Access Charity CRM
Higher education CRM software comparison: what should you consider?
With over 40% of UK universities facing a financial deficit this year, income from alumni giving, events, and grant funding is more important than ever. To make the most of these opportunities, you need the right tools in place.
That’s where a dedicated alumni CRM comes in. But which one to choose?
In this article, we’ll show you how to conduct a higher education CRM software comparison to find the best solution for your institution.
What makes “the best” CRM software for higher education?
The difference between standard CRM software and “the best” CRM software is purpose.
A standard CRM is designed around a customer–marketing–sales cycle. In contrast, a specialist alumni CRM is built specifically for people working in higher education. That means you’ll find it packed with innovative features to help you:
- Build alumni relationships: Recruitment costs more than retention. The best CRM software for higher education helps you nurture connections so you can move supporters up the donor pyramid and maximise lifetime value.
- Raise funds: From alumni giving to trusts, foundations and institutions, a specialist CRM will automate donation processing, help you track income, manage campaigns and unlock insights that maximise fundraising potential.
- Strengthen your supporter community: Inspire engagement with personalised communications and events that connect supporters to your institution and each other.
- Optimise your systems: Say ‘goodbye’ to manual systems and let your CRM streamline workflows, connect critical data sets, and help your team work smarter, not harder.
Are you in the market for a new alumni CRM? Find out more about how to make the switch
Why you need a higher education CRM software comparison
There’s more than one road to Rome, and more than one CRM for you to choose from. To make sure you find the best CRM software for your higher education institution, you need to do three things:
- Know your needs: Before you buy, talk with your team about what you need in a CRM and put together a wishlist of features that will streamline work and boost fundraising.
- Understand what’s out there: The digital space is always evolving. Your research might uncover tools and opportunities you only dreamed of. Be sure to add them to your list!
- Cross-check options: Once you know what you want, it’s easier to compare products and run a simple CRM software comparison to ensure your chosen solution is the best fit.
Allow your university to reach new heights by investing in a higher education CRM
Key features to look out for
1. Dedicated alumni and donor relationship management
- Understand your donors: Never miss a beat. By automatically logging and tracking people’s interests, motivations and engagement, it’s easy to build a rounded view of individual donors.
- Personalise your outreach: Segment donors into different groups and quickly create tailored communications that cut through the noise and make every supporter feel seen.
- Nurture top prospects: Use donor data to surface key insights, spot potential major or legacy donors, and build strategies that maximise their giving potential.
Intrigued? Discover how the right alumni CRM can enhance university fundraising
2. User-friendly, integrated communications
3. Event management capabilities
- Event planning and management: Set up your event in your CRM to manage tasks, teams, and budgets. Easily send personalised invites, track registrations, and share pre-event information with registered contacts.
- On the day logistics: Process check-ins using third-party integration tools like Eventbrite, send live updates through third-part apps like dotdigital.
- Follow-up and feedback: Use your CRM to thank attendees, share and analyse feedback surveys, and generate post-event reports.
4. Fundraising and philanthropy tracking
5. Integration with existing systems
- Link with student records: Build a complete picture of each contact – from prospective student to engaged alumni – so that you can identify and nurture future donors.
- Sync with financial systems: Automate gift processing and reconciliation to save time, reduce errors, and ensure your fundraising and financial records are accurate and aligned.
- Stay up to date with the latest technologies: Our list of supported third-party apps is always growing so you and your CRM can evolve your services.
6. Reporting and analytics
7. Data security and compliance
- You remain fully GDPR compliant, with built-in consent management tools and automated alerts that ensure you communicate according to individual preferences.
- Financial and personal data is kept secure, with customisable user permissions to control access at every level.
- Gift Aid processing is seamless, with automated claims helping you maximise every donation and bring in that extra 25%.
Pricing up your higher education CRM software comparison
When evaluating higher education CRM solutions, pricing is a key factor to consider. Some providers, like Salesforce Education Cloud, offer tiered, user-based pricing that increases with access to more advanced features. Other providers like Raisers Edge NXT, Graduway – and Access offer customised quotes based on your institution’s specific needs.
Whichever path you choose, it’s important to make sure that the final quote and budget captures the ‘total cost’ of your CRM, including:
- Training and technical support
- Repairs and maintenance
- Upgrades and servicing
Don’t worry if it sounds a little daunting. Good sales teams will work with you to discuss your needs and provide a detailed quote and service agreement.
The secret behind the best CRM software for higher education
Of course, choosing the best CRM solution for your organisation is about more than ticking feature boxes.
As the team at the University of Roehampton discovered, one of the best things about our alumni CRM is how easy it is to use. With Access you’re only ever a few clicks away from the information and tools you need – with seamless integrations making your new CRM feel like part of the team from day one.
“As someone who previously had no experience using a CRM or handling large quantities of data, I was surprised with how easy it has been to learn…
Access has enabled us to build a stronger relationship with our graduates. We regularly send communications out to our alumni via a third-party mailing service, which integrates with the platform, thereby making it simple and efficient to send out mass emails.”
Louis Lovegrove, the Alumni Relations & Development Officer
Find how Access helped the University of Roehampton transform its alumni management
Are you getting ready for a higher CRM software comparison?
Choosing the best CRM software for higher education institutions isn’t easy. But with a good higher education CRM software comparison, you’re sure to find a solution that delivers.
