5 Best CRM for Higher Education Institutions

So, you are in the market for a CRM that suits Higher education institutions

Ideal, because in this article we have our compilation list for our top picks, and we compare the features and pricing for you. 

If you just want the best choice, we’ve added that right at the top of the article as this was what is most requested by our customers. So, that’ll be the “can’t go wrong” option. 

Otherwise, feel free to explore all the options we’ve reviewed on the market to find something that might fit you a little better.

Enjoy the list!

What CRM would you recommend?

In short, It’s Monday.com CRM

It’s very well rounded, well priced, feature-rich with a large community of support and a very top-notch set of tutorials for every use case. You can’t go wrong with Monday.com. It’s the software we use with our clients at our ad agency.

“🚀Try Monday.com CRM For Free, It’s my favorite webinar software to use and recommend.” -Scott Max

Monday.com is a user-friendly CRM platform that provides advanced solutions with its robust marketing tools. It allows larger companies with complex workflows to perform efficiently and produce nifty results. Monday.com has you covered for your: Service, Sales, CMS, Operations, and Marketing needs.

For more details, read our Monday.com Review.

The best CRM specifically for Higher education institutes

Higher education institutes have a completely different set of requirements compared to other organizations. They already know the target audience and have to focus on managing student queries, teaching staff and employees, Fees submissions and funding from trustees or the government. A CRM that fits all the above-mentioned; functionalities into one platform is a perfect match for higher education institutes. Have a look at the products below to choose the best CRM in this category:

1. Creatio

Creatio is defined as a tool that allows the management of each client, in a particular way, at each stage of the life cycle. From the initial origin or lead, through the moment the sale is generated and up to the after-sales service. It has a simple, friendly and responsive interface that, at a glance, allows the particular situation of each client to be conceptualised. In addition, it allows the processes between marketing, sales and customer service to be connected.

Get Started with Creatio🔥

Creatio Features

Creatio is designed; for businesses looking to expedite their sales and marketing services. It enables a seamless transition to the CRM and requires no coding while also providing a marketplace where users can avail templates and relevant applications. You can orchestrate customer journeys with Creatio and maximize the ROI by marketing your product to the right audience.

Here are some central features offered by Creatio:

• Marketing Plans: It is the hub of all your marketing strategies throughout the years, where you can access each activity, schedule meetings, and sort data. You can create new entries or update the older ones to meet your current requirements. You can also set access permission and distribute the workload among the organization effectively.
• Website event tracking: Creatio lets you track specific user actions on your website; to help you know the customer preferences and structure your marketing tactics accordingly. You can add commands to remind the customer about the cart items and nurture them towards a potential purchase. You have to enter the unique tracking code into your website’s source code and set the guidelines to get started.
• Case appraisal: Here, you can access all customer-related queries, assign cases to employees, and import new data from your system. You can access each inquiry to see the relevant details and progress, add new attachments or escalate the incident to a higher authority. It allows you to satisfy the customer by providing a quick resolution.
• Service Changes assessment: Creatio gives you access to all the recent changes made in the interface and the system. You can see who assigned the work to whom and add notes to inform the responsible entity about the nature of the task. Moreover, you can also sort these changes according to the execution time and priority level.
• Knowledge base: It is the perfect place for your employees to find educational material regarding the company’s working process, plus add new relevant content for other users. As an administrator, you can set access rights and tag the articles to make them easily discoverable.
• Sales homepage: Here, you get an in-depth analysis of the sales process and recent negotiation activities. You can see how many leads have been; converted or lost and formulate a plan to close more opportunities. Moreover, you can access the sales pipeline through the homepage and group the leads according to the phases.

Creatio Pricing

Creatio allows you to customize the plan, so you only pay for the services you require. There are three tools available in Creatio: Marketing, Sales, and Service. To get a quote, Fill in the relevant details. You also have to add a “Support package” to get technical assistance from the Creatio team. You can opt for a “Basic”, “Business”, or “Premium” plan, which cost 5%, 12%, and 20% of the subscription package, respectively.

