Coventry University is climbing the league tables

The Guardian university league tables for 2016 were released today and we're pleased to say that our client Coventry University has climbed 12 places from position 27 to 15.

This is the highest ever ranking for a former polytechnic.

Seven of Coventry's subject areas are ranked in the country's top 10, including its courses in the film production and photography (2nd) and hospitality, event management and tourism (2nd).

Other subject areas in which Coventry excels include economics (7th), accounting and finance (7th), fashion and textiles (9th), architecture (10th) and civil engineering (10th).

The university was awarded the Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide's 'Modern University of the Year' accolade for two years running in 2014 and 2015, as well as being the highest ranked modern university in the guide's history.

Coventry is also the top performing modern university in the National Student Survey 2014 and the Complete University Guide 2016, published last month.

View the 2016 league table here.

Read the full press release on Coventry's website.

A text speaks a thousand words

Students love mobile comms!

A text message reaches out to students on their level and is proven to work extremely well to aid the decision-making process for universities and colleges.

Enhance your engagement by using personalised text messages triggered by automated touchpoints to nurture the relationship.

A simple SMS message can work wonders; invite students to open days, notify them when their prospectus will be delivered, give them directions and thank them for attending, all via mobile.

A multi-channelled approach is highly effective allowing universities to set up bespoke workflows and touchpoints for a variety of different channels to continue to build the relationship for each student, long after initial contact has been made.

A series of triggered touchpoints within Student CRM will keep your student leads warm with regular automated and personalised communications, giving you a positive return on your investment and reducing the admin time spent on vital, but mundane and manual tasks.

With Student CRM universities also benefit from in-depth reporting to analyse recruitment communications and activities.

Talk to us about student communications by using the chat box below.

Three times more useful than the average technology company

Data Harvesting is producing software which is three times more useful than any other technology company. Student CRM is now bigger, better and more powerful than ever before, with turbo-charged and revamped apps to lead the way in student recruitment software.

With exciting new releases each week and constant development on both existing and new apps to improve to the user interface and experience.

During the first quarter of 2015, our in-house Developers have been busy working on 6 of our existing apps to improve functionality as well as building 2 new apps in response to the needs of the industry.

Meanwhile the Customer Support Team has been listening to the requirements of our users and external markets to influence major app decisions and plan the product roadmap for the year ahead.

Watch this space for the launch of our 2 new apps coming soon, set to revolutionise the software and higher education industries, along with a whole series of new feature releases contributing to making Student CRM the UK's most loved student recruitment solution.

Data Harvesting sponsors PHP South Coast 2015

Here at Data Harvesting, we recognise achievement and commitment and actively support our employees. Two of our DH developers (Dave and Hugh) are co-founders of PHP Dorset.

PHP Dorset hold monthly meetings for developers to attend and are a community partner of PHP South Coast this year. In recognition of their commitment and contribution to the PHP community, Data Harvesting is delighted to be a Bronze sponsor of PHP SOUTH COAST 2015, in its inaugural year. Along with our other developer Ashley, all three DH-ers are actively involved with the PHP South Coast conference this year. 

If PHP development is your thing, this looks to be a great way to spend the day - just remember to say "hi" to Dave, Hugh and Ashley!

PHP South Coast - Saturday 18th July 2015.

The conference is due to take place at Boathouse Number 6 in Portsmouth Historic Dockyard. Community members are invited from around the world to listen to 12 talks, learn, share, network and talk about the latest trends and technologies in professional PHP development.

Post event, there is an After-Conference Social & Dinner, Laser Quest and Board Games!

This is just one of two php community events that Data Harvesting is sponsoring this year.

Click here to book your ticket.

Enhance your league table position with Student CRM

The Complete University Guide league table 2016 has been released today with many universities rising through the rankings.

An efficient CRM like ours will help a University to increase league table position through use of effective communications, thorough analysis and reporting, more targeted marketing materials which results in more engaged students and increased satisfaction.

