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A customer relationship management approach to improving certificate completion
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A customer relationship management approach to improving certificate completion
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Content
Running head: A CRM APPROACH TO IMPROVING CERTIFICATE COMPLETION
A Customer Relationship Management Approach to Improving Certificate Completion
by
Maria Cristina Sanford
A Dissertation Presented to the
FACULTY OF THE USC ROSSIER SCHOOL OF EDUCATION
UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree
DOCTOR OF EDUCATION
December 2019
Copyright December 2019 Maria Cristina Sanford
A CRM APPROACH TO IMPROVING CERTIFICATE COMPLETION 2
Dedication
This is dedicated to my grandmothers, Ascension and Ruth. These matriarchs were born
at the turn of the 20th century on different continents and did not speak the same language. My
grandmothers shared an unwavering belief in the power of education that they instilled in their
children who carried it through to their own families.
A CRM APPROACH TO IMPROVING CERTIFICATE COMPLETION 3
Acknowledgements
In 2009, I was accepted as a transfer student to an undergraduate program. At that time,
grad school was not on the horizon, much less a doctoral program. Along the way, I gained
clarity and refined my focus through conversations and the support of many individuals.
There are so many people who made this journey possible. Bill Heaton’s voice is the one
that I heard whenever my self-doubt was too much to bear. You said I could - and I did. I wish
you were here.
My parents, Mom, Dad, and Jean. Your lifelong pursuit of learning and volunteering
inspired me and taught me the importance of relationship building and cultivation. As the
original lifelong learners, your perseverance and unquenchable thirst for knowledge planted the
seed that made this journey possible.
Hermanos! Ray, Conchi, and Mandy, my consistent and reliable teammates who are
always there to lend an ear, support me with coffee, cake, and comradery. You are never far.
GAME – my grown children, Gabrielle, Alexandria, Mitchell, and Elizabeth - you are my
EVERYTHING! Your unity, love for one another, and genuine kindness make me proud to be
your mom – all day, every day.
To my first husband, Hector Manuel Luevano Escobar, who supported our children,
hosted holidays, wiped tears, and managed emergencies. And, most importantly, stood by me
when I had a hemorrhagic brain stroke in the third term of the program. Thank you for saving
my life. Thank you for becoming the father that our children and grandchildren deserve.
Dr. Seli, my chair, your unparalleled patience, responsiveness, and guidance made me a
better researcher, writer, and overall person. You are direct and kind. Thank you for accepting
A CRM APPROACH TO IMPROVING CERTIFICATE COMPLETION 4
my goal as your own. Dr. Bewley and Dr. Malloy, thank you for serving on my committee, for
reading my dissertation and providing me with actionable feedback.
Annette Webb opened the door to a masters in Higher Education. Without her
willingness to share her viewpoint and experience, I would have pursued an alternate path. I will
always cherish your mentorship and friendship.
I have frequently called myself a non-joiner and then I met my tribe. This group of
amazing individuals who I had the opportunity to work with for over a decade. You had a front
row seat to my personal and professional challenges and development. You became the subjects
of any recently learned theory, practice, or skill. Mary, Suzanne, Nancy, Abbey, Lauri, Stephen
and Kenji, you profoundly changed my life and altered my sense of belonging.
In our lives some conversations happen in the nick of time. As a result of an animated
and thought provoking discussion with Dr. Mary Sanford and Kim Snyder, I was open to the
possibility of CRM as a conduit for change.
Thank you.
