Students have many questions as they navigate the path to university. Whether they are first in their family to attend, moving to a new country or embarking on a career change, the process can feel overwhelming.

While university websites provide extensive information, students often seek reassurance and personalised advice. It’s no surprise that 40% of universities globally¹ report receiving more than 50,000 enquiries annually from prospective students – plus many more from current students. Institutions must find efficient ways to manage this workload while meeting student expectations for genuine support.

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Successful institutions see enquiries as an opportunity

Enquiries are a chance to engage with prospective students, improve conversion, and build advocacy and loyalty throughout the student lifecycle. Based on our experience working with universities worldwide, here are nine essential elements of a highly effective enquiries and sales operation:

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⭐ People and culture: hire the right team

Enquiry teams are at the frontline of student engagement, and their attitude makes all the difference. The best teams are student-centred, genuinely helpful and motivated to provide great service. Since many enquiries are similar year after year, it’s essential to keep morale high by recognising good work, sharing student success stories and reinforcing the value of the team’s role. Getting the team involved in orientation and student welcome activities can help them feel connected to students and see the impact of their work.

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⭐ Knowledge and skills: train your team for success

Ongoing training is crucial to ensure staff can confidently communicate the university’s key selling points and provide accurate, persuasive information. Sales training can help enquiry teams build confidence in guiding students through their decision-making journey. The biggest shift we see in our sales training sessions is when participants understand that ‘selling’ isn’t about pushing courses, but about helping students find the best fit and overcome barriers to enrolment. Strong listening skills and the ability to tailor responses to different student needs are invaluable.

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⭐ The right tech setup: a CRM is essential

Spreadsheets won’t cut it. A well-integrated CRM system ensures that all communication channels – email, web forms, live chat, phone – feed into a single source of truth. Yet, many institutions struggle with incomplete CRM integration. Our benchmarking research shows that while 80% of universities have a CRM², many don’t fully utilise it, and only half have marketing automation in place. Properly implemented systems help institutions track conversations, personalise responses and ensure no enquiry is lost.

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⭐ Choosing the right model: centralised vs. decentralised

There’s no single ‘best’ way to structure an enquiry team. Some universities succeed with a centralised team who deliver consistent and reliable service levels, while others have specialist teams for international students, specific faculties or accommodation. Some institutions use outsourcing for peak periods or set up regional hubs to provide localised support. Whatever the model, the key is ensuring a seamless student experience – without conflicting advice or endless referrals between departments.

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⭐ Processes and SLAs: keep things efficient and accountable

Enquiry handling shouldn’t just be about completing tasks. It’s about delivering the best outcome for each student. Clearly defined processes, service level agreements (SLAs) and escalation paths ensure timely responses. Universities should track response times and reallocate resources as needed. A ‘gold standard’ approach is to assign a dedicated advisor to each student and have them support the student through to enrolment, rather than bouncing them between different teams.

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⭐ Measuring performance: define success and track It

What does success look like? Enquiry functions should track customer satisfaction, response times, accuracy and conversion rates. Institutions that excel in enquiry management often have performance dashboards and internal quality assurance processes to monitor and improve service levels. Mystery shopping programs like our Enquiry Experience Tracker can provide benchmarking insights, highlighting areas where institutions outperform competitors or where they risk falling behind.

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⭐ Prioritisation: focus on the right enquiries

Nobody has an unlimited number of staff. When there’s a constant flow of enquiries, a ‘first come, first served’ approach is inefficient. Universities should define priorities based on recruitment goals – whether it’s increasing enrolments in key programs, reaching under-represented groups or focusing on high-intent prospective students. A well-structured triage system can help to ensure urgent or high-value enquiries receive the quickest attention and most personal service. CRM rules and automations can help categorise and prioritise leads efficiently.

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⭐ Content: make every reply count

The quality of your responses matters just as much as how fast you send them. Students don’t just want answers – they want advice, reassurance and a sense that someone understands their situation. That’s why every interaction is an opportunity to be both helpful and persuasive.

Avoid generic or overly templated replies. Instead, aim for tailored content that speaks directly to the student’s circumstances. A well-written response can showcase what your institution has to offer and demonstrate why it’s the right fit for them.

For example, if a prospective student mentions they’re returning to study and have young children, highlight your campus childcare facilities or flexible study options. If they’re moving from overseas, share a welcome video that introduces your city and student community. These small, personalised touches can make a big difference in building trust and confidence.

Audit your content and templates regularly to make sure they are accurate and reflect your brand’s personality and messaging.

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⭐ Follow-up: keep the conversation going

A strong enquiry management strategy doesn’t end with the enquiry response. Thoughtful follow-up of qualified leads – whether via personalised emails, event invitations or outbound calls – can keep students engaged. Lead nurture campaigns can help sustain interest over time, ensuring prospective students receive relevant, timely content as they make their decision. Collaboration between marketing and enquiry teams is essential to ensure quality leads are effectively managed and not left to go cold.

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A case study on JCU’s enquiry team transformation

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James Cook University (JCU) provides a standout example of successful enquiry management. Following an organisational change, JCU developed a specialist team for international student enquiries, focusing on personalised support to drive recruitment outcomes.

Edified's Enquiry Experience Tracker (EET) research provided visibility of service levels while the team worked on setting up new systems and structures. Mystery shopping feedback helped JCU to refine processes and update communication templates. Edified's sales and communications training empowered the team and strengthened their student-centred culture.

Within three years, JCU had a high-performing team delivering among the best service levels in Australia – a significant competitive advantage for a smaller, regional university. In 2024, the university received one of the highest EET scores in the world (75), demonstrating a successful transformation in service quality and student engagement. Their performance and recruitment impact was recognised with a Vice-Chancellor’s award, reinforcing the success of their strategic investment in enquiry management.

Sharni Cantatore, Team Leader, International Enquiries & Conversions, reflects on working with Edified during the journey:

"The Edified Enquiry Experience Tracker is a pivotal tool that provides an independent review of our team’s success and hard work to upper management. EET’s reporting and feedback acts as a helpful guide to improve processes, practices and contact channels for the year ahead. Our team’s success can be directly contributed to the EET and we will certainly endeavour to join the study each year that it is available.

The sales training really inspired and energised my team! The session was very interactive and not simply a divulge of information. My team was able to engage in an open dialogue with the facilitator and brainstorm our own unique selling points, conversation starters and procedural updates."

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Get in touch

How does your institution’s enquiry service compare? Investing in training, benchmarking and strategic improvements can make a significant difference in student engagement and conversion success.

Get in touch to discuss your needs and challenges.

Elissa Newall

Senior Partner

elissa@edified.com.au

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^{1, 2} Results from 74 universities and colleges surveyed as part of Edified’s Enquiry Experience Tracker across 2023 to 2025

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