Increased competition amongst universities for talent and resources is forcing many to reconsider the mechanisms they use to attract and retain qualified students. Institutions are also looking to improve relationships with alumni who can be a significant source of financial support and resources. Customer Relationship Management (CRM) applications empower institutions of higher learning to better manage their most important resource, their students (prospects, actively enrolled and alumni).

Designing Around the Student

CRM in higher education is not simply an application or technology, it is a strategy. The core idea behind a CRM strategy is that the student is the center of all business operations. It ties together the information, systems, policies, processes, and employees of an institution with a view to attract and retain qualified students. CRM applications and technologies are not ends in themselves, but rather the means used to implement, in this case, a student-centric business strategy which integrates marketing, sales and service technologies into a student-centric lifecycle.