Using Technology to improve business efficiency within Student Service Centres

If you want to improve business efficiency within your Student Service Centre or, improve interactions with your students (better known as the Student Experience), several things can be done.  Technology will help; however, it’s how you use the technology that will bring the biggest benefit.

“Workplace communication statistics show that 86% of employees and executives cite the lack of effective collaboration and communication as the main causes of workplace failures.  On the other hand, teams who communicate effectively may increase their productivity by as much as 25%” **

Student management systems (SMS) such as Hague QMS can significantly improve efficiency within Student Services by streamlining processes, automating tasks, and centralizing data.  Here’s how:

1. Multi-channel approach

• • Offer students multiple ways to interact with your services.
  • Not everyone has a mobile phone or the ability to interact like everyone else.
  • There is no single approach to Student Services anymore.
  • Offer multiple channels such as student’s mobile phones, in-service Touchscreen Kiosks, Concierge, Appointment Booking, your website or business App.

2. Reduced workload and faster processing:

• • Repetitive tasks like registration, enrolment, and fee management can be automated, freeing up staff time for more personalized student support.
  • Take it one step further and allow students to pre-fill forms before reaching you for service.
  • Asking the right questions can better arm students on what’s required.
  • Data entry becomes quicker and more accurate, minimizing errors and rework.

3. Improved communication and collaboration:

• • Improve communications whether this be in SMS, email, WhatsApp or Visual within the service centre.
  • Control the messages that go to your students and change these as your business requirements change.
  • Allow marketing to push their latest message or campaign to your students.
  • Allow for multichannel think prices: video, or written communication.
  • Real-time updates on progress, deadlines, and announcements keep everyone informed.

4. Optimized system integration:

• • Today no IT system should operate independently from others.  Closer integration allows for optimised operations and better information flow.
  • Closer integration allows for better more timely information flow.
  • Student CRM: All student data is centralized in one secure location, allowing for easy access and analysis.
  • Student Services can generate reports on attendance, grades, demographics, and other key metrics to identify trends and make data-driven decisions.

5. AI & ChatBot:

• • AI can be used to analyse historical data and current conditions to predict how long customers or students are likely to wait. This information can then be used to prioritize students and reduce wait times for everyone.
  • Within remote joins, AI can be used to predict service time vs travel time.
  • Allowing students to self-help (Chat Bot) or pre-fill documents before service will reduce service interaction times.

6. Appointment Booking:

• • Appointment Booking has been shown to reduce wait times for everyone, it also helps improve transaction time efficiency.
  • It’s more convenient for students who can plan their visit ahead of time.
  • If you know who is coming to see you and why, you are better armed to finalise their transaction quicker.
  • Don’t forget this could be in person, telephone callback or virtual.

7. Virtual Services:

• • Not everyone has time to come to you.  Offering Virtual services such as ‘telephone call back’ or Teams/Zoom meetings helps improve efficiency.
  • We can use the same channels as walk-ins or, Appointment Booking

8. Enhanced data management and reporting:

• • Realtime management information immediately
  • Ability to create your reports, save for your peers or share with colleagues.
  • Interestingly, the ‘next-gen’ think pieces and research say that better and more responsive information is going to be the key drivers of technology over the next couple of years.

9. Reuse of existing systems:

• • Utilisation of existing systems that are in place.  If you have Kiosks, fine, we can reuse those.
  • Why not reuse and enhance the student service offering which could include better utilisation of your website?

10. Feedback:

• • Highlighting all the points above, what about the students and what they thought of the service offered?
  • Providing automatic links to allow students to complete a short survey will help improve CSAT scores by as much as 25%.
  • These feedback forms are sent at the end of the transaction and scores link back to the original transaction.

Overall, a student management system can transform Student Services from a reactive to a proactive department, allowing them to focus on providing better support and a more positive experience for students.

Hague QMS includes all the points highlighted above plus, there are several more benefits that we could share with you.

Why not CONTACT US to discuss your specific requirement and how Hague QMS can help?

If you wish to read more ideas on how to improve the student experience, please click HERE

** https://pumble.com/learn/communication/communication-statistics/