This session explores how institutions can go beyond just responding quickly to inquiries, focusing instead on creating meaningful, personalized interactions at every touchpoint. Discover strategies to build trust, foster genuine relationships, and enhance the student experience throughout their journey.
Key Highlight:
- Speed-to-lead metrics and scale – Ancora achieves under 30-second response times, while Lincoln Tech targets under 2 minutes across their 22 locations handling 30,000 applicants annually. They saw a 5-point conversion improvement by reducing response time from 10 to 2-3 minutes, with about 50% of quickly-responded leads converting to interviews.
- Current industry challenges – Poll results showed 40% of attendees struggle most with getting people to show up for booked meetings/interviews, followed by lead engagement, while 30% cited converting meetings to enrollments as their main challenge. For personalization specifically, 34% reported lacking staff/technology as their biggest barrier, followed by limited student preference data.
- Multi-channel communication systems – Lincoln Tech’s process involves instant email upon inquiry, call center contact within 2 minutes, plus text messaging. Ancora maintains 24/7 live support across call routing, text routing, and chat routing, with no chatbots. Both companies noted a strong shift toward texting as preferred communication, though Jennifer mentioned they’ve seen students expecting the same multi-channel flexibility as major companies like Amazon.
- Performance metrics – Lincoln Tech’s 13% lead-to-enrollment conversion rate comes from tracking multiple conversion points: lead-to-appointment, appointment-to-interview, interview-to-enroll, and enrolled-to-start. Teams analyze data by factors including distance (segmented by 20-mile and 30-mile radius) and age demographics. After 20 years in the field, Stephanie noted immediate impacts when they first tested “popcorn theory” – contacting leads within 2-3 minutes – across 120 campuses.
- Technology and personalization barriers – In addition to the 34% lacking staff/technology, poll data showed limited student preference data as the second biggest challenge, followed by difficulty scaling personalization efforts. When using text blasts, teams must carefully manage carrier rules and TCPA compliance while maintaining personalization.
- Student lifecycle tracking – Ancora monitors the entire journey from inquiry through post-graduation, with under 30-second speed-to-lead during business hours. They segment analysis by lead origin, program interest, location, and communication preferences. For non-24/7 operations, Jennifer recommends separate speed-to-lead metrics for business hours versus after-hours/weekends to identify specific improvement opportunities.
Jennifer McDermott
Vice President – Contact Center, ANCORA
Jay Rasmussen
Senior Vice President, Admissions, Lincoln Tech
Stefanie McGinnis
Client Services Director, Level
Loren Ellison
Expert – Enrollment Technology, LeadSquared
