Due to the numerous changes that have occurred in the educational scenario today, maintaining organization within an educational institution is crucial so that there is control over everything that happens within the school, and that is where a good CRM platform comes into play.
Typically, a CRM system is seen as something much more common for companies, however, its tools can be great allies in administrative processes, as well as in attracting and retaining students.
In this post, we will discuss how a CRM can be the missing piece for your institution to grow further!
What you will see in today’s content
- Why keeping organization in an educational institution is crucial and where a CRM fits in.
- What CRM (Customer Relationship Management) is and what it aims to improve.
- How a CRM can be used in schools for relationships with students, families, and prospective students.
- CRM use examples: enrollment, communications, personalization, and feedback.
- The importance of an educational CRM for satisfaction, loyalty, and retention.
- Student data collection and how it can support personalized guidance and communication.
- Care with data governance and roles in personal data processing, including routines for data subject rights and risk reviews.
- Higher education benefits: alumni relationship management and support for transition to the job market.
- How to choose a CRM: needs, features, integrations, scalability, usability, support, and cost-benefit.
Good read!
Educational CRM for schools: what it is, why it matters, and how to choose
Keeping organization in educational institutions is essential to control what happens inside the school, and a CRM can support this goal. CRM means Customer Relationship Management and uses technology to manage interactions with students, families, and prospective students, improving communication, loyalty, and processes. In schools, it helps automate enrollment, record contact history, personalize messages, and track the relationship journey. It can also support student acquisition and retention, while generating insights to adjust the educational experience.
- Automate application and enrollment processes with online information and document submission.
- Record communications and contact history with students and families (phone calls, emails, and meetings).
- Personalize communication based on individual interests and needs.
- Collect feedback to guide improvements and adjustments in the school.
- Track support requests, service history, and next steps in a CRM follow-up flow.
What is a CRM and how can it be used in schools?
CRM (Customer Relationship Management) is a business strategy that involves the use of technology to manage interactions with customers and potential customers, with the aim of improving relationships with them and increasing loyalty, in addition to potentially generating more sales.
Although CRM is often associated with companies that sell products or services, it can be used in a variety of contexts, including schools.
In a school, a CRM system can be used to manage the relationship with students and their families, potential students and others interested in the institution. It can help automate sign-up processes, manage communications, track interactions and contact history, among other things.
For example, a CRM system can be used to:
- Manage the student enrollment process, allowing families to fill out information online and submit scanned documents.
- Keep a record of all communications with students and their families, including phone calls, emails, and meetings.
- Personalize communication with students and their families based on their individual interests and needs.
- Collect feedback from students and their families, allowing the school to make necessary improvements and adjustments.
- Track the student and family relationship journey by logging service interactions, requests, contact history, and next steps in a structured follow up flow inside the CRM.
Thus, a CRM system can be a useful tool for schools that want to improve relationships with students and their families, as well as simplify administrative processes and obtain valuable insights for future improvements that enable actions to be implemented attracting new students, as well as retention.
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The importance of a CRM for institutions education
The objective of CRM is to maintain a closer and more personalized relationship with customers, which can lead to an increase in satisfaction, loyalty and retention.
In this context, an Educational CRM is especially useful as it can help the institution better understand students' needs and expectations, as well as provide a more personalized and satisfying educational experience. An effective CRM allows the institution to collect data about the student, such as contact information, academic history and communication preferences.
Since this data may include information about children and adolescents, it is worthwhile to document roles and responsibilities between the controller, processor, and data protection officer, as well as procedures for addressing the rights of the data subject and reviewing risks. A good starting point is the Guidance Guide for Defining Personal Data Processing Agents and the Data Protection Officer, which helps organize governance and day-to-day operations.
With this information, schools can personalize communication with students, provide academic guidance, and support student success. For example, a school might use a CRM to send personalized reminders for important assignments and tests, suggest relevant extracurricular activities based on a student's interests, or provide information about internship and career opportunities.
Furthermore, in the case of higher education institutions, the Educational CRM It can also be useful in managing alumni relationships, keeping in touch with graduates and supporting their transition into the job market. A CRM can help an institution send personalized invitations to events and networking, share relevant news about the institution, and provide information about continuing education programs.
Another advantage of CRM is that it allows the institution to monitor student interactions and engagement, providing valuable information to adjust and improve the educational experience. For example, if students are not participating in events or activities, the school can use this information to understand why this is happening and take steps to improve the student experience.
