Managing Student Relationships (CRM) to Drive Retention Track 3: Enterprise Systems Wednesday, April 21 4:30 pm – 5:15 pm EDUCAUSE Midwest Regional

Managing Student Relationships (CRM) to Drive Retention

Track 3: Enterprise SystemsWednesday, April 214:30 pm – 5:15 pm

EDUCAUSE Midwest Regional

Managing Student Relationships (CRM) to Drive Retention 2

WARNING

Copyright DePaul University, 2004. This work is the intellectual property of the author. Permission is granted for this material to be shared for non-commercial, educational purposes, provided that this copyright statement appears on the reproduced materials and notice is given that the copying is by permission of the author. To disseminate otherwise or to republish requires written permission from the author.


Presenter #1 Fr. Kevin Collins, C.M.Assistant Vice President, Student Affairs

DePaul University

Presenter #2 Gazala SiddiqiProject Manager, Student Affairs

DePaul University

Presenter #3 Andrew DrefahlManager of CRM and KM Technology,

Information ServicesDePaul University


Andrew Drefahl

Andy has over 13 years of CRM experience in both B2B and B2C environments. Prior to joining DePaul University, he conducted CRM strategy engagements for consumer packaged goods, retail, healthcare and manufacturing clients. He has led the development of a global professional services CRM strategy offering on loyalty and retention and developed innovative CRM strategies focused on delivering and measuring the exchange of value between clients and their customers. Clients included General Mills, SC Johnson, a premium coffee manufacturer, a premium paper manufacturer, Harley Davidson, and McKesson.

DePaul University is using PeopleSoft CRM 8.8, tools 8.43, and has deployed marketing and online marketing modules. We are currently evaluating correspondence management, 360 degree view, call center, support, field service and mobile field service.

Kevin Collins

BA Philosophy; MA Religious Ethics and M Divinity. Pastoral work in inner city and rural parishes then teaching and dean of students positions in a Roman Catholic seminary. I came to DePaul to serve in its "mission and values" office, the keepers and promoters of the university's brand, and now serve the same in student affairs, where the charge is to deliver on the promise of Personalism — efficient and individualized attention to the students to respect and enhance their total academic experience.

Gazala Siddiqi

Gazala has been at DePaul for five years. She works as a Project Manager for technology initiatives in the Division of Student Affairs. Previous to this position, Gazala has served as Systems Analyst and Assistant Portfolio Manager at Bank One. She holds a bachelor's degree in Mathematics and an MBA from Illinois Institute of Technology. She is currently pursuing a master's degree in E-Commerce Technology at DePaul University.


SynopsisDePaul University, the largest Catholic university in the United States, has developed insight into CRM in Higher Education through the implementation of PeopleSoft CRM (Marketing and Online Marketing).Your take-away for attending this session is in-depth insight into which commercial CRM strategies and techniques transfer effectively into Higher Ed and which require further translation and validation.CRM is one of the biggest opportunities on our strategic agenda and we are glad a Higher Ed dialog is now open. We openly embrace collaborators in hopes of broadening the industry knowledge base around CRM.Thanks for coming.


Agenda• DePaul University• Is CRM a Technology or a Way of

Thinking?• Our Approach to CRM• The Implementation• Measurement and Reporting• Technical Architecture• Scaling the PeopleSoft CRM Learning

Curve• Lessons Learned


Distinguishing CharacteristicsDePaul UniversityCATHOLIC• religious pluralism• critical moral scholarship

VINCENTIAN• respect for the individual• service to the community

URBAN• commitment to the city• commitment to diversity

Student AffairsADVOCACY FOR STUDENTS• Academic & personal goals• Resources & interventions

DIVERSITY• Minority retention & graduation• Multiculturalism & tolerance

STUDENT DEVELOPMENTHolistic: intellectual, spiritual, emotional and physical growth

STUDENT SERVICE• Maximize student success• Minimize potential impediments


Fall 2003 Enrollment: 24,691

• New students vs Degrees awarded Spring 2003: 6050 vs ~4500

• Undergrads – 10,314 (full time) – 1,660 (PT) – 3,272 (Non-package)– ~35% 1st Year are first generation to college

• All students: 60% > 23 years old


Locations

• Main Campuses– LOOP (11,000): downtown Chicago– Lincoln Park (8,500): Chicago neighborhood– Barat (700 undergrad) + (300 grad): suburban

Lake Forest, IL

• Suburban satellites: Naperville (west), O’Hare (NW), Oak Forest (S), Rolling Meadows (far NW)


Schools & Fall 2003 Enrollment

• Liberal Arts & Sciences (6,823)• Commerce (6,591)• Computer Science (3,867)• Education (2,804)• School for New Learning (2,768)• Law (1,031)• Barat College (679)• Music (360)• Theatre (340)


Could CRM Help ?