2. Bitrix24

Bitrix24 is a free CRM full of customer management tools, support and marketing automation features. Available in the cloud and locally, for mobile devices and desktops. Includes all essential tools: sales funnels, channel management, sales reporting, 360 degree customer view, repeat sales support and sales automation.

In addition, it comes with dozens of available integrations, and you can also create your own applications using its REST API.

Get Started with Bitrix24🔥

Bitrix24 Features

In the corporate world, most of the marketing-related work is done collectively, and using different software for each task can be costly as well as inefficient. Bitrix24 offers all necessary tools for businesses within a single platform and makes it easier to collaborate with your team members. Bitrix24 has its virtual ecosystem where you can tackle every task with ease on an interface.

 Here are some exclusive features of Bitrix24:

• Activity stream: It is the most happening place inside the Bitrix24 and is a perfect tool for communicating the project details with your employees. Think of it as a social media platform; where you can post project updates, create polls, follow relevant tags, and comment on posts.
• Virtual workspace: It is a great collaborative tool that helps you connect with the employees through video conferencing. Each call can have up to 48 members, and you can invite participants who don’t use Bitrix24. Moreover, you can track each employee’s work hours and progress through a Virtual workspace.
• Project Management: Bitrix24 offers the ability to create workgroups based on projects and assign tasks in several ways. You can approach each project differently, sort them according to the deadlines, and cumulate reports.
• Bitrix24.Drive: You can use the virtual drive inside the Bitrix24 to keep all your business-related files organized inside the system. Moreover, you can decide who gets access to each file and create new documents.
• CRM Space: It is your one-stop for all sales and marketing-related activities. You can customize the existing process templates or create a new one with the “Smart Process automation” without programming. CRM Space is designed: specifically to help you organize leads and lucidly automate processes.
• Sales Intelligence: Here, you can manage the traffic sources and see the ROI for each platform. It’s a perfect tool to assess your marketing strategy and see which sources generate more traffic. Users can connect their business website and get information on every lead through Sales Intelligence.
• Bitrix24.Sites: Bitrix24 has an inbuilt website creation tool that is easy to access and offers several templates to choose from. You can browse through the layouts according to your business niche or use an empty template to design a website from scratch.
• Marketing Campaigns: Bitrix24 allows you to target a specific audience through social media, Phone and E-mail. CRM marketing tool will identify genuine clients and help you connect with potential customers.

Bitrix24 Pricing

Bitrix24 currently offers 4 pricing options for users interested in getting the most out of CRM services.

The “Free” plan is best for the new users who want to get accustomed to CRM software and costs absolutely nothing.

 The “Basic” plan is priced at €49/month and offers customer support service along with some simple collaboration tools. 

The “Standard” plan offers advanced collaboration tools and an increase in user capacity. It is priced: at €99/month.

The “Professional” plan is worth €199/month and unlocks all features of Bitrix24. You can add unlimited users, which makes it suitable for established businesses.

3. CRM base

Base CRM is a CRM that puts at our disposal all kinds of functionalities that allow us to operate in an easy and simple way in our day to day. All its functions can be configured to achieve automation and simplicity in the most routine tasks, such as automatic call records. In addition, it is a tool that has a high frequency of updates and improvements.

Get Started with CRMbase🔥

CRMBase Features

CRMBase is a splendid platform for new users to get acquainted with CRM software. It also provides CRM consultancy services for start-ups looking; to boost their sales by providing marketing strategies and high-powered solutions. CRMBase is a user-friendly platform and offers discrete features to businesses and individuals looking for a career option in the CRM sector.

CRMBase for career options: CRM software is used- by businesses worldwide to gain more clients and organize the workflow efficiently. It has unlocked several career opportunities in the sales and marketing sector, which has led to a surge of individuals looking to explore how CRM works. Here’s how CRMBase can help you to make a career in sales and marketing:

• Bootcamp: It contains relevant courses which can be very beneficial to understand CRM software. You can learn Salesforce online through a 12 weeks course with no coding knowledge. CRMBase constantly adds new content according to the latest requirements in the CRM category.
• Community Forums: Here, you can connect with professionals and ask queries regarding CRM tools. You also get access to several CRM related topics and learn to unlock the true potential of CRM software.
• Learning Paths: CRMBase makes learning fun and easy by giving hands-on experience along with the study material. You can track your progress through Learning paths and earn badges that are highlighted: in your Profile. 
• Short Courses: You can get a crash course under the supervision of instructors and earn certifications by passing the exam. It’ll increase your profile level and soar the chances of getting employed through CRMBase.

