The Need for Speed: 11 Top Tips for Dealing with Prospective Student Enquiries

In today's digital age, prospective students have many options when it comes to choosing a place to study. With so much competition, universities must respond quickly and efficiently to all enquiries from prospects.  

In fact, according to research by Harvard Business Review*, an organisation that responds to customer enquiries within an hour is seven times more likely to qualify that lead than those who respond after an hour and 60 times more likely than those who respond more than 24 hours later. So, if you're not responding quickly enough to your prospective student enquiries, you could be losing out on potential enrolments! 

Here are 11 top tips to help you.  

1. Set up an automated response system: An automated email response system can acknowledge receipt of the inquiry and let the prospective student know when they can expect a response from a member of your team. This can help manage expectations and ensure that enquiries are not left unanswered. 
2. Implement live chat: A live chat feature on your website can enable prospective students to have their queries answered in real-time. This can be especially helpful for those who may not want to wait for an email response or prefer to communicate through messaging platforms. 
3. Invest in a Student App: Improving how you communicate and engage students from the first touchpoint can be crucial to turning them from prospects into enrolled students. Using a Student App is a great way to do this because it utilises a technology young people expect. 
4. Assign dedicated staff: Designate a team or individual to manage prospective student inquiries promptly. Having a dedicated staff member or team who are responsible for responding to enquiries can help ensure that all enquiries are responded to within a reasonable time frame. 
5. Offer multiple channels for communication: Prospective students may prefer to communicate through different channels such as email, phone, or social media. Providing various channels of communication can make it easier for prospective students to reach out and ensure that they receive a prompt response. 
6. Use templates for common inquiries: Preparing a set of pre-written templates for commonly asked questions can help speed up response time. This can be especially useful for enquiries that do not require a personalised response. 
7. Set response time standards: Setting a response time standard for your team can help ensure that all inquiries are responded to promptly. This can help create a culture of responsiveness and demonstrate your institution's commitment to customer service. 
8. Monitor and track response times: Monitoring and tracking response times can help you identify any areas that need improvement. You can use tools like Google Analytics to track response times and identify bottlenecks in your enquiry response process. 
9. Train staff: Providing communication skills training to staff who manage enquiries can help ensure that they are equipped to respond effectively and professionally. This can also help them to empathise with prospective students and provide personalised responses where appropriate. 
10. Provide a personal touch: Responding to enquiries with a personal touch can make prospective students feel valued and help build a relationship with your institution. This can include addressing them by name, acknowledging any previous communication or interaction, and providing a friendly and helpful tone. 
11. Regularly review: Regularly reviewing and refining your enquiry response process can help you identify areas for improvement and optimise response times. This can include seeking feedback from prospective students, conducting internal audits, and implementing changes based on best practices. 

There really is the need for speed, so don't keep missing out on potential new enrolments who will inevitably end up at another similar university to you!  

*Harvard Business Review. (2011). The Short Life of Online Sales Leads. [online] Available at: https://hbr.org/2011/03/the-short-life-of-online-sales-leads [Accessed 21 Mar. 2023].