Marketing universities in the 21st century:A customer centered approach discusses how universities can engage customers in the era of information and technology.
3. +THE PROBLEM QUESTIONS
1.What is MARKETING?
2.Who is a CUSTOMER?
3.Who is our CUSTOMER?
4.What is CUSTOMER CARE?
5.What do we KNOW UMU FOR?
6.What do we want UMU TO BE KNOWN FOR?
7.How do we want others TO KNOW ABOUT UMU?
4. A STUDENT’S EXPERIENCE?
I had heard about the university (MARKETING)
Its degrees were accredited (PRODUCT)
Its entry programme was harrowing (GAT/GMAT) (PRODUCT)
Its graduates were preferred by employees (PRODUCT)
Its students were well behaved during and after (PRODUCT)
Its students completed their degrees (PRODUCT)
I searched the web (MARKETING)
Found application forms on web (MARKETING)
I asked five academics about Universities in Uganda three ranked UMU
highest while the other two ranked it second (MARKETING)
5. A STUDENT’S EXPERIENCE Cont’d
I finished in time (PRODUCT)
Lecture content & lecturers were serious
(PRODUCT)
I got more confident about my work (PRODUCT)
I got recommendations when I required them
(PRODUCT)
EVERYWHERE I GO, I always say my experience
at UMU was the best (REFERRALS)
6. INTRODUCTION
Marketing UMU in 21st
Century with a customer centered approach.
Concept of MARKETING & CUSTOMERS.
Customer care is a marketing process.
All marketing is a customer care process.
MARKETING: selling benefits to customer to test, get converted, and
remain loyal to product.
MARKETING MATRIX: producer, product, product benefits,
messaging/promotion, costumer, sales, customer care, competition.
7. THE BIG PICTURE
Universities are a business
CUSTOMER is central to all businesses. Customers have needs.
Enrollment is core objective determining everything else.
Universities challenged by how to grow/develop.
Universities faced with challenge of decline in enrollment.
Universities challenged by how to market in the 21st
Century.
21st
Century a century: New Media, New Universities, New ways
of thinking, New costumer priorities.
9. WHO IS OUR CUSTOMER?
One we want to ENROLL; WORK with us; STAY
on; RECOMMEND us.
Current/Prospective STUDENTS.
Current/Prospective STAFF.
Parents/Prospective PARENTS.
ALUMNI.
General PUBLIC.
OWNERS.
DONORS.
Surrounding COMMUNITIES.
10. WHAT DOES OUR CUSTOMER NEED?
CURRENT/PROSPECTIVE STUDENT:
an education.
a change in life.
Employment.
recognized/accredited qualification.
associated with great university.
conducive atmosphere to learn.
make lasting relationship with others.
11. WHAT DOES OUR CUSTOMER NEED?
CURRENT STAFF:
Steady income
Job security
Recognition/promotion
Association with great university
Career.
12. WHAT DOES OUR CUSTOMERS NEED?
CURRENT/PROSPECTIVE PARENTS:
Children to get education
Children’s lives to be changed
Children to get recognized/accredited
qualification
Association with a great university.
13. WHAT DOES OUR CUSTOMER NEED?
ALUMNI:
Proud of where they studied
Children to get an education
Children’s lives to be changed
Children to get recognized/accredited degree
Association with a great university.
14. WHAT DOES OUR CUSTOMER NEED?
GENERAL PUBLIC:
Children to get an education
Children’s lives to be changed
Children to get recognized/accredited qualification
Associated with great university
Relevant university.
15. WHAT DOES OUR CUSTOMER NEED?
OWNERS:
Investment on right track
DONORS:
A university with potential/productivity
COMMUNITIES AROUND US:
We are good people
University is safe and secure
16. WHERE IS OUR CUSTOMER LOCATED?
GEOGRAPHICAL SPACE
Uganda, East Africa, Africa, the World
INSTITUTIONAL SPACE
Primary and Secondary Schools, Tertiary and
other Universities
MEDIA SPACE
Online/Social and Legacy Media
17. WHAT IS OUR CUSTOMER’S MEDIA SPACE?
ONLINE/NEW & SOCIAL MEDIA (Facebook, Twitter,
Whatsapp, SMS, Linkedin, Online News, Websites, and Blogs).
LEGACY MEDIA (Newspapers, Radio and Television).
OUTDOOR MEDIA (Billboards, Stickers, Posters, Flyers,
Banners, Mobile Advertising, Film ADS, etc).
