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How AI and Automation Increase Student Engagement

3 min read

Questions from students, forms to be filed, and an inbox packed like a thruway at rush hour -  your to-do list doesn’t leave a lot of time to actually engage with students. And, we all know how important it is to actually reach and engage with students.

That inbox isn’t getting smaller, so how do you do more with less?

When utilizing artificial intelligence (AI) and automation features, higher ed staff can save precious time on mundane tasks and spend more time building relationships and communicating with students. 

Here are some proven tips and strategies to maximize your engagement efforts with the help of AI and automation in higher ed.

 

Do it Now.... Automatically

Sometimes you have time to text, but not the time to immediately respond to follow-

up questions.  With an Auto Reply texting feature, follow-up questions can be answered automatically, while you complete the 47 other things on your list.

Auto Reply prompts a specific automated message (written by you) to trigger when a student replies to one of your texts with a designated keyword.

You’re providing instant gratification for an audience that is starved for the serotonin release from constant notifications. A student who knows they’ve been acknowledged will feel more engaged with their school. 

Additionally, Cadence platform features such as Smart Messages let you send text messages that prompt

students to answer “yes” or “no.” Once they reply yay or nay, a predetermined response is automatically sent back to them. You can sit back and take inventory, or use that time to tackle other things.

 

Do It Later.... Now

Texting students is like the ocean - it comes in waves and never stops. Fortunately, you know your calendar and you know your audience. Designate a moment or two to plan out an entire semester of messages, then schedule them to be sent at the appropriate time. This way, your team can focus on the message at hand without being pressured by the clock.

Imagine if your Admissions team could pre-plan messaging for the height of recruitment season - freeing them up to help students enroll as the deadlines roll in. Good decisions are not made in haste. Setting aside the time to compose messages helps raise student engagement and save your staff time.

 

Texting Templates Take the Thoughts Out of Thinking

Similar to setting aside designated message-planning time, texting templates allow you to craft the right words for future use. You can populate texts with a couple clicks, and edit for the proper time and audience, as needed. Templates are incredibly effective and efficient for every department on campus.   

PS: Mongoose has tons of convenient, pre-written free templates for everything from FAFSA reminders to alumni engagement nudges. Click these words to get your free template now.

 

Get a Time Machine

Who wouldn’t love to have a diligent watchdog, someone who never sleeps, knows everything about your school, and is obsessed with answering the endlessly repetitive questions students have? 

While that person might not exist or would command too high a salary, the right chatbot can be a pre-engagement screener for your school’s website. Webchat can be used to answer hundreds of frequently asked questions while you lift zero fingers. It’s a “machine” that saves you “time,” with much happier outcomes than the H.G. Wells version.

As a human, you’re good at conversations, using your years of insight and experience to coach students through challenging times. A well-designed chatbot is an extension of you, with designated playbooks that guide conversations just like you would.  

Learn the differences between various chatbots available in higher ed and remember, students and parents visit your website at all hours of the day. If the visitor is a night owl, the bot connects with your calendar to book a convenient chat time.

 

You Have Earned More Time in Your Day

Sometimes, working in higher ed can make you feel like an FAQ counselor. While you’re committed to helping students, you don’t have enough time in the day to accomplish everything you want. We hope these suggestions can help automate your tasks so you can spend more time engaging with students, parents, and alumni.

 

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