Technology Audit
YOUR CHALLENGES:
Feeling unsure and unsatisfied with the current state of your CRM tool? Our clients often approach us because they are uncertain how to identify and or prioritize their CRM needs while acknowledging what isn’t working. Our team is here to address these challenges.
OUR APPROACH:
We begin by meticulously exploring the functionality of your CRM and understanding how your CRM’s current functionality is or is not enabling you to meet the needs of the students you serve. We investigate issues ranging from data accuracy, operational gaps, training deficiencies, skill mismatches – some of our most common findings– and more. In our process, we maintain a student-centric approach, working hard to understand the functional use cases and the experiences clients provide for each of their student populations, as well as for their staff users of the CRM.
Technology Audit
Our work in this area includes:
Technology Audit for Function & Efficiency- Technology and Operational Alignment
- Adoption and Staff Usage Review and Assessment
- Department/Function Process Assessment & Redesign
- Roadmap and CRM Growth Prioritization
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Baylor University
Kennedy & Co. worked with Baylor University’s Graduate Professional Education (GPE) department to conduct an audit and roadmap to assess and inform the department’s CRM infrastructure and support services for its online programs, with the goal of making a recommendation on the use of a CRM for the department, based on two different CRM systems currently in use at the university. We conducted interviews across GPE and other key departments within the graduate school on the current usage of both CRM systems, the relationships with third party marketing and recruitment vendors, and priorities for a future state without these external vendors. Our deliverables consisted of an overall recommendation for a single CRM solution, a timeline for phasing programs into the system over multiple years, and plans for staffing and support of the system.
"We wanted a net price calculator that was easy to use and could be deployed by our one-stop staff to help students understand the financial ramifications of their choices. Kennedy and Company’s tool does just that while also helping us remain compliant with federal aid regulations. Our staff have really enjoyed having this additional tool for their counseling toolbox."
Colleges “definitely will be concerned and do have a right to be, but it’s a great opportunity to review the current contract they’re operating,” Snow said. She suggested potentially negotiating a contract for a shorter time frame, as well as including an exit clause or a set of terms that could end an agreement without breaking the contract. She also believes more universities may want to see an increase in transparency, particular in marketing materials. “When you’re an institution, it’s on your behalf, but you don’t see the day to day of what they’re spending and how they’re spending it,” she said. “You can be in the dark of how you’re being marketed. And in the beginning, it didn’t matter as long as the enrollment came, but now it behooves them.
1st Aid Net Price Calculator is a user-friendly tool that keeps up with the academic offerings and dynamic tuition and fee structure at our university. It provides an estimate and meaningful information to prospective students and families, blending in the financial aid award philosophy. The Kennedy & Company implementation team was easy to work with and they structured a project implementation plan that met our needs. The NPC displays on both the financial aid and admissions web page, and it continues to meet our expectations.
We engaged Kennedy & Company to audit our set of touchpoints with prospective students, analyzing how customer data flows through different systems and detailing interactions at each step. In addition to a detailed analysis of our data ecosystem, the team developed a rigorous implementation plan to help different departments optimize their activities. Kennedy & Company was very thoughtful and comprehensive in their work, so that we gained visibility and are making meaningful progress on multiple interconnected issues.
Kennedy recognized that no one knows us as well as we do. They valued our experience and knowledge, and worked with us as an integrated team. Kennedy’s collaborative approach ensured that the end-product was well-suited to our culture, our values and priorities, and our competitive environment.
“Our collaboration with Kennedy & Company has been nothing short of transformative. Through their expert guidance and strategic implementation of Salesforce Education Cloud, Spartanburg Community College has elevated its marketing, communication, and student engagement efforts to an entirely new level. The result is a sophisticated, data-driven CRM ecosystem that not only enhances operational efficiency but also empowers our teams to support student success in more meaningful and measurable ways. Kennedy & Company has proven to be an invaluable partner in our digital evolution.”
“Kennedy & Company was helpful and responsive from our initial contact with them in creating an appropriate scope of work that fit our needs, all the way through to developing the Slate Reader and Application for our over 140 graduate programs with several hundred users. Even with a decentralized admission model and with so many users involved, we were focused on creating a single solution that would be malleable for all. They helped us create a solution that fit the needs of many and were diligent and tireless in responding to our trouble-shooting questions and quest for continuous improvement. We wouldn't hesitate to recommend them and look forward to continued work on other projects.”
“Kennedy and Company’s expertise in strategic planning has been transformative for the College of Engineering. Their productive conversations brought clarity to our vision and enabled us to identify common themes that will shape the future of the College. With their guidance and ongoing support, we have crafted a clear, actionable 10-year roadmap that perfectly aligns with our goals and with Villanova’s mission, confidently positioning us for continued innovation and growth.”
“I am sincerely grateful for our partnership with Kennedy & Company. Their team has played many instrumental roles helping Palmetto College plan and execute on our growth strategies. Palmetto College is a complex organization that includes four two-year institutions located throughout the state, as well as an online degree completion programs. Kennedy & Company has helped us both transform our enrollment plans and strategies, and also translated them into actionable tasks for our teams within the Salesforce CRM. This effort has improved our adoption of the CRM and enabled our teams to better engage students throughout their time with us.”
“Kennedy and Company quickly established themselves as a critical companion when it comes to both thought partnership and modeling the implications of complex challenges/solutions. With such a broad range of support their team can provide, they have helped Mason tackle some of its most important questions facing the institution as we both develop offerings for new markets and improve student outcomes.”