The rankings are based on 10 quality factors which are important to students by university and by subject.

Setting the trend: 5 firsts for Student CRM

Not only do we offer first class customer service to our users, we're also the market leader in student recruitment solutions leading the way through many firsts.

As the system was developed by our team in Poole, Dorset, specifically for UK-based universities, we're not afraid to push boundaries and think outside the box to create pioneering technologies for student recruitment.

Student CRM is the:

1st dedicated CRM for HE in the UK

It's true, we're the first provider in the UK to build a specific platform for the UK's higher educational industry.

1st provider to develop a dedicated open day solution

In fact we've got dedicated open days apps to manage online bookings and help you organise your open days and on-campus events: Applicant Open Days, Pre-applicant Open Days and Event Manager.

1st provider to develop a native iOS iPad data capture app

Our DH Mobile / Mobile Event Capture apps were the very first apps created to collect student data on iPads at recruitment events.

1st provider to publish a love-o-meter to measure real customer satisfaction

And we're the UK's most loved student recruitment solution.

1st provider to create SMS broadcasts from within Student CRM

It's always been a popular channel to communicate with students and can be automated and personalised through a series of workflows and touchpoints.

Click here for a 1st class demonstration.

Almost 50% of universities plan to recruit more students

According to an article in The Guardian last week, almost half of UK-based universities plan to increase their student intake within the next five years. With this in mind, universities will have to work harder to recruit students as the government predicts there could be up to 45,000 extra undergraduate places this year alone.

Lifting the cap and increased competition means that universities will require better marketing, better communications and better targeting to ensure courses are full and student conversions rates are high.

Thankfully Student CRM helps universities to market to students pre enrolment by:

Capturing data

Collect students' details on iPads at recruitment events. Read about our DH Mobile app.

Handling enquiries

With a clever database of answers to ensure your team is consistent and responds quickly. Check out our Enquiries app.

Enhancing communications

By having touchpoints which are triggered when a student completes an action or attends an event, saving valuable admin time. See workflows and touchpoints.

Managing prospectus requests

Which can be sent straight to your fulfilment house. See our Prospectus Requests app.

Organising open day bookings

To make it simple for students to book and build their personalised programme for the day. See our Applicant Open Day app and Pre-Applicant Open Day app.

Centralising your student records

So that all recruitment activities are stored and reported in one place.

Analysing recruitment activities

To see which are your best performing months or activities.

No wonder we're the UK's most loved student recruitment solution!

Marketing automation increases student conversion

Automated communications can reduce your admin and increase your reach

Personalised automated communications have proven to be highly effective for users of Student CRM in engaging and recruiting more students. Once workflows and touchpoints have been set up, Student CRM builds the relationship long after the event has finished.

Personalised emails and texts

Touchpoints can have merge fields to pull in specific information such as the student's name and course giving them the impression it's been sent specifically to them, but freeing up vital time for key personnel.

Ensure consistency across all communications

Pre-populating a series of touchpoints ensures your tone is consistent across all communication channels. You can also ensure that all communications conform to your brand guidelines.

Reach more students

By automating communications from within Student CRM, Universities can reach more students at any one time, whether it's thanking them for attending an open day, reminding them about their campus tour, inviting them to order a prospectus or answering their enquiry. Each triggered set of pre-set touchpoints makes your communications almost hands-free for your team.

Reduce human error

Instead of manually answering enquiries each time a new one is submitted by a prospective student, your knowledge bank of answers already exists which your team can top and tail, so there is no fear of omissions or typos.

Speedier communications

After an event, instead of typing up your list and deciphering students' handwriting, your data will have already filtered through Student CRM with communications lined up to be sent almost immediately. Meaning that on a Saturday evening after an open day, your attendees will be followed up with a thank you email, and your non-attendees will be invited to another open day without your team needing to lift a finger. Student CRM builds the relationship for you.

Book your Student CRM demo and see how automated communications can reduce your admin and increase your reach.