Currently, the University of Bath operates multiple, disconnected Customer Relationship Management (CRM) platforms for a variety of different tasks. This includes managing engagement with prospective students, providing support services to current students, working with external partners, and other relationship-related functions. These have been developed separately and often use supplementary systems to enhance their functionality.

These platforms are critical to day-to-day operations, but in a number of areas fall short of user expectations, limiting the University’s ability to effectively deliver on its strategic goals.

The CRM Future Project is a strategic initiative, sponsored by Chief Operating Officer, Dr Ghazwa Alwani-Starr, aimed at addressing key business challenges related to our CRM system. It will also establish a long-term vision for enhancing CRM across the University.

The project is taking a phased approach its work, focussing on alignment with our strategic priorities including student recruitment and global reputation.

Dr Ghazwa Alwani-Starr said:

The Project Board is mindful that CRM projects, within our sector and beyond it, can try to solve too many issues at once, and then fail to deliver a return on their investment. Therefore, we are not trying to boil the ocean, but phasing the project in sprints and focussing on delivery. I appreciate this means we are making decisions about priorities, so not every part of the organisation will get support for their area of work in the short term, and we are grateful for colleagues’ patience as we deliver the first phase of project.

Over the summer and early autumn, a set of targeted developments will take place, focussing on Applicant CRM and OSCAR. Looking ahead to the next academic year, a further set of priority developments will be proposed and a business case will be developed looking at the longer term aspirations for our CRM systems within the university.

For more information or should you have any questions or queries then please feel free to contact the Project Manager, Peter McSweeney.