What’s Inside?
- Harmonization of target processes across a global organization before large-scale deployment.
- Seamless integration between Salesforce and vertical school management software.
- Automation of follow-up actions and 360-degree visibility into family interactions.
Context
Our client is a world-renowned family of 70 premium international schools, educating over 51,000 students aged 2 to 18 across 29 countries. To maintain its high standards of excellence, the group selected our team to implement a global marketing and distribution solution designed to support its international admission activities.
Challenges
The primary objective was to implement a global CRM to harmonize disparate processes and structure the organization before embarking on a sustained rollout across its worldwide school network. A critical technical hurdle was the required integration with specific vertical “school management” software and various social media channels to ensure a fluid data flow.
The Solution
The architecture leverages a high-performance multi-cloud approach:
- Salesforce Sales Cloud: Serving as the unique global platform for admissions and parent collaboration.
- Talend & MS SQL: Used to bridge the gap between the new CRM and existing legacy school management systems.
- Web Services Integration: Connecting the platform to WeChat, regional websites, and Web-to-Lead captures for real-time inquiry management.
Our Contribution
As the strategic integration partner, our team led the end-to-end transformation:
- Process Redesign: Defining target processes and overhauling the data model to support a global scale.
- Agile Implementation: Deploying core functionalities and specific developments through an iterative sprint-based approach.
- Technical Orchestration: Configuring complex integrations with external systems and school management software.
- Change Management: Providing comprehensive documentation, coaching, and user training to ensure platform adoption across different regions.
Benefits
The unified platform has transformed the group’s operational agility and family engagement:
- Global Consistency: Implementation of unified processes across schools worldwide.
- Enhanced Parent Experience: A centered approach that improves engagement and family retention.
- 360-Degree Family View: A holistic perspective of family interactions, enabled by deep vertical software integration.
- Strategic Piloting: Real-time reporting and KPIs (including school capacity and forecasting) provide top management with critical decision-making data.
Key Figures & Dates
- Project duration: 11/2017 – Ongoing
- Workload: 1,710 man-days to date
- Impact: 520 users