CRMBase for Start-ups: CRMBase can help corporate organizations with the recruitment process and manage CRM related activities such as lead generation and AI tools initiation. Here are the specialized features exclusively for new businesses:

• Corporate Training: CRMBase provides customized CRM educational programs as per your company’s requirements. It’s a great tool to condition new employees virtually and promote CRM adoption across your organization.
• CRM Consultancy: CRMBase can help start-ups manage the leads and marketing across various CRM platforms by providing skilled professionals who are well-versed with the CRM work. It can vastly improve your company’s ROI through CRM implementation.
• Progress Tracking: You can check your employee’s progression on the CRMBase and assign tasks accordingly. CRMBase continuously updates the profiles based on the evolvement and boosts productivity.

CRMBase Pricing

CRMBase has different payment plans for businesses and individuals looking to make a career in CRM. 

Learners residing in the US can opt for a “Deferred Tuition agreement” and pay a fixed amount once they bag a $40k/year job through CRMBase or go for the “Upfront Tuition or Instalments” and pay $12k to cover Bootcamp costs.

Businesses looking for consultancy services can choose between the “Starter” plan, which costs $2000 per month, the “Optimize” plan priced at $4000 per month and the “Enterprise” plan, where you can get customized services. The “Enterprise” plan’s cost depends upon your company’s CRM service requirements.

4. FreshSales

FreshSales currently has more than 10,000 satisfied customers with its refreshing interface, which offers – at a glance – everything needed on the customer flow. You will be able to have information about conversations with customers, agreements, tasks and scheduled appointments with them, as well as find out how they have interacted with the website and the product, among many other functions. In addition, it allows you to control potential customers to know when it is the key moment to impact them.

Get Started with FreshSales🔥

Freshsales Features

Freshsales provides a modern-day sale engagement solution to users that want to expand their business and maximize their marketing efforts. Managing leads takes up a lot of effort and hours of scouring through various sources, but Freshsales eases that with a smooth transition of Incoming leads onto the next phase.

Here are some dedicated features of Freshsales:

• Marketing Automation: Freshsales lets you set conditions to see desired customer leads and automate the marketing tasks for prompt communication. Moreover, you can create alerts for the sales team whenever there is progress in negotiations or; the clients respond positively to marketing activity. You can set up chatbots to deal with incoming inquiries and reach out to the client via Whatsapp, Gmail or other network sources with Marketing automation.
• Deals Management: Freshsales lets you manage and visualize the sales process to convert potential leads into permanent clients. You can prioritize leads that are most likely to come to fruition and analyze the conversion rate to forecast sales for similar deals in the future. 
• Workflow automation: Sales process involves many repetitive tasks that are essential to the working of the company. Workflow automation handles routine operations to reduce manual dependency and boosts sales efficiency by breaking complex processes into simple ones.
• Cloud Telephony: Calling is a vital part of the sales process: to update clients about the latest advancements and offers regarding new products. With Freshsales, users can get over 90 virtual phone numbers for employees: to connect with the customers over the computer. You can create notes and record a conversation to provide full context and reassign a task without any problem.
• Freddy AI: Freshsales identifies leads and organizes them to make sales tasks easier. You can set up instructions, and Freddy AI will cohere to them while processing client information. It provides you insight into the likelihood of closing the lead; so you know what the next step should be and approach the opportunity effortlessly.
• Product CPQ: You can maintain an updated product catalog on Freshscales to give clients and the sales team a reference about intrinsic features along with pricing details. Moreover, you can track individual unit sales and see which products are in demand and what audience you should target.