In summary, a CRM is a valuable tool for schools and higher education institutions as it can help personalize a student's educational experience, increase student satisfaction and loyalty, support the transition to the job market, and provide valuable information for a better background education. Investing in a CRM can be an effective way to improve the quality of education and maintain competitiveness in the educational market.
Choose the right CRM for your institution
Many people still have questions about how to implement CRM in their company or, in this case, in a school. Based on this assumption, there are some factors that must be taken into consideration to make the right choice.
Choosing the ideal CRM for your educational institution can be a complex process, as there are many options available on the market. However, there are some points that you can consider to find the solutions that best fit the needs of your educational institution.
Below, we will discuss some of the points that should be considered:
1. Identify your specific needs
Before choosing a CRM, it is important to assess the specific needs of your educational institution. Some questions you might ask include: How big is my institution? What are the main business processes that CRM should support? What functionalities are needed, such as lead management, student management, contact management, etc.?
2. Evaluate CRM functionalities
After identifying your needs, you can evaluate the features of each CRM. Check whether the system offers essential functionalities for your institution, such as student relationship management, marketing campaign management, event management, etc. Additionally, evaluate whether the solution offers integration with other important tools, such as e-learning platforms, content management systems, etc.
3. Check scalability
It is important to choose a CRM that is scalable, that is, that can grow with your institution. Check if the solution allows adding new users, expanding functionality, etc.
4. Consider ease of use
The chosen CRM must be easy to use, both for internal users and for students and teachers. Make sure the interface is intuitive and that the solution offers adequate training and support.
5. Evaluate customer support
Check whether the company responsible for the CRM offers good customer support, with clear communication channels and availability to assist at any time in case of problems.
6. Check the cost-benefit
Finally, evaluate the cost-benefit of each solution, check whether the investment in a particular CRM is compatible with your budget and whether the solution offers a good return on investment.
By taking these points into account, you can choose the ideal CRM for your educational institution.
Summary: The implementation of educational CRM can make school administrative processes much more efficient, resulting in relationship actions between the institution and students that are much more meaningful and effective in attracting new students, as well as retaining them.
With the benefits clear, the next step is to define data governance, access controls, and legal bases under Brazil’s Lei Geral de Proteção de Dados Pessoais (LGPD) before setting up automations and outreach. From there, platforms like HubSpot can support marketing and relationship workflows more reliably.
Now that you know the advantages that a CRM can offer for your administrative routine, take advantage and learn about Hubspot, its features and tools that can optimize your marketing strategies.
Frequently asked questions about educational CRM in schools
What is CRM?
CRM stands for Customer Relationship Management and involves using technology to manage interactions with customers and prospective customers, aiming to improve relationships, loyalty, and potentially generate more sales.
How can a CRM be used in schools?
A CRM can manage relationships with students and families, prospective students, and other stakeholders, helping automate enrollment, manage communications, track interactions, and maintain contact history.
Which administrative processes can a CRM simplify in a school?
A CRM can support processes such as enrollment with online form filling and submission of scanned documents, while centralizing records of communications, support requests, service history, and next steps in follow-up workflows.
How does a CRM help with student acquisition and retention?
A CRM can enable more consistent and meaningful relationship actions, tracking the student and family journey and using information to adjust communications and interactions, supporting acquisition and retention.
Does a CRM allow personalized communication with students and families?
Yes, a CRM can personalize communication based on individual interests and needs, helping deliver a more personalized and satisfying experience.
What kind of student information can a CRM gather?
A CRM can collect data such as contact information, academic history, and communication preferences, enabling better-targeted communication and academic support.
Why consider data governance and processing roles when using a CRM in schools?
Because data may include information about children and adolescents, it is important to document roles and responsibilities among controller, processor, and data protection officer, and establish routines for data subject rights and risk reviews.
Can a CRM help higher education institutions with alumni?
Yes, a CRM can support alumni relationship management by keeping in touch with graduates, sending personalized invitations to events and networking, sharing relevant news about the institution, and providing continuing education information.
How does a CRM help improve the educational experience?
A CRM can monitor interactions and engagement, providing information to adjust and improve the experience, for example by identifying low participation in events and supporting measures to improve the student experience.
What should be considered to choose the right CRM for an institution?
To choose, it is important to identify specific needs, evaluate features, check scalability, consider ease of use, evaluate customer support, and analyze cost-benefit against budget and expected return.
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