Beware of Fraud: Purchasing Inferior Tutoring Systems

Beware of Fraud: Purchasing Inferior Tutoring Systems

According to this year's statistics from the Ministry of Education, the number of tutoring centers nationwide has surged to nearly 20,000, compared to 6,666 in 2002. Over the last decade, the number of tutoring centers has increased more than threefold, with the highest number located in Taichung, followed by New Taipei City and Taipei City.

In the fiercely competitive tutoring market, many centers are purchasing course recording systems to replace tutoring teachers for student reviews or supplemental lessons. However, these tutoring centers often fall victim to scams, purchasing systems that result in more problems.

The underlying issue is that tutoring centers typically look for low-voltage vendors or nearby communication shops to purchase and install course recording systems. These vendors are not specialized in course recording systems; they often sell surveillance systems as course recording systems, believing that as long as the surveillance system can record audio, it can serve as a course recording system. These fake systems are modified from digital video recorders (DVRs), producing poor-quality images of the blackboard, and are as complicated to operate as surveillance systems, making them inconvenient for both teachers and students. They frequently malfunction, failing to record, and when recording is completed, the audio and video often go out of sync. The wiring is complex and challenging to maintain, requiring constant vendor support.

These vendors are often unaware of the true needs of tutoring centers, mistakenly believing that course recording systems are the same as surveillance systems. When tutoring centers report issues like audio and video synchronization, unclear images, or unreadable blackboard text, the low-voltage vendors or communication shops realize they are unable to resolve these issues because the software or hardware products used are not developed or manufactured by them. Lacking the ability to improve the situation, they resort to avoidance or delay tactics, leaving the unfortunate tutoring centers to discover they've been deceived.

Journalists have found that vendors selling surveillance systems disguised as course recording systems are actually making substantial profits. Surveillance systems are much cheaper compared to actual course recording systems, yet the prices charged to tutoring centers are three to four times higher than the market price of typical surveillance systems. Many tutoring centers believe they have purchased course recording systems, but in reality, they have merely bought surveillance systems wrapped in sweet talk.

Tutoring centers spend a large sum on these systems, hoping to save on manpower (as tutoring teachers for one-on-one instruction is time-consuming, physically demanding, and mentally exhausting), only to encounter numerous problems that prevent the systems from working effectively. They then find themselves unable to purchase a legitimate course recording system, resulting in a significant loss.

This is a common mistake made by many tutoring centers! Journalists suggest that before purchasing a course recording system, tutoring centers should research online to find legitimate manufacturers that produce these systems. Furthermore, they should verify whether the software and hardware for the course recording system are designed, produced, or manufactured by the company and ensure that the company has a dedicated R&D department. It is crucial to avoid purchasing from unknown companies or small, one-person operations to prevent future problems without a solution. Journalists strongly recommend that tutoring centers take the opportunity to visit the sales company to experience and operate the entire system firsthand to confirm its functionality, stability, ease of use, recording quality, the speed and ease of student reviews, and whether the videos are encrypted.

Additionally, journalists have noticed that HD high-definition course recording systems and dedicated recording machines are starting to appear in the market. Unlike standard DVD quality, this HD quality is over nine times better than DVD, producing clear and easily distinguishable blackboard text, making student reviews feel immersive, akin to watching a movie.

Here are some common tactics used by fraudulent vendors to guide tutoring centers. Do not be tempted by low prices or convenience and end up purchasing inferior tutoring systems.

• Vendors rely solely on verbal explanations of the course recording system, without allowing tutoring centers to experience it firsthand.
• Simply provide a camera and a laptop with software installed and claim it is a course recording system.
• Directly announce prices on the website, guaranteeing over the phone that there will be no price increases in the future.
• Include installation and setup in the price, but have never seen the installation site.
• Claim that the course recording software is free, stating that since it is a gift, they are not responsible for any issues.
• State that tutoring centers must prepare the computers for the recording system installation, and when problems arise, claim that since the computers belong to the tutoring centers, they are not responsible or suggest that the tutoring centers purchase new computers.
• Do not allow tutoring centers to experience the complete course recording system at the display center or visit the company.
• Publish a single classroom price on the website but require payment for two classrooms.
• Inform tutoring centers that the cameras used are on par with those from well-known course recording system vendors, but in reality, they are cheap surveillance cameras.
• Companies lack an R&D department, with all software and hardware pieced together from commercially available products.
• Do not dare to disclose the names of tutoring centers that have purchased or used their systems.
• Companies consist of only one or two people and lack any R&D or technical department.

Tutoring centers can only achieve optimal results with the correct course recording system. It is advisable to personally experience the entire system at the sales company before making a purchase to avoid spending a lot of money on ineffective systems.

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