Are you constantly working to hold declining enrollment and retention numbers at bay?
You’re not alone. Over 50% of public colleges and more than two thirds of private colleges failed to meet their enrollment targets in 2016, and declining enrollment continues to be a stressor for higher ed institutions worldwide. Much of the change in enrollment rates can be attributed to shifts in demographics, as the idea of one “traditional” college student gives way to high school graduates of all backgrounds, according to The Huffington Post. As the demographics of high school graduates continues to shift, the way in which institutions respond to these changes will contribute to shaping their enrollment, and potentially, their funding success. Meeting the diverse needs of all types of learners is crucial to institutional success. Some institutions are turning to mobile to meet these needs and, in turn, increase student enrollment on campus.
Colleges are spending countless hours developing marketing strategies to implement on their website only to learn that students are still not getting the kind of response and service desired. The help students receive is crucial to their confidence in that website or business. Once a relationship is established, returning site visitors often want to get what they need without having to wait for a call or email back from a company representative. In this age of online interaction, it can be hard to engage an audience before they move on to the next website.
Live chat services are helping businesses engage students like never before. From research of approximately 145 Career College locations over a period of two years, utilizing standard in house strategies (before full experienced service), instead of full service chat and software implementation (after), results indicate an increase of 10-20% percent depending on the vertical (online versus in house within the education community). There is simply no arguing that getting in front of students in this way offers a better overall experience and will lead to increased conversions.
When looking for degree programs online, students often don’t get the same satisfaction as they would in person and often give up if they face an issue or have questions. It is important to get in front of these students and get their issues resolved quickly. Satisfying prospects is the primary focus of a good, reliable live chat service. Students will be surprised to have help offered and will be delighted to have answers to their questions in real time. Live chat agents can engage multiple people at one time. In fact, one live chat agent can talk with ten times more people than a phone agent. All of these benefits will help positively impact a company’s bottom line. Phone lines and email accounts can be costly to maintain.
Live chat services are often a far more economical solution and, as we’ve mentioned, can produce far greater results than traditional student service options. Imagine the impact that resolving 8 out of every 10 student questions could have on a website’s sales. When students are engaged, their confidence increases and confidence leads to sales for the company.
ChatDrive Agents chat with students any time of day from work or home. Our secure systems allow you to rest easy that you are the only person with access to your chats and reports. Dynamic and thoughtful reporting will allow you to fully analyze the impact that Live Chat has on every aspect of your business. Try ChatDrive Now
Contact us to learn more about ChatDrive’s benefits and how we can help you get this program installed on your site. Your students, employees and bottom line will thank you for making such a smart decision!