A CRM APPROACH TO IMPROVING CERTIFICATE COMPLETION 5
Table of Contents
Dedication ........................................................................................................................... 2
Acknowledgements ............................................................................................................. 3
Abstract ............................................................................................................................... 7
Introduction to the Problem of Practice .............................................................................. 8
Importance of Addressing the Problem............................................................................. 10
Purpose of the Project and Questions ............................................................................... 12
Methodological Approach ................................................................................................. 13
Review of the Literature ................................................................................................... 13
Knowledge, Motivation and the Organizational Influences ............................................. 21
Conceptual Framework ..................................................................................................... 29
Data Collection and Instrumentation ................................................................................ 32
Findings............................................................................................................................. 35
Recommendations for Practice ......................................................................................... 52
Training Implementation Plan .......................................................................................... 63
Conclusion ........................................................................................................................ 66
References ......................................................................................................................... 67
Appendix A: Protocols ...................................................................................................... 75
Appendix B: Credibility and Trustworthiness .................................................................. 79
Appendix C: Ethics ........................................................................................................... 80
A CRM APPROACH TO IMPROVING CERTIFICATE COMPLETION 6
Appendix D: Limitations and Delimitations ..................................................................... 82
Appendix E: Definitions ................................................................................................... 83
Appendix F: Integrated Implementation and Evaluation Plan .......................................... 84
Appendix G: Training Plan Evaluation Instrument .......................................................... 95
A CRM APPROACH TO IMPROVING CERTIFICATE COMPLETION 7
Abstract
This qualitative case study explored the practices, views and perceptions of student
support personnel to understand which factors influence their performance. The research
questions examined the strengths and limitations that influence student support personnel’s
interactions with students and their ability to capture the interactions in the Customer
Relationship Management (CRM) system. This evaluative study employed Clark and Estes
(2008) gap analysis framework to examine the knowledge and motivation of student support
personnel and the organizational influences that impact their adoption of the CRM system and
their influence on certificate completion. The findings revealed areas of growth and
opportunities to improve the program representatives’ performance. The results and findings
formed a framework for developing a recommended training program. Utilizing the New World
Kirkpatrick Model (Kirkpatrick & Kirkpatrick, 2016), a training and evaluation program was
developed as the recommended action for reducing the gaps and aiding in the achievement of the
organizational goal.
Keywords: Adult Learners, Adult Students, CRM, Certificate Completion, Change
Management Customer Relationship Management System, Continuing Education, Enrollment
Management, Nontraditional Students, Student Support
A CRM APPROACH TO IMPROVING CERTIFICATE COMPLETION 8
Introduction to the Problem of Practice
As the second fastest growing postsecondary credential in the nation, certificates can
provide a viable alternative for the nearly 30% of high school graduates in the United States who
choose not to attend college and adults pursuing a career change. According to a 2017 report by
the U.S. Census Bureau, 45% of adult Americans, between the ages 25-64, hold a two-year
degree or higher. By the year 2020, two-thirds of the jobs in the labor market will require some
form of postsecondary education (Carnevale, Smith, & Strohl, 2013). Improving the low
certificate completion rates could help satisfy this increasing need for postsecondary education.
In January 2018, the National Center for Education and Statistics reported an upward trend in
certificate completion rates to 28% across all institutional types, with the greatest gains occurring
at private, nonprofit institutions. Community Colleges or Occupational College that are public
two-year institutions account for most certificate programs and the lowest completion rate, 22%.
Private for-profit institutions have the highest completion rate 60% with nonprofit institutions
trailing slightly behind at 55% (Postsecondary Graduation Rates, 2017). By the year 2030, the
demand for highly educated workers in California will outpace the supply by 1.1 million
(Johnson, Mejia, & Bohn, 2015). Improving retention and completion rates is one way that the
state’s public continuing education units can minimize the shortfall.
Organizational Context and Mission
The Western United States University (WUSU, a pseudonym) Continuing Education
Division is the community outreach branch of a highly selective, public research institution in
California. The Continuing Education Division is responsible for community development and
engagement by delivering certificate programs to residents who are unable or unwilling to
matriculate to the university. The division’s mission is to provide practical, quality learning
A CRM APPROACH TO IMPROVING CERTIFICATE COMPLETION 9
experiences for residents who wish to upskill or change careers. This fulfills a core system-wide
tenet to support and engage the community that surrounds each campus. The division’s vision is
to support students to advance and achieve as they push themselves beyond their personal
boundaries. In 2017, the division provided practical instruction through eight certificate
programs to 5,000 career minded individuals. The students served include 96% who are 26 years
old, 78% hold an Associate’s degree or above, 76% have dependents, and 70% are employed
full-time. The community is strengthened and becomes more vibrant when students succeed in
their academic pursuits.
