It is sometimes called, “The Lemming Effect,” where a group of people follow along unquestioningly with another group for no reason - other than the fact that a majority of their peers do so. Leaving independence behind, many choose to follow instead of taking the lead.
Choosing a software solution for recruitment and admissions may not seem analogous to this metaphor, but when you look closely at the way people make decisions, the end result could lead you into taking a leap of faith off a cliff.
We examine why people follow the crowd versus taking a more individualistic approach to decision making, and how following the crowd can lead to significant problems.
Social proof has become a powerful lure. You read reviews, you see prominent people quoted in articles, and you see other people’s supportive comments on those articles.
At first glance, it is easy to get swept up in the tide and think that another college or university’s software solution might be your solution.
According to Steve Martin, a Cialdini Method Certified Trainer, “Witnessing others behaving in a particular way will often lead us to “follow the crowd” in a largely automatic and unthinking fashion.”
Emphasis on the word “unthinking”! But, you aren’t just buying a shirt that can be returned if it doesn’t fit. An Admissions CRM solution is a large, long-term investment for colleges and universities, and the impact on your college admission process can be felt for years.
According to Dr. Robert Cialdini, author of the book Influence, “When making a decision, it would be nice to think that people consider all the available information in order to guide their thinking. But the reality is very often different. In the increasingly overloaded lives we lead, more than ever we need shortcuts or rules of thumb to guide our decision-making.”
In other words, people often use a principle of Consensus, or Popular is Good.
Because most of people do not have the time to increase their knowledge of all solutions and research each and every one to measure its usefulness, they rely on signals like popularity and peer institutions to influence their decisions.
Their thought process is...If everyone else is using a particular Admissions CRM solution, there is a good chance that software is our solution and worth our attention.
But, if this way of thinking leads you to go in with blinders on or just look at the positive reviews and not the negative ones, you could be missing the most important pieces of information about why it may not be right for you. Many times people tend to forget what makes them different from their peers and why an "Out of the Box" solution may not be the right one for them.
The principle of Authority is an additional factor that influences people’s decision making process. When people are uncertain about a decision, they follow the lead of others that they deem to be credible and knowledgeable experts.
In other words,when they see other high-profile colleges and universities using a particular solution, they feel swayed to make the same decision.
But, here is the point on making a decision like that...Very few schools are like a Harvard, so why would their solution make sense for you?
When you search on the internet, the crowd will most likely lead you to “software in a box” CRMs. So, it is not surprising that colleges and universities typically gravitate there first.
At first glance, you will see positive reviews about this type of software. But when you take the time to actually dig deeper, you will find some serious negatives too...length of time to get up and running (many times a year or more), lack of customer support (little help for process specific questions), not intuitive (things are in places you wouldn’t expect and fields are not labeled per your business practice.).
And, here is the biggest complaint that you rarely hear about...you have to pay for the CRM, even while it may take you a year or more to get it operational!
Each college and university has its own unique needs and challenges when it comes to admissions...pressure to meet enrollment numbers, pressure to process large numbers of applications, limited time to implement a new system, limited budget, lack of internal support staff, limited IT support...or in some cases, just not knowing where to start.
The “one size fits all” concept definitely doesn’t work when it comes to colleges and universities. What works for college A, doesn’t work for college B.
So, the last thing you want to do is invest money in a software solution and then find out it doesn’t work for you. Or worse, find out that the “out of the box” software you just bought requires that your IT department has to do programming to get it implemented. So your admissions process is in the hands of those that support the campus infrastructure. For most schools, campus IT folks don't have the time, nor the knowledge of your process to get the systems up and running quickly. All the while the clock is ticking and your are paying for a solution that can't even use.
These are not topics that your "out of the box" salesperson will discuss. Keep in mind that getting the system up and running is just half the battle, you then have to have IT people on staff to keep it going from year to year. Take a look at the schools you are following, do a search and see how many open IT positions they have to support their "out of the box" Admissions CRM. I think you will be quite surprised. All of sudden you will get the feeling that following the crowd may not have been the best choice after all.
It is important to really take time to assess your current process and set goals for how you want the new process to work. That way, when you start to look for a solution, you will have a better understanding of what will best meet your needs.
And, that will most likely not be the same “out of the box” CRM everyone else is using.
A custom admissions software solution is designed to meet your exact needs, can usually be implemented in a shorter lead time and often costs less. You should choose a partner that will work with you every step of the way and not charge you a penny until the software is up and running.
Here are the benefits of a custom CRM:
The decision to purchase an Admissions CRM software solution for your college or university recruitment and admissions process is a long-term investment that will have an impact for many years to come.
While it may be seem easier to follow the crowd and purchase an “out of the box” CRM, you will do your school a disservice by not seriously looking at a custom software solution as an option. You will get more than your typical CRM for less money.
Lastly, really take the time to find out who the people are behind the solution you choose. Do they really have an understanding of the recruitment and admissions process, or are they software people just trying to sell you software? Your implementation and long-term satisfaction depend on it.