[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]There are plenty of large (and very expensive) CRM systems (Customer Relationship Management) available that are “designed” for private, post-secondary and vocational schools. Why? Because they are THE tool for your admissions team to help usher potential students through the admissions process. Having some form of CRM is a need for virtually any business, honestly, whether it’s in paper form scattered all over your desk, or database-driven and entirely an online CRM system.
If you are currently not using a CRM for your school, it’s highly recommended, but be sure to shop around because no CRM is “one size fits all”
Here’s the basic point: most CRM systems don’t understand schools and the vocational or career school process. Most CRM systems are good at one thing: delegating leads, rating them, tracking conversatios, and giving management some reports.
But you’re a school…
- What about all tracking the steps and all the paperwork required for a student to be fulling enrolled?
- What about tracking financing?
- What about enrollment caps on the class size for each class?
- What about tracking each individual education program?
- What about managing open house?
- Online applications?
You see… there are a lot of aspects that are specific to marketing education and tracking people with a CRM from the first inquiry all the way through to new student orientation. Most “all for one” CRM solutions are NOT capable of catering to those needs.
As I mentioned, there are systems where you can pay thousands a month, based on the number of users and/or students, that do have aspects for vocational and career schools – but once again, YOU have to adapt to how THEY work.
Getting a custom CRM solution built just for your school ends up being less expensive and both the look, layout, and process can be designed to perfectly first YOUR SCHOOL. Moreover: you own it. Once it’s complete that’s it: it’s yours. No monthly leases, no maximum number of users of leads. Most you pay for after that is if you have new requests to be added to the system.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]