Five Tips for Successful Implementation of CRM at Schools

1. Five Tips for Successful Implementation of CRM at Schools As public funding for higher education keeps on declining, admission officers are experiencing the pressure to increase the enrollment and retention rate. Since most public funding options are related to enrollments, it’s imperative to keep each program or course completely filled. Unfilled seats lead to missed opportunities and less resources for schools. On account of increase in competition, getting students through different entryways — and keeping them in classrooms — is harder than any time before. That is the reason more schools are investigating the capability of implementing Constituent Relationship Management (CRM) systems. The thought process behind this investigation is to: Leverage the power of technology to identify and engage with prospective students Make a high quality first impression with prospects that can build excitement Establish relationship with students till they become an alumni However, like any other technology implementation, the way for effective CRM implementation and integration requires a lot of time, effective planning, and all around strategic thinking. If you are looking to get the most out of CRM implementation at your school, then here are five tips to consider:

2. 1. Effective planning Technology is an engine that is incomplete without proper planning and implementation. That is the reason schools need to plan ahead. Develop a well defined road map that outlines your goal achievement and the technology that can guide and help you. Assemble your support staff and assess your existing business processes and, evaluate how they may make strides. 2. Identify and integrate business silos Admission procedures are perplexed. Bringing on new students requires admission staffs to accumulate data from different department of the school, from recruitment to academics to lodging to student support. Utilize the technology to align the goals and priorities of all different departments at schools. Schedule training sessions early and frequently to guarantee that everyone who will be using the system is aware of their role and action to be performed. The more the departments integrate and work together, the better the outcomes will be. 3. Create a culture of change Apprehension is unavoidable. Keeping up an open and fair dialog with all campus constituents is the most ideal approach to address these concerns. Conduct regular meetings, take feedback and offer clear updates about the process of implementation. Stay connected with individuals at campus exclusively, so that those affected by the change knows the impact and results that it can bring to the effective functioning of their department. 4. Start small Technology integrations are always scary and complex; that is the reason it’s important to start small. Perform a complete breakdown of important elements like systems to integrate, roles, functionalities etc. that will be a key for your planning-integration process. Provide sufficient time for your staff to get settled with the technology, and then get started from there. 5. Set clear milestones Get started to develop performance indicators and milestones to be achieved. Each step you take in the right direction gets you closer to your definitive objective, yet there are a lot of milestones along the way to achieve your goals. Source Links: higher education crm student retention software crm for higher education student enrollment software enrollment management software student enrolment crm campus engagement crm