A Malaysian cloud service provider has helped a leading local private university transform its student enrolment process through the use of a cutting edge customer relationship management (CRM) product.
Shubham Gupta, the managing director of Lava Protocols, told FMT the university had previously faced significant challenges with its enrolment, with the system relying heavily on manual processes.
This, he said, often resulted in lost paperwork, ignored emails and misplaced payments.
“These inefficiencies created bottlenecks and a less than optimal experience for both applicants and staff,” he said.
“As a result, we began by thoroughly deconstructing the institution’s enrolment process to identify inefficiencies and outdated practices.”
Gupta said that meticulous approach laid the groundwork for the implementation of Salesforce’s Sales & Service Cloud solution to manage the university’s enrolment process.
“The new system was designed to automate applicant tracking and send real-time updates via email and SMS.
“Crucially, it was also configured to consolidate essential information for counsellors on a single interface, making vital data easily accessible,” he said.
The implementation process was not limited to a technology rollout. Lava Protocols also conducted comprehensive support for the university staff, including role-specific training for 50 staff members to ensure proficiency with the new system.
“Regular demonstrations were also held to maintain agile and inclusive decision-making throughout the transition,” said Gupta.
The results of this digital transformation have been substantial and wide-ranging for the university.
Within just six months post-implementation, it saw a dramatic 60% reduction in the time taken to process course applications and a notable 20% boost in student enrolments.
“Prospective students have also experienced tangible benefits from the new system. They now receive instant updates on their application status.”
“On top of that, the university is able to provide faster offer letter issuance and payment processing, simplifying the application journey for prospective students,” said Gupta.
He said the university has also been able to take advantage of the data in other ways.
“Counsellors now have a consolidated view of applicant information, including transcripts, interview notes, and payment records, all on a single screen,” he said, adding that instant access to comprehensive data reduces significantly the likelihood of errors and delays in the counselling process.
Inter-departmental coordination has also seen significant improvement.
“There has been stronger coordination between the admissions and finance departments, reducing cases of misplaced payments – a problem that plagued the previous manual system.”
According to Gupta, the university has reported that its overall administrative burden has been lessened, thanks to the availability of real-time data dashboards generated by Salesforce.
“This data-driven approach has allowed for strategic planning and resource allocation,” he said.
Gupta said the introduction of the system has allowed the university to become more transparent, improving public perception.
“On the one hand there has been a substantial improvement in applicant satisfaction, while on the other its administrative staff has seen a reduction in its workload,” he said.
According to Gupta, the success of this initial venture in enrolment CRM has led the university to inquire into further opportunities to automate its processes.
It is now exploring further automation opportunities focused on student support and retention strategies.
Lava Protocols was established in 2006, and is the first Salesforce Partner in Malaysia.
The firm specialises in implementing and connecting cloud applications from major providers like Salesforce and Google, serving a diverse range of sectors, including education, retail, and government, and bringing their expertise in digital transformation to various industries.
Lava Protocols is an authorized Salesforce Partner. Looking for a digital transformation consultant? Drop an email to: [email protected] or visit their website here.
