It sounds counter-intuitive to think that you can get better with the help of your competition. But think about it. Maybe they are doing something better.
In many ways products and services are very similar these days, and at least in my opinion I don’t see a lot of “break-through” differences. So, in the crowded field of look-a-likes improving the customer journey may be a great way to differentiate.
One way to observe the competition is with competitive mystery shopping. I’d recommend a blind experience where the shopper does not know who the client is. It would also be smart to include the client in the data set.
We’re doing much more competitive shopping these days. And surprisingly, its for public institutions. Whether you are delivering local in-person classes or offering on-line instruction across the country you may be surprised what you’ll glean. Here’s a few nuggets from a couple of recent competitive studies.
Make Sure your Online Application is Working.
Sounds basic, but in one study we conducted 33% of the applications we submitted resulted in error messages. I’ve written before about reducing friction in the admissions process and this is a great example – 3 Reasons Why Community College Enrollment is Declining. If your applicants become frustrated with your form, they may just click over and start the process with your competitor.
Rethink the Value of Soft Skills and Creating a Connection.
One unlikely competitor emerged as impressing our evaluators over all other universities in the data set based solely on the student experience. The product was comparable, the price was similar, the delivery model was the same. The difference was the interest the enrollment advisor took in the prospect. And it was notable.
Map the Student Journey from Multiple Entry Points.
Over the years your institution (like one we shopped) may have developed different paths for different populations. A full time, first year student would interface primarily with admissions, a transfer student would be serviced through the registrar’s office, and a student desiring a single class would have an even different entry point and student journey. This creates confusion for students and sets your institution up to deliver a vastly different student experience.
Search for “Best of” Categories in your Competitive Study.
Which school created the best inquiry experience and why? Which school delivered the best program presentation? What school would the evaluator be most likely to enroll in (and why). And of course, the reverse – which school would the evaluator be least likely to enroll in.
Create a Scoring Rubric that Clearly Shows the Winners and Losers.
Although you’ll probably learn more by digging into the details of individual data points, your executive leadership will benefit more from a chart like the one below.
There’s a lot of actionable data to glean from shopping your competition. Don’t wait for them to steal market share. Learn how to improve your deliverable by benchmarking your competitors.
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