In a competitive higher education landscape, providing excellent customer service in higher education is essential to engaging prospective students and their families. While colleges and universities don’t function as traditional businesses, they do interact with students in ways that closely mirror customer service principles. By focusing on how to improve customer service in higher education, institutions can foster positive relationships, enhance the admissions experience, and increase enrollment.

In this post, we’ll explore seven key strategies to elevate customer service in higher education and help your institution create a five-star student experience from the first interaction.

How Does Customer Service Apply to Higher Education?

Since 2020, college enrollment numbers have dropped by nearly 1 million students. As a result, post-secondary schools are under increasing pressure to deliver top-notch experiences at every step of the educational journey. That means serving up impressive customer relations experiences as soon as more students voice their interest. 

Unfortunately, some college professionals think that their own schools are failing to deliver these services and experiences, which can include basic skills related to communication, information retrieval, marketing, engagement, and financial assistance. In 2020, Forbes Magazine, cited data from Academic Impressions survey: only six out of 79 higher education professionals graded their own institutions highly in terms of customer service.  

While these shortcomings might not directly contribute to enrollment dips, they certainly don’t do anything to offset the costs and downsides of lower enrollment numbers. For schools that want to build foolproof strategies for attracting new students, investing in customer service training could be the way to go.

Key Higher Education Customer Services To Keep an Eye On

Customer service in higher education is essential throughout the student lifecycle, influencing decisions from admissions to graduation. Students regularly interact with various departments, including financial aid, housing, and academic advising, making each touchpoint an opportunity to reinforce a positive experience.

However, it all begins with admissions—the first and often most impactful experience a student has with your institution. These initial interactions set the tone, so ensuring they are positive, supportive, and engaging is essential. From personalized outreach to responsive support, here are core strategies to enhance customer service skills within your institution.

1. Adopt a Customer-Centric Mindset

Prioritize student needs in every interaction. A customer-centric approach means anticipating questions, providing clear guidance, and ensuring that all touchpoints—from admissions to financial aid—are designed with the student’s experience in mind.

2. Personalization

Tailor communications and resources to each student’s unique needs and interests. Personal touches—such as using students’ names, addressing their specific questions, or providing program-specific information—can make students feel valued and strengthen their connection to the institution.

Element451’s BoltAI takes personalization further by delivering customized, AI-powered interactions based on real-time data, allowing institutions to respond to individual student preferences, behaviors, and questions instantly. With BoltAI, you can create a highly personalized experience at scale, building meaningful connections with students at every step of their journey.

3. Multichannel and 24/7 Support

Support students on their preferred channels, including email, chat, SMS, and social media. Providing 24/7 access through AI-powered chatbots or self-service tools ensures that students can get help whenever they need it, improving their overall experience.

4. Efficient Response Times

Quick, responsive service is key to keeping students engaged. Set up automated replies for frequently asked questions and prioritize prompt responses for time-sensitive inquiries, such as admissions and financial aid questions.

5. Embrace Digital Transformation

Implementing CRM systems and AI tools can help streamline processes, automate repetitive tasks, and provide consistent service. Embracing digital transformation not only improves operational efficiency but also meets students' expectations for a modern, tech-enabled experience.

6. Inclusivity and Cultural Sensitivity

Serve a diverse student body by ensuring that communications and services are accessible and culturally sensitive. Inclusive practices and respectful language help create a welcoming environment where all students feel supported and valued.

7. Encourage Feedback

Regularly gather feedback from students to assess and improve customer service. Surveys, post-interaction feedback, and dedicated feedback channels provide insights that can inform enhancements and demonstrate that the institution values student input.

Challenges in Customer Service in Higher Education

Delivering excellent customer service in higher education comes with unique challenges. From resource constraints to diverse student needs, institutions face several obstacles that impact the student experience. Understanding these challenges is the first step toward improving service and support.

Resource Limitations

Many colleges and universities operate with limited budgets and staff, making it difficult to provide one-on-one support to every student. These resource constraints can lead to delays in response times, impacting student satisfaction and potentially hindering enrollment goals.

Diversity of Student Needs

Higher education serves a wide range of students, from first-generation college-goers to international students. Each group has unique needs, whether it’s navigating financial aid, understanding cultural differences, or managing language barriers. Meeting such varied needs can be challenging, especially for institutions with limited staff.

Technological Challenges

While digital tools can streamline processes, implementing and maintaining new technologies can be complex. Outdated systems, lack of integration across platforms, and insufficient tech support can make it harder for institutions to provide efficient service, leaving students frustrated.

Communication Barriers

Effective communication is essential, but students often face unclear messaging or struggle to reach the right department for answers. Miscommunications about deadlines, application requirements, or financial aid options can create confusion and erode trust.

Lack of Staff Training

Staff who interact with students need strong customer service skills, but training in this area is often limited. Without proper guidance on best practices for student engagement, staff may struggle to provide the level of service required to meet student expectations.

The Importance of the Admission Process

Adequate Document Management Systems

Keeping tabs on where documents are within the student application and admissions process is vital. School admissions teams can use a customer relationship management (CRM) platform to keep track of students and new campaigns better.

For students and families, document management (including paper, digital files, and electronic documents) could relate to any of the following items.

