The vendor required to provide student engagement, communications, and case-management platform focused on the admissions and applicant lifecycle, including inquiry, application, decision, and enrollment and commitment stages.
- Current market capabilities, implementation models, and architectural approaches that support front-door student engagement, high-volume inquiry handling, workflow routing, and admissions-focused communications at enterprise scale.
- Goals
• A unified admissions engagement platform supporting the full applicant lifecycle
• Configurable, automated workflows for inquiry intake, routing, and resolution
• Personalized, timely communications at scale
• Integration with admissions and applicant data systems
• Engagement analytics and operational insight (e.g., volume, response time, resolution trends)
• Enterprise scalability across multiple campuses and user groups
• Strong data privacy, security, and accessibility compliance
• Role-based access, dashboards, and administrative controls
• Reliable vendor support, training, and long-term partnership
- Requirement:
1. Student and staff experience
• Dashboards available to students and admissions staff
• The platform support case status visibility and inquiry tracking
• Communications initiated and managed by staff
• Role-based access and permissions
2. Alerts, case intake and case management
• Cases generated (manual, automated, rules-based)
• The inquiry-to-resolution lifecycle supported by the platform
• Tools support workload management and prioritization
3. Engagement analytics and reporting
• Analytics are available related to engagement, response times, and resolution outcomes
• Users create custom dashboards and reports
• Data be segmented by applicant attributes or interaction types
• Integration with enterprise bi tools (e.g., power bi, tableau) supported
4. Communication tools
• Communication channels are supported (email, SMS, push notifications, etc.)
• The platform support campaign automation and triggered messaging
• Branding, templates, and dynamic content capabilities
5. Workflow automation and operational tools
• Workflow configuration and automation capabilities
• Workflows be modified without custom code?
• The platform support appointment scheduling or integrate with third-party tools
• Tools exist for queue management, reminders, and follow-ups
• Features supporting inbox hygiene, message routing, or email cleanup
6. Accessibility and mobile experience
• The mobile experience for students and staff
• Accessibility tested and maintained over time
7. System integration and data management
• Describe supported integrations and APIs
• The platform handles real-time or near-real-time data synchronization
• Data reconciliation, deduplication, and audit logs supported
• Security practices, encryption, backups, and disaster recovery
8. AI capabilities and responsible use
• Any AI-powered features (e.g., virtual assistants, recommendations, automation)
• Types of inquiries AI tools support today
• Responsible and ethical AI use ensured
• Roadmap related to generative AI and compliance considerations
9. Student-facing experience
• The student self-service experience
• Students track inquiry or admissions status
• Knowledge-based content be delivered via communications channels.
