They say you never get a second chance to make a first impression. When it comes to the next generation of students, often the first chance an education provider has to showcase their student experience is during the admissions process. Often though, providers leave students buried in paper forms or chasing the progress of their application themselves after being left in the dark. 

At worst this can lead students to ask themselves if they’ve made the right choice.

Student Management System (SMS) technology is built to ensure the opposite happens. Bringing together functionality designed to enhance student experiences during their first contacts with your education service, it can help streamline the student journey, capture the student information required, and automate communications to ensure nothing is ever lost or forgotten.

More than that, it delivers a positive first experience students will always remember. So what are the must-have SMS features for wowing the next generation of students from the word go?

Advanced CRM 

A customer relationship management (CRM) system usually forms the backbone of a student’s first interactions with an education provider. For example, Sales Hub is the CRM JR Plus clients use to manage their incoming students. It allows the consolidation of all pre-enrolment activities for inbound students, across sales, prospects, course applications and applications for services. 

The CRM is an engine room that makes these first interactions hit their mark. Utilising tools like Kanban boards to manage student status, automated workflows and integrated communications, an education provider can shepherd students through the critical early stages of pre-enrolment with a service experience that both clinches their enrolment and leaves them with a great impression.

Online enrolments

The next generation of students are used to making applications and filling out their details online. Natives of the digital world, the last thing they want is to be confronted with paper forms which they have to go to their education provider’s campus to submit in person, when that could just as easily have been done through digital means from the comfort of their home (or their smartphone).

Online enrolment brings enrolments into a digital age. It allows education providers to interface with students wherever they are and capture all their enrolment details online with minimised data entry risk. Taking enrolments online (even for multiple students or groups) makes the whole process faster and more accessible for students in ways that realise efficiencies across the admissions function.

Integrated communications

Communication is the foundation of exceptional – or at least better than average - student experiences during admissions. With students about to invest their time and money in their education and future, they want to be treated as valued customers, whether that is having their calls returned promptly, or being updated when their application has been received or progressed. 

Education providers can now integrate communications as part of their admissions workflows. With a CRM that brings communications together in one place, and automated email and SMS functions that update students and request more information throughout the journey, providers can nurture engagement and experience with their students while getting the student through the door.