Chatbots can provide 24/7 support for students and families with questions about the admissions and financial aid process. They can help take some of the pressure off of your human staff members, who can then be redeployed to work on other tasks. Chatbots can also help you capture leads from your website visitors. If a prospective student or parent has a question that your chatbot cannot answer, it can escalate the question to a human staff member via email or text message. This ensures that no lead goes unanswered, even if your office is closed for the night or over the weekend. What to Look for in an AI-Powered Chatbot Provider
When you are looking for an AI-powered chatbot provider, there are a few key features you should look for:
· The ability to integrate with your existing website and CRM system
· A robust knowledge base that includes answers to common admissions and financial aid questions
· The ability to escalate questions to human staff members as needed
· Detailed reporting so you can track leads, conversions, and more
Across the economy, it’s a challenging time to find great, talented and experienced people to fill open positions. In higher education, the problem of a depleted applicant pool is particularly acute. Recent articles in both the Chronicle of Higher Education and the NASFAA News have brought attention to the issue. “… the higher education sector – and financial aid specifically – is facing staffing shortages across the country due to increased turnover caused at least in part by burnout amid the pandemic, an aging workforce, and several other factors leaving schools struggling to compete for skilled workers in a highly competitive job market.” One way that technology can help minimize some of the “brain drain” from staff turnover is through the use of AI-powered chatbots. Chatbots can provide 24/7 support for students and families with questions about the admissions and financial aid process. They can help take some of the pressure off of your human staff members, who can then be redeployed to work on other tasks.
AI-powered chatbots are one way that technology can help minimize some of the “brain drain” from staff turnover in higher education. By providing 24/7 support for students and families, chatbots can take some of the pressure off of your human staff members. When choosing a chatbot provider, look for a provider that offers integration with your existing website and CRM system, a robust knowledge base, escalation capabilities, and detailed reporting.
