iHud

What is iHud?

iHud is the name given to the University’s student customer relationship management (CRM) system.

iHud for enquirers and applicants

iHud is a portal that requires all enquirers to register their details. Once registered (via an enquiry form which is located on the University website), students have access to a tailored web page giving them information specific to the course/subject area that they have enquired about/applied for. iHud also records enquirer details so we can send them relevant and bespoke communications throughout the student journey, aiding conversions from enquirer to applicant (and applicant to enrolled students), helping us to build much better relationships with prospective students.

How are the communications managed?

The system is used to record all enquiries. Application information will be transferred from ASIS into the iHud system each night and records are matched so that conversion statistics can be calculated. Enrolment information will also be transferred at certain points in the year so that application to enrolment conversion can be undertaken at the end of each recruitment cycle.

The management of content and communications through the system will be undertaken by central marketing staff. Staff from areas across the University are asked to contribute content to support the project, but will not have access to send messages or post content direct to the system. If you have communication requests for UK enquirers/applicants, please use the iHud Email Request Form .

What do we measure? How does this benefit us?

The iHud system will enable us to communicate effectively with our enquirers and applicants, and allow the evaluation of that communication.

iHud allows us to improve our contact with potential students in the following key areas:

Critical timings – ensuring that relevant information is reaching the enquirer/applicant at the correct points in their journey.
Consistency of quality and branding including web and publications – so we demonstrate that we are an inspiring, innovative University of international renown.
Management and co-ordination of communications – we need to ensure that enquirers/applicants are not continually bombarded with communications from the University.
Accurate targeting – by segmenting the market, we can tailor messages to suit individual needs and interests and offer bespoke communications.

The aim of this activity is to improve the conversion rate from enquirer to applicant and from applicant to enrolled student. The iHud system allows us to measure these outcomes in a way that has not been possible previously.

iHud International

iHud is used to handle international enquirers in two ways. Firstly, all enquirers who UoH staff meet abroad are encouraged to join iHud from their own country, or, they are bulk uploaded and sent a welcome email with their login details. Secondly, all staff visits to a country are communicated to all enquirers from that country, with the visit details attached. EU applicants are handled by the iHud emails set up for the home market. Non-EU direct applicants are currently handled by emails sent out from the International Office, which direct them to the Applicant Portal to follow the progress of their application. Similarly, agents acting for non-EU applicants are directed to the Agents’ Portal so they can follow the progress of their student’s application.

If you have communication requests for International (including EU) enquirers/applicants, please contact Stephen Drysdale, Senior International Marketing and Alumni Officer s.drysdale@hud.ac.uk about using the iHud system for communication with international enquirers and applicants (this could include managing enquirer information, setting up events, changing iHud web page content, implementing communication plans and setting up reports).

Alumni

iHud (Alumni) is the new alumni communications system. All graduates who have an email address, up to and including the November 2011 graduation ceremonies, have been uploaded and sent a welcome email with their login details. Graduates must then “opt in” to active their Alumni Society membership and this is done by logging in to iHud (Alumni), editing their details and choosing their alumni interests. Going forward, graduates will be uploaded after each graduation ceremony.

The contacts for iHud (Alumni) are Stephen Drysdale s.drysdale@hud.ac.uk and Jane Key j.t.key@hud.ac.uk

Adviser

iHud adviser is a customer relationship management tool for teachers and advisers from our feeder schools and colleges. It enables us to communicate with these key influencers with branded e-mails throughout the year. Communications follow the UCAS cycle, providing timely and useful information and promoting our events and activities. Like iHud, iHud Adviser also provides a personalised web page tailored to the needs of teachers and advisers.

Events and interviews

This web based tool enables us to manage our open days, on campus visits, events and activities using iHud branded e-mails for consistency and continuity. This provides a seamless and efficient service for our prospective students and their key influencers, for example teachers/advisers and parents/carers.

Progression module

This formal programme of study provides an opportunity for students to investigate progression routes – primarily to Higher Education. Successful completion of the scheme earns the participant 30 UCAS points, recognised by the University of Huddersfield, Leeds Metropolitan University, Leeds Trinity University College and Bradford College. The 800 or so students who have signed up to the module are registered with their own special version of iHud that is tailored specifically to their needs.

If you have communication requests for UK enquirers/applicants, please use the iHud request form. If you have communication requests for International (including EU) enquirers/applicants, please contact Stephen Drysdale, Senior International Marketing and Alumni Officer s.drysdale@hud.ac.uk

Encouraging signup to iHud

Please encourage enquirers to sign up to iHud. If you are in regular contact with enquirers or applicants, please add the following footer to your staff signature on your email.

If you're interested in studying at Huddersfield, or have already applied, why not join iHud? iHud is a regularly updated, personalised web page which will provide you with all the latest news about student life, accommodation, subject area information, hints and tips about starting university and much more.

Sign up today at: http://www2.hud.ac.uk/ihud/

A note for enquiry teams – All enquirer details need to be logged via iHud (rather than ASIS) – please visit the iHud staff web page form to complete the form on the enquirer’s behalf - you can add this as a shortcut to your desktops for easy access. http://hud.hobsons.co.uk/emtinterestpage.aspx?ip=ihudstaff

If you are unable to collect the DOB from the enquirer, please input the generic DOB which will be 01/01/1940.

Unfortunately for email addresses, we are unable to enter a generic email address as the system will not accept duplicate records (the system will pick up duplicates if enquirers have the same email address along with name and DOB). If Staff are using the Staff iHud page, the email isn’t a mandatory field, so staff can leave this blank, but it will mean that the enquirer cannot be contacted through the system so it’s an option of last resort, please do always try to include an email address.