In higher education CRM is about managing communications, relationships, and reporting processes for prospective students, current students, alumni and donors. Enrollment management, Advancement, Foundation and Schools and Colleges are primary users. Athletics, Career Services, and International Affairs to name a few are all users of various ad hoc CRM systems on campus. Though the niche products have provided some functional benefits to the respective offices, the centralized approach has tactical advantages. The most significant include:
Centralizing and sharing information
Centralized CRM systems share information with each other enabling global and detailed knowledge about our constituents. Decentralization leads to inaccuracy and gaps in the data collected as well as duplicate efforts and shadow systems. By consolidating to a single centralized CRM, we will have the opportunity to establish common data standards, definitions and structures. The UO will realize a more meaningful reporting system, improved analytics and an increased strategic decision-making process.
Coordinating Communication
Our current distributed and unconnected systems used by various units lack a full picture of our constituents leading to excessive and uncoordinated communications, failed opportunities and unfulfilled constituent support.
Streamlining Processes
A centralized system can reduce repeated and redundant efforts among our units, which will result in a more informed and efficient cross-functional processes with increased data accuracy.
To some extent, the University entered into ERP (Banner) implementations with the goal of improving customer service. Service improvements have been realized, but not because of improved support for customer interactions. These gains were realized through improved processing speed and better data. The investment in an enterprise-wide CRM could enable the institution to better capitalize on its ERP investment. The CRM business strategy and associated technologies target facilitating direct customer interactions. These processes and technologies can aid the institution in gaining a total view of its customers and can help implement activities to capitalize on this knowledge.
Does the UO need one CRM?
One CRM deployed campus-wide is commonplace at peer institutions. Adopting an enterprise-wide CRM at the University of Oregon amounts to adopting a business strategy and a set of software tools and technologies, which could reduce institutional costs, assist in increasing revenue, help identify new opportunities, provide channels for expansion, and improve value, satisfaction, and retention. Importantly, UO CRM users would coordinate communications and base decisions on a shared source of information rather than siloed systems.
Most important is the ability of a truly robust set of institutional processes and tools to bring the entire institution together around its people. The outlook of the university could be focused on the people it serves, not on its administrative systems.
CRM Initiative
CRM Background
CRM Roadmap
CRM Project Team
CRM Responses