Personalisation and efficiency in higher education

Students today have unprecedented access to information and alternatives in the field of higher education, giving them more influence than ever. However, it can be difficult for educational institutions to provide individualized student experiences while upholding operational effectiveness. Through my interactions with the higher education community, I have observed how institutions continually grappling to manage this trade-off have come to benefit greatly from CRM solutions.

By strategically utilizing student journey mapping, a CRM solution enables higher education institutions to gain comprehensive insights into the entire student lifecycle, from initial contact to enrollment and beyond. This holistic view equips counselors and teams to provide specialized assistance, strengthen connections, and foster solid relationships with current and potential students.

CRMs help you leverage various communication channels, including email, SMS, and social media, to facilitate proactive and personalized communication, creating a truly tailored educational journey.

Email serves as a formal and comprehensive medium for sharing detailed updates and important documents, while SMS provides immediate and direct communication for quick reminders and urgent updates.

Social media platforms offer opportunities for engagement, community interaction, and addressing student queries in an informal and interactive manner. Adopting a multi-channel approach ensures that messages reach students through their preferred medium, enhancing engagement, satisfaction and fostering a lifelong connection with the institution. Efficiency is a critical factor in the success of any higher education institution.

A CRM helps institutions automate inquiry capture and distribution, ensuring that no inquiry goes unanswered. Intelligent quality scoring would enable counsellors to prioritize and respond to inquiries more effectively. Additionally, CRM system provides automated follow-up reminders, expediting communication and enhancing overall counsellor responsiveness. In my interactions, I sensed how counsellors were struggling to onboard students due to the sheer volume of inquiries and tasks they had to perform manually. With the use of automation, counsellors can nurture students and guide them through the admissions funnel, offering timely and relevant information that ultimately leads to increased conversion rates.

A CRM system not only reduces manual tasks but also ensures the accuracy and consistency of data management. Implementing a CRM for your admissions cycle is a powerful tool for higher education institutions that are seeking to strike a balance between efficiency and customization. By leveraging CRM technology, institutions can better serve the evolving demands of today’s students, resulting in increased satisfaction, enrollment, and retention rates.

The author is CEO & Founder LeadSquared. Views are personal.