaCard to still be accessible.
Other students are hesitant to switch from physical cards because of the potential for technical difficulties.
Of the students who have activated their Mobile CarolinaCards, four have experienced technical bugs. First year English and sports management student Leah Kim was incorrectly put into the system as a senior while first year business student Paige Cronin has to unlock her phone for her Mobile CarolinaCard to work. Two students reported having trouble at dining facilities.
McDonald understands students’ reluctance to go digital. He said physical CarolinaCards will continue to be issued to those who prefer them.
“We want those to feel comfortable when they're ready to switch over to the mobile card to do so," McDonald said. "Please don't feel like we are forcing you to do that. If the plastic card is right for you right now, we completely understand."
The decision to make the switch
According to Fortune, the conversations that started this shift began before the COVID pandemic, which paused further progress. USC continued the process after the pandemic had ended and after students made it clear that digital CarolinaCards were still something they wanted.
USC’s decision to partner with Transact Campus stemmed from the unique quality that the company would offer users.
Fortune explained that Transact Campus was the only company that was able to guarantee that students would have the same experience using the platform regardless if they were an iPhone or Android user.
“Mobile offers us so many, many more possibilities in the future and things that we continue as we try to continue to elevate the student experience," Fortune said. "That's what makes me so excited about it."
Upcoming plans and opportunities
USC is planning on rolling out the Mobile CarolinaCards in phases. The current phase focused on equipping high-traffic areas of campus with the technology to recognize and accept both physical and Mobile CarolinaCards. The next phase involves outfitting campus vending machines and off-campus vendors with the same technology.
By learning from this experience at USC’s flagship campus, the university is hoping to be able to give its system campuses a guide to help them incorporate Mobile CarolinaCards in the future, McDonald said.
There are department workshops available by request by emailing uscbiz@sc.edu. These workshops are tailored to each department’s needs. McDonald has hired a team of CarolinaCard Ambassadors to help him lead these workshops and ensure that staff members feel confident using this new technology.
“I, along with this team, will be leading these workshops as requested to make sure, again, that these departments and their staff members and their constituents, faculty, whoever it is, feel comfortable with the use cases for the Mobile CarolinaCard,” McDonald said.
There is a faculty senate presentation concerning Mobile CarolinaCards scheduled for Sept. 9 from 2:30-4:15 p.m. in the Russell House Theatre.
For more information on the Mobile CarolinaCards, visit the Mobile CarolinaCard website.