Connect Optimization & Admissions Restructuring

July 28, 2015

Presenters

• Dani Rollins, Director of AdmissionsNorthern Illinois University

• Crystal Garvey, Senior Associate Director, Admissions Systems & ProcessingNorthern Illinois University

• Mark Morman, HE ConsultantHobsons

• Jesse Homan, Implementation Specialist Hobsons

Agenda

• About NIU & Undergraduate Admissions

• Challenges

• Reimagining our Admissions Office

• Connect optimization project

• Lessons learned

• Continuing our success

• Questions

• Founded in 1895

• Total Enrollment: 21,138• Undergraduate: 15,814• Graduate: 5,020• Law: 304

• 6 Undergraduate Colleges

Undergraduate Admissions

• 30 Full time staff• 5 part time/extra help• 65 student support staff (including Graduate Assistants)

• Approximately 26,000 applications• ~60,000 supporting documents

• Hobsons client since 2007

Challenges

Lack of consistent leadership

Morale issues

Decentralization

Information hoarding

No professional development

Mistrust of admissions

Staff turnover

Internal Issues:

Challenges

External Issues:

• Down 2 associate directors

• 9 processing staff

• 5 admissions counselors

• Mismatched duties and personnel

• Morale

• Decentralization– Multiple recruitment voices

• Mistrust and loss of confidence in Admissions

• Poor communication flow

CRM Challenges

• Connect was a microcosm for what was going on in Admissions– Lack of organization and leadership– No oversight– No training or documentation– Messages were inconsistent, badly planned, poorly

written or simply didn’t exist for some segments

Recruitment communication ceased in September of 2014

Moving Forward

The New Admissions Office

Guiding Methodology

• Access to data– No one “owns” information

• Efficiency and accuracy

• Ongoing, meaningful training– All staff, semi-annual

• Consistent, sincere communication – Internal and external constituencies

• Customer service – Internal and external constituencies

Recruitment and Outreach

Events, Tours, Customer Service

Communications

Systems, Processing

Recruitment and Outreach

• All counselors report to one Senior Associate Director

• Several new counselors

• Territories and travel – Reimagining travel priorities and frequency

• Created and maintained in Connect

• New websites

• Professional development

• New daily visit presentation

Events, Tours & Customer Service

• Recruitment visits as events in Connect– Daily visits & tours

• Online sign in via Connect• Email is generated while the student is on campus

– High school and CC visits

• Call center reorganization– Outbound callers utilizing Telecenter

• approximately 400 calls per shift

– Daily follow up protocols via Connect email and Telecenter

Communications/Marketing

• Campus wide centralized Marketing and Communications– Handles Admissions social media/web– Print publications

• New associate director and CRM analyst positions created

• Updated website– More accessible, friendly feel

• Market survey in the works

Systems & Processing

• Several new hires– Cross-training

• Automating remaining paper/manual processes– Scanning inquiry cards

• Increased efficiency and access to information

– Outlook interface

– College review reports

– Query viewer access and training for all staff

Systems in Use

HobsonsConnect(CRM)

Application OnBase PeopleSof

t (MyNIU)

Hobsons Connect Optimization Details

• Massive system clean-up– There are currently over 12,000 filters – Catalogued the most useful filters in one place

• All contacts are now flowing through a “Stage Funnel”– Suspect– Inquiry– Applied– Decision– Confirmed

• Enrolled term will be passed via nightly interface

• Territories– Defined, assigned nightly via bulk edits

Hobsons Connect Optimization Details

• Organizations– Students assigned to their high schools or

community colleges

• Rebuilt multiple online interest pages– Removed fields– Updated branding

• All admissions senior staff trained

Supportive Training Communication Access to

InformationService & Efficiency

Foundations

Continuing the Success…

• What did we learn? Big take-aways?

• Develop reports and dashboards to maximize stage, territory, and organizational assignment work

• Annual Hobsons consulting hours for tune-ups and training– Communication plan rebuild– Further automation

Continuing the Success…

• Modeling Best Practices – Pilot with College of Liberal Arts & Sciences– Annual CRM tune-up and training

• Earlier student to student engagement– Peer-led customer service– Student recruiters

• Continue to refine procedures and communications: ants vs elephants

Questions?

• Dani Rollins, Director of Admissions(815) 753-8301drollins1@niu.edu

• Crystal Garvey, Senior Associate Director, Admissions Systems & Processing(815) 753-7994cgarvey@niu.edu

• Mark Morman, HE Consultant, Hobson’sMark.Morman@Hobsons.com(513) 985-6005

• Jesse Homan, Implementation Specialist, Hobson’sJesse.homan@Hobsons.com(513) 924-3277

Contact Information

Thank You!