Method and functioning of a CRM for higher education

A CRM (Customer Relationship Management) system is an essential tool for higher education institutions looking to optimize the management of their relationships with students, businesses, and partners. The true backbone of their strategy, an education CRM centralizes data, automates key processes such as recruitment and academic tracking, and provides a 360° view of each interaction. This article explores the fundamental principles of a CRM for higher education, its main functionalities, and the benefits it brings to universities and business schools in terms of efficiency, personalization, and management.

Summary :

1. Fundamental principles of an educational CRM
2. Key features of a higher education CRM
3. Advantages and benefits for institutions

Fundamental principles of an educational CRM

Data centralization

An education CRM gathers all information related to candidates, students, and partners in a single database. Each individual has a complete profile that is accessible at any time. This centralization reduces the risk of data loss.

Thus, each department has a global view of contacts, enabling more effective communication and follow-up.

Student Lifecycle Management

A CRM system dedicated to higher education allows you to track the entire student journey, from applicant to alumnus. As soon as an applicant interacts with the institution, via an online form for example, their information is recorded in the CRM.

The institution can then communicate with the candidate in a personalized way, based on their background: information about the training program that interests them, deadlines not to be missed, upcoming events, etc. Once the candidate is admitted and enrolled, the CRM centralizes all their data: contact details, academic record, grades, internships, projects, international exchanges, etc.

This allows for comprehensive and individualized monitoring of each student throughout their studies. Interactions with administrative services and faculty are also recorded. After graduation, students join the alumni community. The CRM facilitates maintaining connections with alumni through network activities, targeted information sharing, event invitations, and more.

Key features of a higher education CRM

Recruitment campaign management

A CRM dedicated to higher education allows for the efficient planning and management of marketing campaigns aimed at attracting new candidates.

From the campaign design stage, the CRM centralizes all useful information: targets, schedule, channels used, budget, etc. It facilitates collaboration between the teams in charge of recruitment.

Once the campaign is launched, the CRM provides real-time monitoring of actions carried out on the different channels: email campaigns, social networks, events, etc. It measures open, click and conversion rates at each stage.

At the end of the campaign, the CRM generates comprehensive reports that allow for detailed analysis of the results and calculation of the return on investment. This data is invaluable for optimizing future recruitment efforts.

Application and registration tracking

A CRM dedicated to higher education offers key features to efficiently manage the entire admissions process:

• Creation and customization of online application forms

• Monitoring the progress of applications at each stage

• Automatic candidate segmentation based on various criteria

• Personalized follow-ups to candidates via email or SMS

Once the candidate is accepted, the CRM allows you to:

• Generate registration documents and contracts

• Track tuition fee payments

• Create the student file which will then be enriched throughout their studies

Thanks to centralized and automated management, teams become more efficient in processing applications and registrations. Personalized follow-up strengthens the engagement of prospective students and boosts final enrollment rates.

School administration

Monitoring students throughout their academic journey is a key challenge for higher education institutions. Without appropriate tools, it can be difficult to keep track of grade progress, internships completed, or projects undertaken by each student.

To meet this need, CRM systems dedicated to higher education offer specific modules for managing student records. These modules centralize all data related to a student's academic progress: transcripts, professor evaluations, internship reports, dissertations, etc. This information is accessible in real time to the administration and teaching staff.

Automated dashboards and reports facilitate the monitoring of student cohorts. They provide a comprehensive overview of results and allow for the rapid identification of struggling students so that personalized support can be offered. Thanks to these tools, institutions can more effectively manage their students' success.

Corporate and alumni relations

Maintaining close ties with partner companies and alumni is a key challenge for any higher education institution. CRM offers dedicated functionalities to manage and enrich these relationships over the long term.

Thanks to a centralized database, the CRM allows for the storage of all relevant information on partner companies: history of interactions, internship and apprenticeship opportunities offered, involvement in the life of the institution, payment of the apprenticeship tax, etc. This data is accessible to all relevant departments (student services, corporate relations, career placement, etc.) for seamless coordination of actions.

Alumni tracking is also made easier. The CRM stores graduates' contact information, career paths, and network involvement. Integrated tools allow for engaging the alumni community through targeted communications: newsletters, event invitations, requests to speak to current students, etc.

This proactive management of corporate and alumni relationships through CRM strengthens synergies and contributes to the institution's reputation. It is a strategic lever for developing partnerships, optimizing students' career placement, and fostering a vibrant alumni network.

Advantages and benefits for establishments

Improving student recruitment

A CRM allows you to optimize recruitment campaigns and increase the number of registrations through several key levers:

• Centralizing candidate data in a single database facilitates targeting and personalization of communications

• Automating application tracking streamlines the admissions process from initial contact to registration

• Precise tracking of each interaction with candidates allows us to analyze their behavior and adapt recruitment actions

• Detailed reports help measure campaign performance and adjust investments

Personalizing the student experience

A CRM dedicated to higher education allows for the personalization of interactions with each student throughout their academic journey:

• From the moment of application, he centralizes the prospect's information (contact details, chosen training, level of education, etc.) to adapt the communication.

• Once a student is enrolled, the CRM system gathers all their data (coursework, grades, internships, projects, etc.) for individualized monitoring. Communication with the administration and professors is tracked for a 360° view.

• Integrated tools allow for the scheduling of personalized communications at each key stage: sending targeted information, automated follow-ups, invitations to events, etc.

• After graduation, the CRM helps to maintain a special connection with each alumnus based on their profile, career path and involvement in the alumni network.

Optimization of administrative processes

Automating certain administrative tasks leads to significant efficiency gains:

• Reduction of time spent on repetitive and low value-added tasks

• Reduced risk of human error through automated data entry

• Accelerating processes such as application and registration processing

• Freeing up time for teams so they can focus on more strategic missions

Indeed, by entrusting previously manual tasks such as sending confirmations and reminders, or generating documents, to CRM software, administrative departments save valuable time. This allows them to focus on providing personalized support to students or developing new projects, resulting in improved service.

Strategic management of the institution

As a recent report from the Ministry of Higher Education highlighted, "the management of institutions must be based on a thorough analysis of data to guide strategic decisions." This is precisely what a CRM system dedicated to higher education enables.

By centralizing all student data, from application to graduation and including academic progress, CRM provides managers with a comprehensive view of the business. Customized dashboards allow them to track key indicators such as conversion rates, enrollment rates, and job placement rates.

This consolidated and real-time updated data is invaluable for decision-making. It allows for the identification of the most attractive training programs, the measurement of the effectiveness of recruitment campaigns, the optimization of resource allocation, and the adjustment of service offerings to the needs of students and partner companies. These are all strategic elements for strengthening the institution's attractiveness and competitiveness.

In conclusion, a specialized CRM for higher education is a strategic tool for optimizing the management of relationships with students, partners, and alumni. By centralizing data and automating key processes such as recruitment, academic monitoring, and alumni network management, it enables personalized support and targeted communication at every stage of the student journey. As the true backbone of the information system, an education CRM delivers tangible benefits in terms of operational efficiency, strategic management, and student experience. These are undeniable advantages for strengthening the attractiveness and competitiveness of institutions in a context of increased competition and digital transformation. Like the solutions offered by Emundus, a CRM tailored to the challenges of higher education is essential for training and supporting the talent of tomorrow.