MERCHANDISE, MEMORABILIA and BRAND
ITEMS (T-shirts, Key holders, etc).
18. WHAT DO WE WANT OUR CUSTOMER TO KNOW?
1.Unique Position (research, placement, religion)
2.Courses we offer
3.Events and extracurricular activities
4.Achievements
5.Customer care
6.Fees and modes/flexibility of payment
7.Accreditation
8.Current students achievement outside UMU
9.Prominent students
10.Prominent alumni
11.Facilities and how to apply
12.Environment (safety, conducive for learning)
13.Graduate placement record
19. 21ST
CENTURY MARKETING CONTEXT
Century with unprecedented access to technology
and information
Need to be technologically astute
Need to be well informed
Message should be clear and precise
Proliferation of media channels
Requires integrated marketing (mix of methods and
channels necessary)
GO TO COSTUMER than COSTUMER reaching you
MAKE EVERYTHING POSITIVE KNOWN
20. MARKETING METHODS FOR UNIVERSITIES
PRODUCT RE-ENGINEERING
MARKETING COMMUNICATION
Media (Social and Legacy and Outdoor)
Content Marketing (Faculty in Media)
EVENTS (organize or sponsor)
Public Lectures, Conferences
Sports Galas
Exhibitions
Open days
Campus visits for students from secondary etc
21. MARKETING METHODS FOR UNIVERSITIES
INTERNAL COMMUNICATION
News letters
MERCHANDISE
T-shirts, Calendars, Key holders, Car Tyre
covers
PERSONALITIES,NEWSMAKERS,ENDORSEMENT
S
Prominent local and international academics
BRAND AMBASSADORS
-Appointed
-Prominent Alumni
22. MARKETING METHODS FOR UNIVERSITIES
BRAND AMBASSADORS Cont’d
Visiting professorships of powerful international
academics
Sponsor Popular celebrity social responsibility
initiatives
Honorary PhD degrees to prominent achievers
Prominent Students (e.g. if a student is a
minister and is at the university)
23. MARKETING METHODS FOR UNIVERSITIES
INTERPERSONAL MARKETING/CUSTOMER
CARE
One on one outdoor marketing
Train good public speakers
Train good looking Public Relations people
Train customer care team thoroughly
School on promotion & career guidance lectures
Customer advisory boards:
Students/Parents/Staff
24. MARKETING METHODS FOR UNIVERSITIES
ENROLLMENT CONTESTS
Secondary School with highest intake or quota
Reward Owner of School
Reward Headmaster/Principal
Reward Parents who bring at least five students
Register five friends at UMU and study for free
Pay UNEB registration for bright students who
are bonded to apply
26. CUSTOMER CARE
How we handle the customer
What we do for the customer
What we do to the customer
What we want the customer to remember us for
27. CUSTOMER CARE 101
WHO IS OUR CUSTOMER?
One we want to receive our message and act on our message:
enroll, tell others about us etc.
Customer is influenced by peers, environment, icons, service
TYPES OF CUSTOMERS
Loyal Customers (those who will always be with us)
Discount/Promotion Customers (who will come if there is a
discount in fees or a promotion)
Impulse Customers (who will come without a reason)
Needs Customers (who will come for what we offer if it satisfies
their needs)
Wandering Customers (may come and go away with no trace of
pattern)
28. CUSTOMER CARE 101
CHARACTERISTICS OF CUSTOMERS
Have a need (information, guidance or other)
Want to be listened to
Want solutions not excuses
Want empathy
Want you to connect/relate with them
Want you to speak in their language
Want honesty (to be told the truth)
Want to be treated like a King/Queen.
29. CUSTOMER CARE 101
Customer Care is about human behavior.
What makes people happy what makes people
sad.
All of us are customer service staff (from VC to
the cleaner to the security guard)
KAMI: -KNOW/-ATTRACT/-MAINTAIN/-INCREASE
Customer Profiles:
Age, gender, marital status, employment
status, ethnicity, religion, social group and
other details necessary to communicate.
30. CUSTOMER CARE 101
Details before query. Who/where they are?
Detail of the query. What do they want?
Respond to the query.
Sell university after addressing the query.
Needs organization, thought ,planning,
practice.
Think like a customer.
31. CUSTOMER CARE 101
Offer Special service (perfection of product and
customer care)
Be Pro-active
Be Efficient
Show Good Answering Skills (phone, direct or
mail)
Show Empathy
Track customers from secondary