Background
Kingsway Christian College, a K–12 school in Western Australia with more than 1,500 students and 280 staff, needed a smarter way to manage laptop loans for relief teachers. For years, the IT team relied on a manual process that was time-consuming and error-prone.
System Administrator Alex Rengel remembers how the FUYL Smart Locker first came onto their radar:
I think the solution came before the problem. We saw FUYL Smart Lockers, trialled one, and discovered it made the process a lot easier. Otherwise, we’d probably still be using what we had.
Having already used LocknCharge charging carts on campus, the school was familiar with the brand. But the FUYL Smart Locker offered something different: a way to completely reimagine a daily workflow that drained IT time and resources.
The challenge
Before LocknCharge device distribution for relief staff was entirely manual. Technicians retrieved a laptop and charger from storage, checked it was charged, logged the teacher in, and then updated SharePoint to record the loan. Each process took three to five minutes and was prone to human error.
According to Alex, even simple mistakes — like entering the wrong staff member or date — were common. On a busy morning, several IT team members often had to leave their desks just to help teachers collect laptops, disrupting other support tasks. With up to 25 devices loaned out daily, the inefficiencies quickly multiplied.
The solution
The introduction of a LocknCharge FUYL Smart Locker transformed the workflow. Relief staff could now self-serve: scan their card, open a bay, and leave with a fully charged device.
“The FUYL Smart Locker changed the workflow completely. Instead of three minutes of manual work, staff are in and out in about a minute — or even less,” Alex said.
To integrate the Smart Locker with existing systems, Alex’s team connected it to Microsoft Power Automate using webhooks. Each scan automatically matched the bay number to a device ID in SharePoint, updated the assignee, and recorded the start and expected return date. A comment history tracked past borrowers, creating a clear audit trail.
For staff without cards, a fallback system allowed IT to open a bay remotely via a Microsoft Form. The process still updated SharePoint and generated a one-time PIN sent to the borrower by SMS and email for secure return.
As the school transitions to Enhanced FUYL Smart Lockers with iPad kiosks, Alex sees further usability gains. The new software removes the choice of bay, automatically assigning one based on the user’s need. The larger iPad screen also provides a clearer, more intuitive interface, helping staff interact with the system without confusion.
The outcome
The shift delivered immediate efficiency gains. What used to take three to five minutes now takes less than one. That’s about a 75% reduction in time, which adds up to more than an hour saved for IT staff on a busy day.
“When someone walks in now, they’re probably in and out within a minute. They literally walk straight up to the Smart Locker, scan, and they’re done,” Alex explained.
Automated workflows have also reduced errors in record-keeping. By pulling details directly from the staff card and recording the date automatically, the system eliminates common mistakes. Each morning, automated checks highlight overdue or incorrectly logged devices, allowing IT to step in only when necessary.
The change has also freed the IT office from repetitive interruptions. Previously, several technicians might be pulled away from troubleshooting to hand out laptops. Today, those same tasks happen without any IT involvement, giving staff more time to focus on strategic support.
Looking ahead
Encouraged by the success with staff, Kingsway is exploring expansion of FUYL Smart Lockers for students.
“The solution at this stage is primarily to allow students to securely charge their device. We don’t loan chargers to students. We ask them to leave their laptop here on charge. So a student Tower would replace that workflow,” Alex said.
The school also sees potential for FUYL Smart Lockers to replace traditional carts. Charging carts often suffer from issues such as loose cables and inconsistent charging, while Towers provide a more secure and robust solution. As Kingsway expands its one-to-one laptop program into higher year groups, Towers could evolve from being a convenience for ad hoc loans into a central classroom charging and storage solution.
Conclusion
For Kingsway Christian College, LocknCharge Locs FUYL Smart Lockers have turned a daily bottleneck into a seamless, self-service workflow. Relief teachers now access laptops in seconds, IT staff reclaim valuable time, and the school has a scalable foundation for future use cases.
Alex’s advice to other schools is straightforward:
“Even if you’re skeptical, trial a FUYL Smart Locker. You’ll be surprised how much time it saves. What used to take minutes now takes seconds, and that really does add up.”