Myerscough College

The Challenge

The College had been using a system for employer records that functioned like an Access database. With limited user access, staff had to ask each other for information, and there was no centralised way of storing and finding records. This made managing employer data inefficient and frustrating.

Problems Faced:

• No Central Point of Truth: Employer records were often on paper, and accessing information relied on individual staff members and their relationships with employers. Losing staff meant losing valuable relationships and data.
• Messy Data: The legacy system contained inaccurate data, with information in the wrong fields and many incomplete records. There was no way to distinguish between current and historical employers.
• Avoiding Silos: Each department managed its own employer data, leading to silos. For example, the Careers team worked with 400 employers, but this data was not accessible to other departments.
• Pipeline Tracking and ROI: Demonstrating the effectiveness of leads and the return on investment for new staff was challenging without a proper tracking system.
• Time-Consuming Reporting: Reporting on employer engagement, especially for Ofsted audits, was labor-intensive and inefficient.

The Solution

Lee worked with Active Informatics to implement Dynamics 365 Education CRM (D365) to address these challenges. The new system provided a centralised point of reference for employer data, ensuring that all interactions and current statuses were recorded and accessible.

Key Improvements

• Centralised Data: D365 provided a single source of truth for employer data, making it easy for staff to access and update information.
• Clean Data: Active Informatics helped clean up thousands of records from the old system, ensuring that only accurate and usable data remained.
• Eliminating Silos: All employer data was stored within the central CRM, maintaining contact history and simplifying ongoing communication.
• Effective Pipeline Tracking: D365 allowed Lee to track leads and demonstrate their effectiveness, proving the ROI of new Business Development Advisors.
• Efficient Reporting: Custom fields in D365 enabled quick and accurate reporting, saving staff time and effort.

Implementation

Active Informatics worked closely with Lee and his team to understand their needs and build a system that met their requirements. Regular meetings and a sandbox version of the system allowed for hands-on training and continuous improvement.

Key Features:

• Custom Fields and Drop-Downs: Specific fields and drop-downs were built into the system to meet the needs of different teams.
• Guest Speaker Tracking: A new contact type for guest speakers was added, making it easier to record and manage these interactions.
• Task Management: The Business Development team could now set tasks directly from the CRM, streamlining cross-college referrals.

Results

The implementation of D365 Education CRM has been transformative for Myerscough College:

• Increased Efficiency: The system has streamlined processes, making it easier for staff to do their jobs.
• Improved Data Management: Accurate and centralised data has improved decision-making and communication.
• Enhanced Reporting: Custom fields and efficient reporting capabilities have saved significant time and effort.
• Positive ROI: The ability to track leads and demonstrate ROI has justified the investment in new staff.

Future Plans

Looking ahead, Myerscough College plans to use CRM for more business marketing activities, such as running mailshots to employer lists. They also aim to integrate D365 with Power BI for more detailed reporting.

Working with Active Informatics

Lee praises the strong support from Active Informatics, stating, “I can’t fault the support we get from Active. They’re very responsive.” He recommends D365 to other colleges, highlighting its ease of use and the continuous support provided during and after implementation.

By leveraging Dynamics 365 Education CRM, Myerscough College has significantly improved its operational efficiency and employer engagement processes, demonstrating the transformative power of a well-implemented CRM system.