• 130 undergrad & grad programs

• Highest MA enrollment in Illinois – largely commuter

• 60,000 + alums in Chicago

• Endowment $180 million on 7/1/2000

• 1999 & 2003 ranked #1 by Princeton Review on student happiness: “Hot. Trendy. Beautiful. Diverse. Cool.”


Customer Relationship Management (CRM) Definition

CRM is a customer-focused business philosophy designed to effectively create experiences that attract, acquire and retain customers

To realize the benefits, enterprises must implement collaborative processes

and technologies that support customer interactions throughout all channels.


CRM definition

People - Belief that your customers and employees are your most important asset and that long-term survival depends on these relationships.

Process - Structuring your organization and business processes to support the culture.

Technology - Automating and integrating business processes to capitalize on the culture.


Hypotheses

1. DePaul has not scaled its ability to manage an increasingly complex student relationship.

DePaul’s interaction with students using new media is not state of the art. Learning from students, and personalizing interactions through web, email, cell phones, wired & wireless messaging could be improved.

2. Student retention is sensitive to a number of influences, particularly: Academic Challenge, Student Engagement and Financial Ability

National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE) research shows five clusters of student engagement activities are linked to desired outcomes of college

– Academic Challenge– Active and collaborative learning– Student-faculty interaction– Enriching educational experiences– Supportive campus environment

DePaul Relationships

Prospect ExperienceOrientation Experience

Academic Experience

Non-academic ExperienceAlumni Experience

Recruiting ExperienceOn-boardingExperience

Career Development Experience

Transaction/Interaction/Classroom ExperienceEx-faculty Experience

Recruiting ExperienceOn-boardingExperience

Career Development Experience

Transaction/Interaction ExperienceEx-employee Experience

STUDENT

FACULTY

STAFF

Data Data Data

Demographics, Surveys, Permissions, Technical Profile, Needs

Transactions

Interactions

Experience Layers

Brand/Creative

Navigation/Content

Transaction/Interactions

Analysis / Reporting

Messaging & Communication

Transitions

Knowledge, Action


Strategic Questions

• How can we can improve retention and graduation?• What changes would we need to make to improve our ability to manage student

relationships?– Infrastructure– Organization– Policy– Process– Programs

• Where would we start?• What’s it worth?

– In terms of Vincentian Mission & Values?– The DePaul Brand?– Financially?

• What is our ability to implement CRM?• How and when will we know if we’re successful?• What is the cost of not acting at all?


Short Answer

Increasing DePaul University’s Sophistication in Managing Student Relationships presents:

• An opportunity to make good on the DePaul promise of Vincentian Personalism

• A chance to intentionally target populations with programs and services to improve retention and graduation

• The ability to adapt to new student trends and continuously learn how to improve the DePaul Experience

• Potential for increased revenue through retention

• Business Case with NPV $1.4 Million


• Program focused on creating a positive first year experience for students of color

• Key points– Manages student relationships through:

• Student “peer-mentor” interactions• Staff interventions

– Monitoring academic progress– Proven track record at improving retention

STARSStudents Together Are Reaching Success


RETENTION/GRADUATION

( + - ) Student Attributes (+) Engagement

(+) Quality Academics (+) Financial Ability

Enriching Educational Experiences Supportive Campus Environment

AcademicChallenge

Active & CollaborativeLearning

Student-FacultyInteractions

STARS STARS

STARS

ACADEMICADVISING

FINANCIAL ADVISING

STARS

STARS

STARS

Behavior Influence Diagram


Online STARS Dialogs will Focus Initially on a Few Relationships in a Complex Set

AdvisorsStaff

Faculty

Students

Peer Mentors

Second Wave

Initial Wave

Family


CRM Dimensions

• Invitation– Email– Potential for Text Messaging

• Intervention– Individual – Integrated

• Involvement– eNewsletter– Redirects, Deep-linking

• Assessment– Correlation– Group & Individuals


Dialog Process Flows

• Invitation– Email– Survey

• Possible Intervention• Set Expectations

– Reminder Email

• Involvement– Weekly Email Newsletter

• Dynamic content• Redirects, Deep-linking

• Assessment– Email– Survey

Introduction/Invite

ReminderIf Survey is Incomplete

Newsletter4x/month

Preference Assessment

Tailored Email

Peer MentorsCopy of Survey

Online Survey

Emergency Email

Person Requires Immediate Aid

Thank You/Confirmation

Redirect

OMSA Website

Custom Content

ConfirmationNewsletter

Preferences/Assessment


STARS Campaigns

Timeframe Campaign Description

October, 2003 Stress Test: How are you adjusting to Life at DePaul?

