In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, colleges and universities face an uncertain future. How can they continue to provide student services and high levels of student satisfaction amidst new health and safety regulations?
The COVID-19 pandemic has altered almost everything in our lives. Nonessential businesses have been forced to close, stay-at-home and physical distancing orders are in place, and remote work has taken over. Throughout the pandemic, technology has been praised as the solution to keep people in contact, disseminate information, and, overall, keep the world running. It will also be the solution for enabling the safe reopening of economies.
COVID-19 has forced higher education institutions to quickly adapt to new ways of teaching and providing student services. And as talks of reopening the economy begin, colleges and universities have started thinking about the fall 2020 semester. They're wondering if they should reopen at all—and what reopening will actually look like in a world where social distancing is still the norm.
Reopening in the fall will largely depend on public health orders, especially in regard to limits on the size of gatherings and the relaxation of international travel rules. With limits on gatherings, in-person classes would not be allowed to resume or would have dramatically reduced sizes. These limits will also impact student services, as financial departments and admissions offices are typically busier in the months leading up to, and at the start of, the fall semester. Global travel also impacts classes, as international students may not be able to continue their education if universities reopen while borders remain closed. This could have severe financial impacts on schools, many of which derive significant income from overseas students. Colleges and universities will need to consider COVID-19 education policies that leverage technology for class registration, student services, and classes. In essence, they'll have to reinvent higher education.
Classes and Office Hours
Continuing classes was the first consideration addressed by colleges and universities when stay-at-home orders began to unfold in March. Most colleges and universities quickly transitioned to online-only classes, using videoconferencing tools to keep students and professors safe. As everyone becomes accustomed to virtual classes, colleges and universities need to consider how to accommodate these evolving needs. Before the pandemic, most colleges and universities offered some form of online education, but they were never designed to be 100 percent digital. After the pandemic, schools are expected to see an increase in demand for classes, tests, and programs to become completely virtual. There are many benefits to this format, even without social distancing orders in place. With online classes, students in remote areas or who work full- and part-time jobs can better access education because distance and commute times are no longer a factor. International students can also remain enrolled in their colleges and universities even if borders remain closed. In a time of economic uncertainty, colleges and universities should consider virtual classes to raise enrollment rates and help the bottom line.
Office hours and meetings with professors can also be held virtually. Videoconferencing tools can be used to facilitate two-way interactions to ensure that students are getting personal experiences. During periods of increased demand, such as exam season, videoconferencing queue management systems can be implemented to ensure that all students have equal access to their professors. With queue management software, students join a virtual queue that provides them with their place in line and their wait time. They have the ability to do something else as they wait for the professor, as their place in line is maintained through an app. This increases student satisfaction. After the pandemic, higher education institutions will need to focus on alternative ways to keep students satisfied and engaged, as many may struggle with adjusting back to the "old" standards of the education system.
Student Services
For colleges and universities that are considering how to keep the admissions process for fall semester running smoothly while schools remain closed, a lot can be learned from institutions that have continuous enrollment. These institutions, such as the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology (SAIT), have already felt the impact of the pandemic on students looking to learn more about programs or admissions requirements.
Before the pandemic, SAIT managed its admissions department through phone calls, processing anywhere between 150 and 200 phone calls daily. When they realized that their campuses would be closing as a result of the pandemic, the institution knew that it needed to move the registrar's office online to help potential students, as well as help current students navigate the unknowns. SAIT quickly transitioned to a call center queue, where students could call in, receive information via text about their place in line and expected wait times, and receive a callback when someone was available to help them. In addition to the benefits for the students—the wait time to answer calls has become shorter, resulting in an improved student experience and fewer complaints—the staff are seeing benefits. Calls are now of a higher quality. Instead of misplaced calls to the registration office, more calls are coming through that are current students or real leads from prospective students.
For colleges and universities wondering how to improve the student experience while simultaneously keeping students and staff safe, call center queues can provide a high level of customer service. As questions regarding the fall semester start flowing in, student services will likely have a higher volume of calls to contend with, in addition to the regular questions about admissions and financial aid. Callback queues can be implemented quickly and will remain beneficial even after physical distancing requirements end. Santa Monica College, which transitioned to callback queues for its student services during the pandemic, said that the experience has been so positive that students have asked for the old system to be replaced entirely, especially since students can now sign up using their phone and get their questions answered—without ever having to step foot on campus.
In-Person Services
There are certain services that need to be done in person, or that schools would want to continue operating in person. In those instances, colleges and universities need to consider hygiene, social distancing orders, and limits on gatherings to keep students and staff healthy. Line management software can be implemented to help schools facilitate face-to-face interactions almost immediately. For Santa Monica College, the implementation of line management software before the pandemic helped to improve student satisfaction. There were also immense benefits to using it once the school began to reopen in-person services.
Before Santa Monica College implemented line management software, drop-in wait times during peak periods could frequently exceed two hours. Drop-in appointments were first-come, first-served, and after putting their name on the appointment list, students had to stay in the lobby in order to be seen. If they left and their name was called, they would lose their place in line. The line management software allows students to sign up virtually using their phone and receive texts informing them of the wait time and when a counselor is ready to see them. Instead of having students wait in a lobby, Santa Monica College found that students were able to attend classes, study, eat lunch, and be more productive. It was more efficient for staff, as there were fewer students leaving and inadvertently missing appointments. With the software, when someone missed their appointment, they would be moved down the line and the counselor could move onto a new student.
The pandemic has changed how people interact. After the pandemic, people may be hesitant or unable to wait in large groups or crowded waiting rooms. Line management software allows students to line up virtually, at a safe distance from other people. It also helps with hygiene—the virus can be spread via touchpoints, such as paper ticket machines. By allowing students to use their phones to virtually "take a number," there are no touchpoints that would spread the virus between students. For those who need face-to-face interaction, line management software is an easy solution to ensure that the health and safety of students and staff are a top priority.
An Uncertain Future
Planning for the future when so much of it is unknown can feel like a daunting and impossible task, but it is one facing all higher education institutions. Preparing for the worst-case scenario will ensure that universities and colleges are ready for whatever public health guidelines dictate. Technology can help them quickly and easily facilitate these transitions, as well as manage rehiring and finances as the economy takes a downturn. Solutions already exist, and have been implemented, to adhere to new health and safety guidelines when it is time to be back on campus. And when that moment arrives, higher education will be prepared for its new reality.
Kevin Grauman is the President and CEO of QLess.
© 2020 QLess.