The division has internal and external stakeholders. The internal stakeholders include
students, instructors, executive leadership, senior management, and staff. Executive leadership
and senior managers set the goals for the organization. The staff group is comprised of middle
managers, administrative, student services, program coordinators and representatives, and
curriculum developers who implement strategies that lead to goal attainment. The Student
Journey Workgroup is a cross-functional team whose members act on behalf of their individual
departments.
The division’s Marketing Department has used a Customer Relationship Management
(CRM) system to capture, respond and communicate with inquiries since 2009. The program
representatives have interacted with the CRM system from the division’s initial introduction to
CRM. In 2017, the organization made a strategic decision to invest in a third CRM system, one
that provided a native integration with the division’s student information system. Payne and
Frow (2005) advanced a definition of CRM that extends beyond a systems solution as an
approach that creates value for constituents through relationships, “CRM provides enhanced
A CRM APPROACH TO IMPROVING CERTIFICATE COMPLETION 10
opportunities to use data and information to both understand customers and cocreate value with
them.”
Importance of Addressing the Problem
There are four reasons to improve the certificate completion rate: labor market needs, the
University’s reputation, revenue generation, and the region’s post-secondary educational
attainment rate. First, improving certificate completion rates is important for the national and
state labor market (Carnevale, Smith, & Strohl, 2013; Johnson & Christensen, 2015). Second, as
a highly selective institution, WUSU’s steadily increasing undergraduate and graduate
completion rates are 30% higher than the national average. In support of the institution’s overall
reputation, the certificate completion rate should be tracking higher than the average rate of
nonprofit institutions. Third, as a nonprofit, self-sustaining unit the division is not eligible for
government funds. Thus, the division’s existence depends on revenue generated from
enrollments. The division is also a lucrative revenue stream for the central campus and
individual campus schools and units. Lastly, when students complete their program, they
develop greater affinity for the institution and become advocates for the university, the division
and their profession. In that regard, the organization has simultaneously maximized the student’s
lifetime value and raised the educational attainment levels of the residents. Where residents have
higher education levels, there is higher civic engagement, less poverty and less crime, thus
contributing to the community’s vibrancy.
Organizational Performance Status
Over the past 10 years, the continuing education division has faced declining revenue and
returning student enrollments. Redeploying resources to increase international recruitment,
raising tuition, budget cuts and layoffs, addressed revenue shortfalls. While these measures
A CRM APPROACH TO IMPROVING CERTIFICATE COMPLETION 11
addressed the shortfalls, they did not build enrollments, increase returning student enrollments or
improve completion rates. After nearly a decade of stopgap measures, the organization is not on
track to meet the 2021 goal of an 80% program completion goal.
Organizational Performance Goal
In 2009, the division’s leadership established a set of goals related to overall student
academic achievement with a goal date of June 30, 2021. Over the previous eight years, the
division has made inroads toward increasing the number of inquiries, applicants, and new
enrollments; however, the graduation rate has stalled and is beginning to decline. The focus of
this study is the graduation goal: the graduation, or certificate completion, rate will be 80% of
total certificate candidates. When this goal was established, the rate was 58%. It climbed to
59% and has dropped over the past two years to 52%.
Stakeholder Group of Focus and Stakeholder Goal
The division is a lean organization with 150 full-time staff members supporting 5,000
students during the 2017 academic year. Curriculum and coursework are developed with an
instructor pool that is comprised of part-time, contract practitioners who hold advanced degrees.
The academic departments function as autonomous units that include curriculum developers,
program coordinators, and program representatives. While the contribution of all stakeholders
will contribute to the attainment of the overall organizational goal to improve program
completion to 80% by June 2021, for practical purposes, only one stakeholder group will serve
as the focus of this study. Program Representatives interact with students throughout the entire
student lifecycle. As such, a study that examines student completion rates should include a
stakeholder group with a high-degree of contact and influence with students. The stakeholder
A CRM APPROACH TO IMPROVING CERTIFICATE COMPLETION 12
group reviewed in this study is any student facing staff member whose work consists of advising
students and documenting student interactions.
