Building an Effective CRM Solution for the Higher Education Market (Technology Focus)

• Identifies the key drivers and inhibitors to the expanded adoption of CRM solutions in higher education
• Discusses how the unique context of higher education and its institutional end users impact what features and functionality CRM solutions must support
• Provides a framework for understanding the competitive landscape for CRM in higher education and how it is likely to change in the future

• Gain insight into what is driving education institutions to invest in CRM
• Understand what solution features and functionality will be most important to education institutions
• Identify important competitors or potential partners in the CRM market

DATAMONITOR VIEW

CATALYST

SUMMARY

ANALYSIS

The pump is primed for CRM in the higher education market

A gathering storm will drive the more pervasive institutional adoption of CRM

Powerful factors may impede the more substantive adoption of CRM

Higher education institutions have unique requirements of CRM solutions

The institutional IT infrastructure poses unique challenges for CRM solutions

Integration and interoperability are central to an effective CRM solution

CRM depends on analytics which in turn depends on integration and interoperability

Outside in or inside out - institutions have two options when adding a CRM solution

The most effective solutions support the entire student lifecycle

CRM solutions must support a diverse array of institutional stakeholders

An internal institutional audience requires specific functionality

Configurability offers institutions the flexibility to create a customized look and feel

Usability increases the likelihood of widespread adoption

Role-based views of the solution enable end users to use it more effectively

Automated workflows help end users to be more productive

Professional services aide in the creation of a robust CRM strategy

Millennial and non-traditional students are pushing the envelop for CRM functionality

Students are drawn to a customized institutional experience

Self-service functionality is core to an appealing CRM solution

Multi-channel capabilities enable institutions to communicate with students more effectively

A note on communications' resistance

The competitive landscape for CRM is comprised of a broad set of vendors

Niche vendors support discrete departmental processes

Nimble horizontal vendors bring robust functionality to higher education

Large software vendors bring the stack together into a complete solution

ACTIONS

Institutions will increasingly adopt more sophisticated CRM functionality

The boundaries will blur between CRM and other mission-critical applications

Growing market maturity will tighten the CRM competitive landscape

APPENDIX

Abbreviations

Definitions

Methodology

Further reading

Ask the analyst

Datamonitor consulting

Disclaimer

List of Figures

Figure 1: Using student data from multiple sources is the cornerstone to effective CRM

Figure 2: The most value is realized from adopting CRM solutions that support the entire student lifecycle

Figure 3: Institutional end users have unique requirements of CRM solutions

Figure 4: The emerging CRM market supports a diverse set of vendors