December, 2003 Winter Campaign: Are you registered for next quarter?

January, 2004 Winter Campaign II: Non Responders of the December Campaign

February, 2004 Weekly eNewsletter

February, 2004 • How am I Interacting with my Professors?• Match responses to corresponding one’s by the Professors


Invitation e-mail


Stress Questionnaire


Thank you! e-mail


High Stress Alert


Newsletter


Interaction Measurement – Invitation (72 hours Post Launch)

Measure Metric Results Comments

Audience Size # students 226 Complete STARS student participant roster

Response Rate Percent completing survey

50% High response rate is indicative of familiar program, however, complete participation is the goal, this spawns several hypotheses:

* It is harder to connect with them through the clutter of electronic media than expected

* The non-responders are not active participants in STARS communications

* The students not responding are in some way unlikely to respond to electronic communications at all – due to lack of access or a channel preference

Average Character Count Open Ended Question

Numeric 50 High average word count indicates that the respondents were highly engaged by the combination of the question, the survey topic and program context. The responses were full sentences, and actually the 64 character limitation prevented this count from being higher.


STARS First Campaign Analysis

• There were 47 High Stress Alerts• 12 immediate interventions• 3 students that were actively considering

transferring out of DePaul• 2 decided to stay after receiving assistance: 1

with financial, 1 with social issues• The timeframe for normally discovering and

addressing these interventions was compressed from 3 weeks to a few days.

The simple survey mechanism is unexpectedly serving as an early detection mechanism for students in dire need of intervention.


How do you feel right now about your transition into college life?

• “Not really a problem, couple things here and there. That's it.”

• “I feel like I have successfully made the transition.”

• “I think I've transitioned into the atmosphere pretty well”

• “It's been a rough start but I'm doing much better.”

• “I think that I am doing fine. It is a little stressful though.”

• “fun but could use some help doing things”

• “My transition into college life has been a roller-coaster for me”

• “not too well”

Candidates for Excellence? Make Contact Immediate Intervention


Why CRM?

• 86% Commuter Students

• Adult Student campus time is limited

• Facilitating Advising is crucial

• Targeted Dialogs with students can help deliver on the promise of Vincentian Personalism.


Two Fronts

• Continue with STARS and expand to other Student Affairs programs.

• Develop Adult, Commuter CRM strategy, beginning with a conversation with several colleges.


So, is this a good idea?

• Criteria?– Compelling business value

• Mission & Values• Financial Evaluation

– Compelling customer (student) value– Ability to Execute

• Organizational skills and structure• Technology infrastructure


Financial ModelTable I: Financial Impact of Retention Improvement

Retention Lift Student GroupStudent

Count

% of Grou

p NPV*

Undergraduate Freshman Students

High 4.0% STARS Participants 500 25%

Medium 2.0% At Risk 300 15%

Low 1.0% Disconnected 150 8%

No 0.0% Balance 1,050 53%

2,000 100%

Graduate Students

No 0.0% Graduate 8,000

TOTAL $ 1,208,723.21

* NPV of net operating profit


DePaul Exhibits the Ability to Execute – with Improvements in New Tools,

Capabilities and Processes• Policy

– Legal review does exist for some content on some websites, but needed for other forms of electronic communications with students

• Skills & Capabilities– Current IS resources exhibit depth and breadth of experience with PeopleSoft– Functional teams are proficient in designing and producing communications– Student Communication Management Process Needed– Student Data Quality Improvement Process Needed

• Infrastructure– CRM prototype is slated to Go Live on 10/15/03– PeopleSoft CRM enables a high degree of CRM sophistication– Informatica reporting toolset deploying by 10/31/03

• Knowledge– The organization currently possesses the knowledge to impact retention via building

relationships with students, just without a great deal of technology and measurement– An Organizational Knowledge Management Process is Needed around Student

Relationship Management


Policy Issues Need to Be Addressed

• Privacy– FERPA (Legal Principles) – Execution and ongoing operationalization,

and application to new media channels, e.g. email– “Can Spam” Act mandates respect the individual – Opt-Out, Opt-In,

Preference Memorization become the norm

• Operational Communications Model and Process– Publishing Student Information

• Directory• Sharing Information Internally• Sharing Information Externally

– University-Student Communications• Imagine every communication as a $1 note, how many would any one

student want to get? Unlimited. But, do departments consider whether they are producing $1 notes or spam?

