University CRM
Project Description
This project aims to transform how we recruit students onto UCD programmes by implementing Salesforce as a new CRM. It covers the full journey that a prospective student goes through, from marketing, through recruitment activities and on to applying and being admitted into UCD. The project covers all UCD Colleges and all types of student recruitment including EU and Non-EU recruitment. Salesforce will integrated into Banner so that there is a seamless transfer from being a prospective student to registering in UCD.
Phase One of the Project
The first phase of this project is focused on recruitment, marketing and direct applications, with subsequent phases to include alumni and our partnerships.
Functionality for Applications has been built first, with this work being completed alongside the integration work with our existing UCD systems. From October 2024, the new direct Applications system will replace the current Applications system on Infohub.
At the end of June 2024 the Applications system became live for the pilot phase of the project, and is accepting applications for a selection of courses. The system will go fully live in October 2024.
Project Updates
Our University CRM 'Monday Minutes' are 60 second video updates providing regular progress reports on work of the project team. If you wish to receive an email alert for each new Monday Minute when it is published please email (opens in a new window)universitycrm@ucd.ie
Watch the project team's short information video about the Applications System below.
What is a CRM?
CRM stands for Customer Relationship Management. A CRM helps organisations to manage their customer data. It supports recruitment or sales management, delivers actionable data insights, integrates with social media and facilitates team communication.
University Customer Relationship Management is tailored for higher education institutions, allowing them to collect, maintain, and analyse useful data about prospective, current, and past students. University CRM can be used to record and track student, potential student, and non-student interactions across the University. The insights from these interactions can be connected, giving us a more unified view.
In many cases, CRM systems are used to make crucial touchpoints throughout the student lifecycle, from initial application all the way to graduation.
How can a CRM help?
Delivering connectivity, saving time and supporting strategic planning.
Introducing a shared CRM system delivers connectivity, as it facilitates a seamless journey from recruitment lead to applicant to student - and beyond. It also saves time, as the automation of manual processes means that more time and resources can be spent on planning and strategy. The cutting edge technology also allows for pin-point accuracy in reporting, data analytics and predictive modelling.
The first phase of this project covers applications, recruitment and marketing, with the next priority being the support of global partnerships. Potential future projects may cover alumni relations, research & innovation and student support.
Why did we choose Salesforce for our CRM?
As part of the procurement exercise, a number of leading CRMs were evaluated against UCD’s requirements. Salesforce was selected because of its:
- Strong marketing capabilities & vision
- Demonstrated capabilities in Artificial Intelligence in CRM
- Modern & engaging user interface
- Strong understanding of our requirements
- Salesforce Education Cloud - prebuilt functionality for us to use
- Strong US & UK university experience
Project Outcomes
Successful achievement of this project will deliver many outcomes. These include:
- Improved competitiveness in the recruitment market by bringing UCD into line with systems utilised by many of our competitors globally.
- Improved communications by enabling personalised communication via social media, email and SMS.
- Increased agility to respond to the fast-changing recruitment landscape
- Smarter recruitment by automating processes, use of artificial intelligence and improving student conversion
- Enhanced analytics and enabling real time data-driven decision making by capturing, analysing, and reporting on key metrics and trends related.
- Enhanced reputation and experience for our prospective students by utilising more professional systems.
Project Approach
Applications Solution: Approach during Phase 1
Significant consultation with users began during the project's scoping and design phase which took place between October and December 2023., Following development extensive work on the building and configuration of the Applications solution staff and students tested the functionality throughout May 2024, with a robust feedback and issue resolution process implemented to ensure that any User Acceptance Testing findings were addressed and resolved.
The Applications system is currently now being piloted over the summer months during the “Soft Launch” or pilot phase, drawing on a selection of courses offered by Study Abroad, Veterinary Medicine (VMCAS) and one of our Schools. This phase allows the team to validate the system’s performance under real-world scenarios, and also facilitates the gathering of valuable insights to refine the user training and support strategy
Training and support is being provided to users of the Applications system and will continue after the 'go-live' date with a series of 'drop-in' clinics facilitated by members of the project team.
Regular project progress updates can be viewed on our video gallery.
Timeline
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November 2022
Tender for new CRM Issued
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May 2023
Salesforce selected as preferred tender
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26 June 2023
UMT Decision to Proceed
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4 September 2023
Technical Implementation of Salesforce starts
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2 October 2023
Scoping & Design Phase
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1 December 2023
Configuration & Build Phase
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1 April 2024
Testing Phase
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1 June 2024
Pre-Launch Phase
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1 August 2024
Go Live
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1 October 2024
Utilise for 2024/25 Application Cycle
Project Team
Katharine Slattery
CRM Change & Communications Lead
Martin Hurley
Admissions Business Lead
Juliette Mora
CRM Business Lead
Michelle Mathews
CRM Business Lead
Peter McKiernan
Head of CRM Technologies
Brian Kane
IT Technical Architect
Project Governance
| Position |
Name |
|---|---|
| Co-Chair, Vice President for Global Engagement |
Dolores O’Riordan |
| Co-Chair, Chief People Officer and Director of SIRC & Legal Services |
Tristan Aitken |
| Head of Marketing, Communications Office |
Lisa Flannery |
| Business Owner & Senior Director of Registry |
Kevin Griffin |
| Director of International Student Recruitment, UCD Global |
Una Watkins |
| Deputy Director of Student Recruitment, UCD Registry |
Susan McAlinden |
| Director of Admissions, UCD Registry |
Jill O’Mahony |
| Head of Student Recruitment and Admissions, School of Business |
Elaine Aherne |
| Head of Business Development, School of Business |
Alison Monaghan |
| Programme and Operations Manager, College of Science |
Eoin Taaffe |
| Director of Global Relations, Partnerships and Mobility, UCD Global |
Shauna Hughes |
| Chief Information Officer, IT Services |
Phillip Fischer |
| Director of Enterprise Applications, IT Services |
Mark Lande |
| Organisational Change Manager |
Helen Doyle |
| Service Lead |
Jeremy Britton |
| CRM Implementation Director |
Frank McCracken |
| Head of CRM Technologies |
Peter McKiernan |
Single Course Catalogue
A unified approach to the structure of the single UCD Course Catalogue is in progress, in support of the ongoing development of the University CRM. The benefits of this approach are:
- Delivering a consistent experience for all prospective students and a suitable entry point into the new University CRM
- Ensuring that accurate information is published consistently in one place - including courses on offer, application opening and closing dates etc.
- Maximising Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) by ensuring that traffic is not diluted by being directed to multiple competing versions of the same content.
- Ensuring that marketing information is captured only once from relevant marketing professionals at university, college or school level as appropriate.
A working group comprising key internal stakeholders has been working to review the content, functionality, and design of existing UCD course catalogues and to propose the optimum content, functionality and design of the new catalogue, which is being developed by EAG.
User testing has been completed, and it is proposed that the new version will go live in July. Existing content will roll over automatically
Please contact Lisa Flannery, Head of Marketing, if you have any queries.
Information Roadshows
The University CRM Project team held a series of Information Roadshows in April and May 2024. If you missed the chance to attend one of these sessions you are welcome to email (opens in a new window)universitycrm@ucd.ie and request access to a recording.
CRM Intranet
Training resources referred to in eLearning offerings and in-person workshops will be available via the (opens in a new window)CRM Intranet.