How Using Too Many Systems Is Slowing Down Your Admissions Process

Managing admissions should feel exciting – not exhausting. But if your team is juggling spreadsheets, switching between tools, and manually transferring data just to send a single email, something’s not working.

Sound familiar? You’re not alone. Many universities face the same challenge: too many systems, too little time.

The Problem with Patchwork Solutions

Email transformed student communication when it landed in the 1970s. Since then, universities have adopted a whole host of digital tools – student portals, marketing platforms, event apps – to support applicants across their journey.

But when those tools don’t talk to each other, your workflow takes a hit.

What starts as a simple task – like emailing all MBA students enrolled in a specific elective – can quickly spiral into a tedious process:

• Export data from one system.
• Import it into another.
• Copy and paste details into your email platform.
• Re-enter responses back into your records.

All that effort for one message.

And while your team is busy managing the chaos behind the scenes, prospective students are left with a fragmented experience.

“Full Fabric is easy to use and has streamlined our communications, making our day-to-day easier and our appearance to prospective students more structured and organised.”
— Natalia Antsiferova, MSc Programmes Manager, Stockholm School of Economics

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What If You Didn’t Have to Work This Way?

Imagine a world where:

• Your data is always up to date, in one place.
• Your email lists are ready to go – no exporting needed.
• Your team has more time to focus on strategy and student engagement.

That’s exactly what a connected CRM makes possible.

Instead of patching together multiple systems, you get a single platform designed for higher education. One that lets you manage everything from recruitment and admissions to communication and events – without the busywork.

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What a Higher Education CRM Can Actually Do

At its core, a CRM helps your team work smarter. But it also transforms the student experience – making every touchpoint more personal, timely, and seamless.

Here’s what you can expect from a good CRM:

• Store student data in one secure place.
• Capture leads through forms and landing pages.
• Segment contacts to send the right message to the right people.
• Personalise content based on behaviour and interests.
• Manage event registrations with ease.
• Build branded student and alumni portals.
• Track progress with built-in reporting and analytics.

You also get full visibility into each student’s journey – from their first enquiry to enrolment and beyond. Instead of digging through spreadsheets or piecing together emails, you can see everything in one clean timeline.

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Ready to Simplify Your Systems?

If your team is feeling stretched, it’s not because you’re doing something wrong. It’s because the tools you’re using weren’t built to work together.

A CRM like Full Fabric is designed to bring everything into one place – reducing admin, improving communication, and freeing up time for what really matters: your students.

Want to see it in action? Get in touch to find out how we can help your team work more efficiently and make a stronger impression on every applicant.