The democratisation of online courses and the arrival of a hyper-connected generation have pushed schools to begin their digital transformation. How can we take advantage of this migration to the cloud and what are the benefits for colleges and universities?
Benefit from the power of the cloud to modernise infrastructure
Cloud computing was created to optimise the way organisations operate and perform, while reducing their investment costs. This technology hosts the production resources of the service at the Cloud provider. The customer can then use this service without having to own the technical infrastructure necessary for its operation, thus optimising costs.
All you need is a browser and an Internet connection to access a ready-to-use service without having to pay for installation, development, storage, maintenance or replacement of the technical infrastructure. Customers will only have to pay for the data they use, as well as the subscriptions. They therefore have clear visibility of their current and future costs. Freed from the fees of IT maintenance, schools can focus their resources for other projects and business functions.
Among the software in the cloud, ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) covers many needs of management in an organisation (finance, human resources, purchasing, accounting, etc.) and helps to centralise and analyse data. Based on these analysis tools, the school can have a clear forecast of its results and expenses and therefore, can achieve economies of scale in the long term.
Strengthening the relationship between the school and its students
The coming of cloud-based solutions, particularly Customer Relationship Management (CRM) solutions, is revolutionising the relationship between students and schools. Previously, organisations had separate software for each of their departments, functions and activities. This lack of centralisation and harmonisation of data and processes made collaboration between teams much more complex (duplication of information, lack of updates, etc.).
The Cloud makes deployment easier of interconnected tools for communication such as online messaging, schedulers, collaborative platforms, staff management systems and admissions management. For its part, the CRM enables rigorous monitoring of all school audiences (students, teachers, partners, suppliers, etc.) while optimising the management of relations with companies.
Making school more attractive
The implementation of a CRM helps schools to increase their attractiveness. Indeed, these are very effective tools for the commercial and relational development of schools because they enable a better identification of the needs and expectations of students.
The attractiveness of an university depends on several factors, including national and international rankings, certifications, profiles of lecturers and the number of foreign partner universities. To meet these challenges, CRM makes it possible to exploit the data collected in order to create, for example, targeted digital marketing campaigns to recruit new talent, obtain prestigious certifications or obtain new partner schools.
This digital transformation will also reinforce its attractiveness to young students, who are looking for a school that is up to date with innovative resources and processes.
Enjoy greater flexibility and security
Finally, by migrating to the Cloud, a school ensures the security of its data and the availability of a flexible service to accompany its growth. The Cloud offers services that make data security a priority. Proper set up and multi-factor authentication measures will ensure an optimal information security.
Many organisations previously needed to reinvest in technical infrastructure each time they changed and update their processes. The cloud is the solution to the problem. It is a scalable technology that adapts in real time to the needs of its customers, thus eliminating the risk of saturation. Finally, it allows you to benefit directly from the latest service innovations, without additional costs or steps.
The Cloud enables business schools and university to modernise their processes and considerably optimise their performance. Implementing this type of solution means having at your disposal all the keys to a successful digital transformation.
