The University of Central Lancashire
The challenge
The Marketing and Communications team at UCLan wanted to boost the University's profile, generate more applications and improve the conversion rate. They realised that in order to engage more effectively with the students they wanted to reach, the University needed to offer potential applicants a more streamlined communication system.
Members of the team were spending four to six hours a day answering hundreds of e-mail and telephone queries from students, reducing the time they had to spend on higher level recruitment activities.
What was required was an overhaul of the communication system, so that prospective applicants remained engaged in the early stages of their enquiry process and the volume of enquiries dealt with by staff could be significantly reduced.
Our solution
Hobsons suggested the installation of both EMT Connect and EMT Answer.
EMT Connect allows staff to send tailored communication to students who register online, building a greater affinity with prospective applicants in a time-effective way.
Visitors to the website of a university using EMT Connect are encouraged to register by creating their own VIP page, customised according to their interests and preferences. Since installing EMT Connect, 58,000 visitors to the UCLan site have created a VIP page, resulting in a much-improved system of communication between the University and prospective applicants.
EMT Answer gives UCLan a 24/7 Virtual Admissions Office, which automatically answers 96% of the University’s student enquiries. The e-mail management solution has improved efficiency at UCLan by routing questions requiring a personal answer to the most relevant member of staff.
The results
- The technology has provided UCLan with a highly efficient way of building relationships with prospective applicants
- EMT has contributed to improved conversion rates, with a 24.4% increase in students making UCLan their first choice
- The technology has allowed the University to experiment with new and innovative forms of communication in a cost-effective manner
- With 96% of all enquiries answered automatically at the first stage, staff can now devote more time to campaign execution.
'We've seen a cost saving in relation to the University's communications with customers. We no longer rely on paper-based materials being posted to prospects, but enjoy the creativity and freedom offered by EMT'
Lisa Colman, Head of CRM, University of Central Lancashire
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EMT Answer
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