• Centralized Service– Architecture / Systems– Profile Management

• Decentralized Use– Training– Production model


Skills & Capabilities• DePaul possesses most of the skills required to

execute CRM– Web Media Services – Hands on skills with interactive

technologies, some email communications and marketing experience

– Division of Student Affairs – experience managing co-curricular programs

– OIPR – Strong Research Capability– IS – Experienced PeopleSoft shop, CRM technology

strategy, data warehousing & BI, seasoned systems design, project management and maintenance capabilities

• Lacking– Consistent tracking and measurement around student

communications– Student Data Quality is suspect, managed greatly in

“shadow systems” without tight systematic controls or synchronization with core PeopleSoft Student Records


Technology Infrastructure

• DePaul Procured PeopleSoft CRM Module– Online Marketing– Customer Support– Help Desk– Multi-channel Communications– And many more …

• R&D Lab for Rapid Prototyping• New University Reporting Toolset (Informatica)

Live on October 31


Team Structure & Roles

IS

AdministrativeServices

Program(S.T.A.R.S.)

Division(Student Affairs)

Infrastructure Development

Policy Strategic and Creative Services Process Orchestration Training & Communication

Student Experience Relationship Strategy Outcomes – Retention to Excellence

Develop Content Tactical Execution

University Wide:

Data Quality,Measurement,

Adaptation

Funding


CRM Architecture


Reporting:We modeled Informatica Reports after PeopleSoft

CRM 8.8 Online Marketing Analytics


Reporting:Data Flow

CRM Prod

CRM

Dev

Browser Based Informatica

Report

InformaticaReport Definitions

And User Account Administration


PS CRM Footprint


Scaling the PS CRM Learning CurveThe Challenge

How do we learn about what we own?How do we know what module / method best fits the problem?

Method Speed1-5,

5 fastest

Depth1-5,

5 deepest

Cost1-5,

5 least costly

Required?

Intra-Departmental (IS) Collaboration 5 5 5 √

PeopleSoft Website (Technical Info) 5 3 5 √

PeopleSoft Documentation (PeopleBooks, Other Published Books, PeopleSoft Global Services and other internal PS documentation, etc.)

4 5 5 √

Experiential learning 3 5 2 √

PeopleSoft Product Team Demos 3 3 5 √

Global Service Center (support) 3 3 5 √

Non-PS technical forums, list serves 3 2 5 √

DePaul Development Instance 2 5 4 √

PeopleSoft Education (Technical) 2 5 2 √

Relationships with PS Product Management 2 4 4 √

PeopleSoft Global Services Consulting 5 5 1

Experts (Gartner, Other Consultants, etc.) 2 5 2

Other PS Users 2 3 4

Industry Organizations, SIGs, Conferences and Publications (EDUCAUSE, HEUG, PS CONNECT, etc.)

1 3 1


Current CRM Initiatives

• Student Affairs Continuation and Expansion

• Graduate Admissions• Proactive Academic Advising• Financial Aid Communications and

Advising• Alumni Experience


Lessons Learned• Challenges:

– keeping people focused on maintaining empathy with the student (customer centrism)

– Finding a balance between one-off individualism and a mass approach (Vincentian Personalism)

– Overcoming the inertia in serving every student the same– CRM at first seems like something extra, when it is imperative

we make it the core to the institution• Solutions

– Develop business case, clarifies the importance and priority for resources and attention

– Start small. learn. iterate. grow.– Focus on measurement and outcomes early in the process, and

throughout the implementation and execution– Dialog development adds clarity in process mapping and project

planning, start thinking in these terms immediately, e.g. ad libbing versus writing a screenplay

– Patience, change management takes time, especially in entrenched culture


ConclusionCRM techniques apply to Higher Education, but this industry needs some

translation to get started. Adoption of CRM as way of thinking (not a technology) faces both technical and organizational challenges, just like

CRM in the commercial world.

Kevin CollinsAssistant VP, Student Affairs

[email protected]

Gazala SiddiqiProject Manager, Student Affairs

[email protected]

Andrew DrefahlMgr of CRM and KM Technology

[email protected]

Documents

Managing Student Relationships (CRM) to Drive Retention Track 3: Enterprise Systems Wednesday, April 21 4:30 pm – 5:15 pm EDUCAUSE Midwest Regional