About the Episode
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About the Episode:
In this episode, Brendan and Daniella welcome Matt Bodenschatz, Director of Recruiting and Admissions at Penn Highlands Community College. Matt discusses the impactful journey of implementing Element451 and how its powerful CRM tools have streamlined the college’s admissions process, enabled quicker student responses, and significantly boosted enrollment rates. By leveraging features like task automation, milestones, and insights, Matt’s team has moved away from manual, spreadsheet-heavy workflows to an efficient, data-driven system that fosters deeper student connections.
Key Takeaways:
- Automating Workflow to Enhance Student Engagement: Using Element451’s rules and task automation, Penn Highlands has eliminated manual tracking for new inquiries and applicants. Tasks auto-generate when students reach specific milestones, ensuring timely follow-up and reducing the need for constant manual oversight.
- Leveraging Milestones for Real-Time Tracking and Data Accuracy: Milestones have become the “source of truth” for Penn Highlands, allowing the team to see each student’s progress at any point. This functionality also enhances their data analytics, giving them a clear, visual picture of their recruitment funnel.
- A Data-Driven Approach to Increasing Enrollment: After the first full year of utilizing Element451, Penn Highlands saw a dramatic 32% increase in enrollments, attributed to more efficient communication processes and data-driven insights. Matt used this information to set benchmarks, motivating his team to optimize task completion rates, which have translated into higher enrollment numbers.
- Preparing for the Future with AI Tools: Matt’s team is now exploring Element451's AI Suite, with hopes that automation will further reduce administrative tasks, allowing them to devote more time to personalized student interactions. This aligns with their goal of moving away from transactional communication towards meaningful relationship-building.
- Continuous Improvement with a Team-Oriented Mindset: Matt emphasizes the collaborative approach taken by his team, especially with IT support, as they creatively adapt Element451 to meet their unique needs. This has fostered an environment of experimentation and growth, where team members feel empowered to contribute innovative ideas.
Episode Summary
How Does Task Automation Improve Communication with Students?
Matt explains that Penn Highlands uses Element451's task automation to create immediate and structured outreach with students. Whenever a student reaches a new milestone in their application or enrollment process, the system generates a corresponding task for the team, ensuring that no inquiry or follow-up falls through the cracks. This automation eliminates the guesswork in identifying which students need attention, making communication seamless and timely. For instance, once they interact with a student, a task is scheduled for follow-up in 30 days, which keeps the engagement cycle ongoing without manual tracking.
Why Are Milestones and Data Insights Key to Success?
Daniella and Matt discuss the effectiveness of Element451's milestone feature, which serves as a reliable "source of truth" for tracking students' progress in real-time. By linking tasks with these milestones, the team ensures precise and relevant interactions that reflect each student’s status. The insights generated from these milestones and tasks allow Penn Highlands to visualize their student engagement funnel accurately, analyze task completion rates, and spot areas for improvement. Brendan mentions how insights dashboards highlight productivity, letting the team optimize performance in a supportive, non-intrusive way.
How Has Element451 Impacted Enrollment Numbers?
Penn Highlands experienced remarkable results after implementing Element 451. In a year-over-year comparison, the institution saw a 32% increase in new student enrollment, with notable rises across various demographics, including a 27% boost in students coming straight from high school. The integration of data and automation transformed the admissions process, enabling personalized and efficient interactions that directly contributed to these increases. Matt also shares how years of enrollment stagnation reversed after adopting Element 451, underscoring the importance of data-driven tools in a competitive education landscape.
What Are Penn Highlands' Plans for Further Growth?
Looking ahead, Matt is setting realistic yet optimistic goals. Although the team doesn’t anticipate repeated 32% increases each year, they aim for a steady 2-5% annual growth. With Element 451 already streamlining operations, the addition of its AI suite is on the horizon. After a recent demo, the team is excited to harness AI to further personalize student interactions and automate routine tasks. This focus on AI represents an opportunity to make their engagement even more effective, providing more time for meaningful, relationship-building conversations with students.
How Does Element 451 Enable a Culture of Continuous Improvement?
In discussing workflow and team productivity, Matt emphasizes that Element 451 has fostered a culture of continuous improvement within his team. Task automation and milestone tracking allow Penn Highlands to evaluate and adjust strategies proactively. For example, data from task completion rates at various locations informs their recruitment tactics and even integrates into their annual assessment objectives. This approach not only enhances the efficiency of the team but also provides actionable insights that make their work more impactful.
Connect With Our Co-Hosts:
About The Enrollify Podcast Network: In Your Element is a part of the Enrollify Podcast Network. If you like this podcast, chances are you’ll like other Enrollify shows too!
Some of our favorites include Visionary Voices: The College President’s Playbook and Higher Ed Pulse.
Enrollify is produced by Element451 — the next-generation AI student engagement platform helping institutions create meaningful and personalized interactions with students. Learn more at element451.com.
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