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Destress the most stressful day of the year

University Clearing 2021

Ok, sometimes it is a nightmare. But hear me out, if you get a head start and prepare – it will massively pay off. And we know how to help you do that.

Having worked with over 50 universities in the UK, we understand what you’re up against:

  • A huge volume of inquiries – over 70,000 students applied through clearing last year! And, I’m sure, just like us, you’re expecting an increase this year?
  • Increased workload meaning you’re probably working longer hours than your average day*
  • The increased competition means it’s a pretty crowded environment out there

Yea, we know average isn’t really a thing.

So what do we know? 

Admissions teams across the UK will be faced with the challenge of answering thousands of calls from determined students looking for a place at university. It’s a massive amount of inquiries for a team to manage, so working quickly and efficiently to ensure that students are informed and university places are filled is key for Clearing success. It is fundamentally a different buying cycle… so what do you do?

So how do you stay top of prospective students’ minds in a crowded environment?

Doing starts now! Focus on the technology you have, or need to create a communication strategy that’s more innovative and dynamic. Interestingly, when doing some research, we found that Data from the 2019 cycle showed that only two-thirds of those who enrolled through Clearing had existing knowledge of the university. So what do you do?

Focus on brand building early

Through focusing your conversations and marketing on emotions and experiences and building a sense of familiarity between your university and the student will create a positive association in the applicant’s mind. So they choose you!

We have some other tips to ensure that your team is equipped with the tools they need to tackle Clearing and give your campaign an edge – no matter how many inquiries you receive.

 

1) Prepare early and have plan B, C, and D

In our 10+ years of experience in Clearing, we know our customers have experienced phone lines going down and CRM systems failing – on their busiest day! Sound hectic? Read on…

Having a strong system, backed by technology and automation, that underpins your clearing process means you have a backup if things go wrong.

2) Automate everything you can

You can automate your workflows and your follow-up communications with students so they receive an instant personalized email or SMS, with relevant and timely information, providing the student with the right impression of your university.

3) Create simple call scripts

Whether you are using an internal team, academic staff, or trained callers on results day, make sure that everyone is set up with their appropriate access to systems. Taking the time to train staff ahead of time and map out the questions you need to see on the call scripts is crucial, so when academics come to decide on whether they are accepting or rejecting the applicant, it is simple, in a high-pressure environment.

 

For more detail on how to build Gecko into your clearing process, check out our “let’s get digital for Clearing” webinar.

Let us know if you would like us to get you set up in advance of Clearing by contacting us today.