Freshsales Pricing

Freshsales has 4 pricing options available for businesses looking to expand their sales through CRM. The “Free” version provides basic management services free of cost. The “Growth” plan is a CRM tool with automation that can boost your sales and prevent respective tasks; It is priced at ₹999/user if billed annually. The “Pro” subscription will help you customize the tools to your liking and increase sales revenue; It costs ₹2799/user if billed annually. The “Enterprise” plan gives you the AI forecasting to know the shortcomings and modify the strategy accordingly; It is priced at ₹4999/user if billed annually.

5. Microsoft Dynamics

Microsoft Dynamics is perfect software for connecting clients, products, people and operations, all from a single tool that can be implemented through an infinite number of options. However, it is a payment tool that will require training time for you to be able to use it to its full potential. For this tool, programming knowledge is necessary. However, once you know how to use it, you will easily be able to simplify and connect business processes, improving customer interactions and facilitating growth.

Get Started with Microsoft Dynamics🔥

Microsoft Dynamics 365 Features

Microsoft Dynamics 365 provides ERP and CRM services on a single platform. It offers a clear view of how sales and marketing efforts are going with automated and intelligent data analysis. You can use tools powered by AI and machine learning to get better insights into your business.

Here are some unique features offered by Dynamics 365:

• Unified Communications: Dynamics 365 allows you to connect with clients through “Microsoft Teams” and simplify the sales process. You can call meetings, have a conversation and send any valued offer or detail in a minute.
• Advanced AI tools: You can predict sales based on the latest marketing strategy and conversion rate with Dynamics 365’s AI-powered tools. It allows you to generate revenue, set automated tasks, analyze data in a 360⁰ manner and much more according to your requirements.
• Finance and Operations management: Dynamics 365 has a financial analysis tool that can help you manage commercial operations and record every transaction. You can store credit card details, annotate tasks and accelerate training for new employees in the organization. Moreover, Dynamics 365 allows a smooth transition of complex workflows and management operations on the CRM.
• Asset Management: You can list your business assets on the supply chain within Dynamics 365 and efficiently manage all the related information, maintenance activities while reducing redundant costs. 
• Power supply chain agility: Dynamics 365 can help your business’s profitability through quick lead conversion and high-quality analysis. You can engage better with clients, set priorities, create automated bots, so your sales team has a better chance of securing the opportunity.
• Smart Maintenance: Dynamics 365 suggests approaches to grow your business and increase product longevity with safety through smart maintenance. You can keep a catalog and add relevant notes to help the sales team with the pitch.
• Visual editor: Dynamics 365 lets you create charts, graphs and organizational workflows to simplify performance metrics. You can set the parameters and get different points of view regarding business development.
• Learning Paths: Dynamics 365 provides educational content to help you get familiar with CRM services and implement their use throughout the organization. You can access several how-to guides, watch videos and participate in interactive sessions to get a grip on Dynamics 365.

Microsoft Dynamics 365 Pricing

Dynamics 365 allows users to choose packages according to their business niche.

Customer Data Platform is available for $1452/month for a single user and $968/month as an add-on plan. You can get a customer voice function for an extra $194/user for a month.

The sales tools are available in 3 different plans. “Sales Professional” is priced at $63/month and $19/month as an add-on. “Sales Enterprise” is worth $92/month for an individual and $19/month as an add-on. “Sales Premium” is priced: at $131/month for a single user, and “Microsoft Relationship Sales” is available for $134/month.

“Finance” package is priced at $172.5/month/user and $29/user/month as an add-on. “Project Management” tools are worth $116.5/user/month and $29.14/user/month as an add-on subscription.

Dynamics 365 has particular subscription plans for small and medium businesses to fast-track their sales process. “Business Central Essentials” is priced at $68/user/month, “Business Central Premium” is available at $97.2/user/month, “Customer Service Professional” is worth $48.6/user/month and “Sales Professional” is priced: at $63.2/user/month.

Importance of CRM for Higher Education

In today’s rapidly evolving educational landscape, the importance of Customer Relationship Management (CRM) systems for higher education institutions cannot be overstated. As colleges and universities strive to enhance student engagement, improve enrollment rates, and streamline administrative processes, a dedicated CRM tailored for the education sector emerges as an indispensable tool. Here are several key reasons why CRM systems hold significant importance for higher education.