Table 1
Organizational and Stakeholder Performance Goals
Organizational Performance Goal
Improve the certificate completion rate from 52% to 80% by June 30, 2021.
Stakeholder Performance Goal
By June 2019, program representatives will utilize the CRM to capture interactions,
increase engagement and retain certificate candidates.
Purpose of the Project and Questions
The purpose of this project was to conduct a gap analysis that examined the factors that
influence the attainment of the organizational goal, that 80% of the certificate candidates will
complete their programs by June 30, 2019. The gap analysis used the Clark and Estes (2008)
framework to examine the root causes of the organizational problem, a 48% student dropout rate.
The purpose of study the was to identify the retention practices of student support personnel,
their use of the CRM system and their influence on certificate completion.
The organizational goal states that the certificate completion rate will be 80% by June
2021. The current certificate completion rate is 52%.
As such, the questions that guided this analysis were the following:
1. What is the Program Representatives knowledge and motivation related to the use of
CRM to improve student retention and program completion?
A CRM APPROACH TO IMPROVING CERTIFICATE COMPLETION 13
2. How does the organizational culture and context support or inhibit the Program
Representatives ability to apply CRM to improve student retention and program
completion?
3. What are the recommendations for organizational practice in the areas of knowledge,
motivation, and organizational resources that could improve the Program
Representatives use of CRM?
Methodological Approach
This study used a qualitative approach for examining and explaining how Customer
Relationship Management is used to retain adult students at WUSU. In this case, adult student
retention refers to students pursuing a certificate. This study builds on the prior literature base
surrounding adult student retention and CRM system adoption and implementation by examining
a single case study in a continuing education unit. This method garnered deeper understanding
of how student support personnel’s knowledge, motivation and the organizational culture
influence certificate completion rates.
Review of the Literature
The following reviews the literature related to adult students and Customer Relationship
Management. The adult student section examines the importance of engagement, adult student
characteristics, adult student expectations, and the levels of support needed by adult students.
The CRM section explores the applicability of CRM, how CRM can address student retention
and concludes with the importance of resourcing a CRM. After the general research review,
theories pertaining to knowledge, motivation, and organizational influences are explained.
A CRM APPROACH TO IMPROVING CERTIFICATE COMPLETION 14
The Importance of Fostering Engagement
Student persistence and engagement has been the subject of studies for the past four
decades establishing a link between student departure and student engagement levels (Astin,
1984; Kuh, 2009; Pascarella & Terenzini, 2005). As the percentage of adult students has grown,
an interest in factors that influence their persistence has emerged (Fentry, Messemer, & Rogers,
2016). Nontraditional students pursuing certificate programs may also be referred to as adult
learners or lifelong learners (Nontraditional Undergraduates / Definitions and Data, 1996). The
remainder of this study will use the term adult students to encompass the interchangeable terms
of adult learners, lifelong learners, and nontraditional students.
Factors influencing adult student persistence in postsecondary programs. Over the
past four decades, participation in postsecondary education has increased across student and
institutional types (Postsecondary Graduation Rates, 2017). Completion rates have not increased
at a commensurate pace. Nearly half of all students who enroll in postsecondary programs fail to
persist to completion (Persistence and Retention, 2018; Radford, Berkner, Wheeless, &
Shepherd, 2010). Adult students are more likely to abandon their studies in the first year, which
contributes to the 48% dropout rate for this population (Choy, 2002). Adult students face
external pressures from dependents, employers, and financial commitments that their traditional
counterparts do not. Further, the expectations of adult students are informed by their experiences
as professionals and consumers.
The average certificate completion rate for adult students is 50% (Postsecondary
Graduation Rates, 2017). The departure rate of adult students is higher between the first and
second years and remains constant between the second and third years (Choy, 2002). Half of all
dropouts abandon their studies for reasons unrelated to academic performance (Kerby, 2015).
