If you are reading this, it’s because you are seeking a new CRM system for recruitment and admissions at your college or university. Cue endless demos, information overload, and vendor onslaught (it’s our job). Everyone having fun yet? Oh bother
So how should one get started selecting the right college admission management software? Supposing there is not a simple answer, let’s try guiding this behemoth of a decision by focusing on the important bits.
Determine Departmental Priorities for Your CRM
Depending on who you are and your job at the college or university, your priorities in selecting the best college admission management software are going to differ from others within your institution. The priorities of the admissions department might be different from the IT department. Or, the priorities of the graduate departments might be different from undergraduate admissions. The examples are endless.
How then, can you ensure that your requirements are met by the college admission management software, while still addressing the priorities and needs of the other departments and decision makers in the process? What factors are most important to consider? Ideally, the system you select would meet your priorities while also satisfying everyone else’s needs. A tall task indeed, but is it possible if done right.
CRM Product vs. Platform
Some solutions offer products built specifically for “managing admissions”. They are known as point solutions, designed for specific purposes and typically live in siloed database environments. Functional teams often like them because they fit their use-cases and needs. Technical teams can be less enthusiastic about these siloed products as they become yet another application that requires support, often with unique technical specifications and knowledge base requirements.
Alternatively, some college admission management software solutions are built on top of enterprise platforms that offer vast capabilities well beyond that of a simple point system. The Salesforce platform, as an example, offers the most mature CRM capabilities with almost limitless customizability, coupled with an enormous ecosystem of partners who all build plug-ins and integrations designed to extend the platform.
Technical teams like the platform approach because it often allows them to scale systems by leveraging established expertise and technologies to expand to new departments and users whenever appropriate, without necessarily investing in new technology and training. Functional team members, however, can be sceptical of the platform approach, as it can feel like reinventing the wheel if much of the functionality needs to be built from scratch on top of the platform.
CRM Features vs. Futureproof
What is more important, meeting the requirements of today or the flexibility to meet the requirements of the future? The answer of course is both are important. Obviously the solution is a non-starter if it can’t meet the current needs of the school, however if the college admission management software becomes antiquated from the moment it is implemented, how long will it provide value before it becomes yet another source of operational frustration.
The Best CRM for Higher Education
In conclusion, selecting the right college admission management software can ensure that your university or college is aligned with the needs of all affected departments and your prospective students, while also offering scalability. Request a demo to learn more about the best CRM for colleges and universities.