1. Centralized Data Management

One of the primary advantages of a CRM in higher education is its ability to centralize data management. Institutions often gather information from various sources—such as prospective student inquiries, application submissions, and enrollment statistics. A CRM integrates these diverse data points into a single platform, allowing educational institutions to have a holistic view of their student interactions and administrative operations. This centralization facilitates better decision-making and fosters a more organized approach to managing student relationships.

2. Enhanced Student Engagement

A CRM enables institutions to develop personalized communication strategies based on a student’s behavior and journey. By leveraging insights from the CRM, colleges can tailor their messaging across multiple channels—such as email, SMS, and social media—ensuring that students receive information relevant to their interests and needs. This level of personalized engagement not only strengthens the relationship between students and their institutions but also significantly enhances the overall student experience.

3. Streamlined Admissions Process

The admissions process is often a complex and time-consuming endeavor for higher education institutions. A CRM simplifies this process by automating workflows, tracking applications, and managing inquiries seamlessly. With real-time visibility into the status of applications, institutions can respond promptly to prospective students, significantly reducing the time it takes to move them from inquiry to enrollment. This efficiency not only improves the institution’s operational effectiveness but also positively impacts the prospective student’s experience.

4. Comprehensive Reporting and Analytics

CRMs provide advanced reporting and analytics capabilities, allowing institutions to assess their performance across various metrics. By generating detailed reports on enrollment trends, student engagement levels, and marketing campaign effectiveness, educational institutions can gain valuable insights into their operations. This data-driven approach empowers decision-makers to identify areas for improvement, optimize recruitment strategies, and allocate resources more effectively.

5. Improved Retention Strategies

Beyond admissions, a CRM plays a crucial role in student retention strategies. By tracking students’ progress and engagement levels, institutions can identify at-risk students and intervene proactively. Whether through personalized communication, targeted support services, or academic advising, a CRM enables institutions to implement strategies that enhance student retention and success, ultimately contributing to a more sustainable enrollment model.

Why use a CRM at all?

Every organization, institute or business has to efficiently manage the efficient performance of staff and ensure all branches are managed well. A CRM centralizes all operations and automates responses to incoming queries to improve your customer support. You will be able to set organizational roles within the CRM and provide access permissions according to the employee’s role.

A CRM provides an optimal solution to deal with the complexities of using several sources for different departments. You can access every relevant information and provide your employees with a platform to collaborate on projects, see financial reports and set reminders for opportunities.

Why should a Higher Education Institution use a CRM?

A CRM can integrate with your student information system and lets you access the information to communicate with students effortlessly. CRM automates activities to greatly increase the number of applications you can process and frees you to do the highest value tasks such as making decisions rather than data entry.

Every institute has to send letters to prospective students, which is a complicated procedure because there can be so many different types of letters depending on the assessment. It can be an enormous and time-consuming task putting a big strain on your department leaving, people overworked, tired and prone to making errors. 

CRM automatically checks the students record against the requirements for the program. If every requirement is met, it triggers an acceptance letter and emails a customized pdf to the student. Similarly, if a student is missing credits or fails to get an admission, CRM would trigger a personalized pdf indicating; exactly what courses the student needs to take.

The entire process is automatic and requires practically no human intervention. By pulling data from the student information system, a CRM generates custom PDFs, which are sent to students. Moreover, you can also analyze your staff’s performance, financial reports and maintenance costs which assists you in managing the financial assets smoothly.

A CRM will help you implement the changes in the organization quickly and ensure there’s ample communication to avoid confusion. Higher education institutes often face a high influx of queries regarding admissions, job posts and scholarships. With a CRM, you can categorize applications and approach them accordingly.

CRM for Higher Education Institutions, A Summary

Educational institutes have a specific set of requirements different from profit-making businesses. A CRM can help you automate processes and reduce the workload of your staff to avoid redundancies. You can compare revenue reports to assess how you are growing as an institute.

Creatio provides a seamless transition to the CRM with its user-friendly interface and a customized platform for educational institutes to manage all operations efficiently. It is our suggested pick in this category. Visit the website to get started.