Spoiler alert: Your higher education CRM alone is not the key to modern student support
3 reasons the powerful tool lacks key capabilities when it comes to AI-powered engagement
In the higher education technology world full of acronyms, CRM is one we hear a lot. From Element 451 and Slate to Salesforce Education Cloud, there are many options for institutions to consider for a higher-education CRM, each uniquely valuable in their abilities to manage data and inform marketing and communications campaigns.
And never has it been more crucial to have the right platforms in place that ensure student interactions – whether on-campus, by phone or via online channels – are recorded and accurate. Relevant, contextual data after all is the foundation to any centralized AI-powered engagement strategy.
Should your education CRM also power your AI student outreach & support across channels?
The short answer is, probably not.
Similar to their counterpart, Student Information Systems (SIS), CRMs are hugely powerful in their ability to manage data, but they fall short in enabling real-time, meaningful AI-powered connections across the student lifecycle.
Why? Let’s take a look.
1. Education CRMs perpetuate communication silos
A large CRM that sits separate from other campus systems can have incomplete views of a student’s situation resulting in missed opportunities for personalized engagement. The most powerful connections are driven by understanding the full set of needs a student, prospect or alumni may have and that requires pulling accurate information from across all departments.
Integration between CRMs and other campus systems is feasible; however, it may result in significant dependency on the CRM vendor and introduce complexities related to data management. Synchronizing large legacy systems with modern CRMs can present challenges, and it is often presumed that the data within the CRM is the most accurate, which is not always guaranteed.
2. CRMs often lack insight into real-time data
Real-time information is critical to enabling positive, personalized experiences yet large CRMs often deal with latency issues in accessing external data streams to inform and contextualize interactions. Consider the confusion a virtual assistant without the latest information on Financial Aid regulation may cause or the frustration a student may experience if a chat response misclassified their major due to a delayed SIS update.
In today’s age of misinformation, trust is crucial. Institutions must communicate transparently and authentically with students, prospects, and alumni – meaning interactions should be relevant, accurate, and timely.
3. Higher education CRMs can be slow to improve
While some CRM providers claim AI agents can help support staff, that only is true when bots are operating at the top of their games. However, engagement is often just one small component of CRM solutions and may not always receive the most attention. This can lead to insufficient monitoring and evaluation of AI performance, as well as a lack of feedback and continuous improvement of systems.
Missteps in AI-powered engagement can result not only in headaches for staff, but growing frustration and disconnection on campus.
The best way to manage your data isn’t always the best way to maximize it
CRMs should serve as a foundational source for student engagement, not the primary tool for it. Institutions need independent AI-powered solutions like Engage from Gravyty that integrate with CRM and SIS systems, along with legacy departmental applications to centralize engagement. By implementing a best-of-breed, third-party AI engagement system, institutions gain flexibility and are not tied to one CRM and a single source of truth. It can ensure consistency in all communication and provide a unique, independent and real-time pulse on needs across campus.
At a time when institutions are facing immense pressure both externally and internally, clear and contextual communication is paramount. Modern student support requires maximizing data from across campus, breaking down silos and infusing the latest in both generative and human-centered AI to enable multi-channel, multi-lingual interactions.
Ready to start maximizing operational efficiency through data-driven insights? Learn more about how to go beyond the CRM to deliver 24/7 personalized support and proactive engagement.