• Inquiries from the recruitment stage
• New applications for admissions
• Background or informational paperwork
• Financial, aid, and scholarship documents 
• Student health and safety waivers
• Deposit and commitment documents (intent to enroll)

Colleges and universities are responsible for keeping track of this important data and for keeping it secure. Doing so not only provides a better enrollment experience, but it also increases student confidence and trust in the entire process. 

Personalized Video Messages

Modern students want to feel like more than just a number in line for enrollment. To achieve this, schools must pay careful attention to the ways that they personalize communications, messages, and campaigns to incoming students. 

Video integration within your admissions cycle can create personal connections between staff and students. Additionally, using video messaging in an email can increase response rates by up to 200%. With these impressive results, admissions officers can eliminate much of the tedious back-and-forth associated with keeping tabs on students in the pipeline.

Moreover, when students recognize a friendly face during the admissions process, they may be more motivated to engage and follow through on the next steps. This is because students know that they’re working with actual people who can advocate for them and assist them throughout a busy (and potentially stressful) transition.

Timely and Relevant Higher Education Content

Another way to improve the student experience within the admissions process is by delivering the right content at the right times. For example, you don’t want to send out deadline reminders to students who have already accepted and registered for courses. These mistakes (which are relatively easy to fix) can decrease student confidence and leave them second-guessing their decisions.

It’s always important to match up new content and communications with where students are in the enrollment cycle. Whether that means sending out the correct dates, providing next steps with relevant links, or simply improving online user experiences, these factors make a huge difference in how students feel.

Personalized marketing campaigns are also helpful for targeting students before they make enrollment decisions. By creating unique customer experiences, you’ll be better equipped to communicate the value you place on new enrollments. In the long term, this type of personalization may contribute to retention and student success.

Avoid These Common Mistakes

Colleges and universities interact with a diverse pool of applicants and students on a daily basis. Depending on the size of the school in question, this workload can become overwhelming for small teams and offices. Even so, poor customer service experiences can put a damper on keeping students engaged and happy.

Some of these “misses” in customer service are fairly common. Most mistakes include some version of the following problems:

• Student inquiries that get lost in the shuffle
• Failure to respond directly to student messages and questions
• Lack of empathy for the stress and anxiety students and families often feel
• Missed opportunities to provide direction and next steps

While many of these issues can be quickly resolved with the right processes, it’s easy for large institutions to overlook them. This leads some higher education experts to recommend auditing each customer interaction, with an independent third party of “mystery shopper” to provide major mistakes from going unchecked. 

Control Student Engagement With Element451

Element451 provides a powerful platform to streamline and personalize student engagement across the admissions journey. With Element451, your team can:

• Automate Personalized Outreach: Send tailored emails and SMS reminders based on each student’s unique journey, ensuring timely and relevant communication.
• Use AI-Powered Support: AI Assistants like AI Admissions Advisors and AI Financial Aid Advisors offer instant, accurate responses to student questions, enhancing the enrollment experience 24/7.
• Gain Real-Time Analytics: Track engagement trends, monitor application progress, and pinpoint areas for improvement with data-driven insights.
• Simplify the Application Process: Manage documents, set up deadline reminders, and streamline the workflow to make applications easy for students.
• Provide Student Portals: Create personalized portals where students can access next steps, program info, and schedule visits.

With Element451, your institution can deliver a seamless, student-centered experience that drives engagement and boosts enrollment.

Elevate the Student Experience

We know that today’s students care about the service they receive from admissions offices at colleges and universities. As the field grows increasingly competitive, institutions need to invest in tools and software programs that help them truly stand out.

Customer service is simply one of many ways that your departments can strive to go above and beyond for prospective students this year.

If you aren’t an Element451 customer yet, you’re invited to schedule a demo today. We’ll help you get started on your journey to personalized student engagement that helps you beat enrollment dips and get an A+ in customer service.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs):

What kills are necessary for customer service in higher education?

Effective customer service in higher education requires a combination of interpersonal, technical, and problem-solving skills. Key skills include:

• Communication: Clear, empathetic communication helps students and families feel heard and valued.
• Active Listening: Understanding student needs and concerns fosters trust and shows a genuine interest in their experience.
• Adaptability: Higher education staff need to navigate diverse student backgrounds and situations, adapting responses to individual needs.
• Technical Proficiency: Familiarity with CRM systems and other digital tools ensures streamlined processes and efficient service.
• Problem-Solving: The ability to address issues quickly and effectively supports a smooth student experience and minimizes frustrations.
• Empathy: Showing understanding and compassion helps students feel supported, particularly during stressful phases of the admissions process.

Developing these skills enables higher education staff to create positive and impactful experiences that enhance student satisfaction.

How do you demonstrate effective customer service?

Demonstrating effective customer service in higher education involves consistent actions that show students they are valued. This includes:

• Personalizing Interactions: Use tools like CRM systems to track student information and tailor communication based on their needs and interests.
• Responding Promptly: Timely responses to inquiries show that student questions and concerns are a priority.
• Using Clear Communication: Ensure all messaging is straightforward and helpful, whether it’s explaining financial aid options or guiding students through next steps.
• Following Up: Regular check-ins throughout the admissions process reassure students that their progress matters.
• Providing Resources and Support: Offering access to resources such as financial aid assistance, academic advising, and campus tours makes students feel well-supported.
• Empowering with Self-Service Options: Tools like prospective student portals and automated FAQs allow students to access information when they need it, enhancing their experience.

Together, these actions demonstrate a commitment to high-quality customer service that builds trust and encourages students to choose—and stay with—your institution.