A CRM APPROACH TO IMPROVING CERTIFICATE COMPLETION 15
Adult students have at least one of two primary characteristics and at least one secondary
characteristic (Choy, 2002; Wyatt, 2011). In their 1996 study of enrollment and persistence
trends, Horn and Carroll (1996) identified the primary characteristics: 25 years of age or older
and a substantial gap between high school and college; and the secondary characteristics: attend
school part-time, work full-time, financially independent, has dependents other than a spouse, is
a single parent or may not have a high school diploma. The number of secondary characteristics
an adult student has can predict students propensity for depart ure and exposure to stress-
inducing situations (Forbus, Newbold, & Mehta, 2011; Horn & Carroll, 1996). Adult students
need support to manage the non-academic obstacles they face, and that form part of their
identity.
In some cases, adult students learn coping mechanisms from the external pressures they
face. Adult students are at different stages in their lives, which requires them to use different
time-management and coping strategies to navigate the demands of work and life (Gilardi &
Guglielmetti, 2011; Kasworm & Pike, 1994). The coping mechanisms that adults develop in
their professional lives are effective methods they use to manage stress-inducing situations
(Forbus et al., 2011). Solution focused active coping mechanism include: time management,
planning, working with a tutor, and allocating more study time.
An employed student’s status, full-time or part-time, has little impact on their persistence
(Gilardi & Guglielmetti, 2011). However, students who are employed by an organization that
does not support their educational pursuits are more likely to abandon their studies. Students
gain many benefits from employment. Employed adult students found it easier to connect
coursework to their professional work (Gilardi & Guglielmetti, 2011; Hadfield, 2003). Employer
A CRM APPROACH TO IMPROVING CERTIFICATE COMPLETION 16
support and deepening the learning are essential by-products of employment and employment is
a relatively insignificant factor in student persistence.
Adult students are self-directed learners who enroll in programs for a specific purpose
related to career advancement or retraining. They are in transition and expect educational
institutions to be adaptive, creative, flexible, and innovative in curriculum development, delivery,
and engagement strategies (Choy, 2002). Adult students want to be viewed as partners in their
education. They view themselves as consumers and demand experiences that enhance their lives
(Hadfield, 2003). In her 2011 study of nontraditional student engagement, Wyatt (2011) found
that difficult or non-responsive program representatives, coupled with complicated processes,
leave students feeling detached and disengaged. Student service professionals need to recognize
that adult students are highly motivated, experienced individuals who require coaching and
encouragement (Kasworm, 2014; Wyatt, 2011). Adult students do not want to be bounced
around for answers to their questions. They expect all campus constituents to have access to
information that is accurate. Students prefer the ability to meet with advisors at their
convenience and feel valued when support services are open when they are on campus (Hadfield,
2003). Adult students have formed expectations of their educational experience based on their
personal and professional lives. Higher education institutions that adjust their student support
services to meet the needs and expectations of the students they serve to send a powerful
message of commitment.
Supporting adult students. Staff, faculty, and administrators create experiences that
promote individual students interpersonal growth and learning. Adult students with multiple
secondary characteristics require additional support to prepare them for academic study. Student
support services delivered to students must be tailored to meet their needs and reflect their goals
A CRM APPROACH TO IMPROVING CERTIFICATE COMPLETION 17
(Ezeonu, 2011). In their 2011 study, Forbus et al. (2011) found that interactions and strong ties
with campus constituents helped students navigate internal and external stressors. Students who
formed non-classroom relationships and accessed available support services had a higher
probability of continuing their studies (Gilardi & Guglielmetti, 2011; Kasworm & Pike, 1994).
Encouragement from staff or faculty helps students progress toward their educational and
professional goals (Choy, 2002; Horn & Carroll, 1996; Wyatt, 2011). When institutions provide
safe, comfortable environments, and tools to navigate the system, adult students can make
progress and view themselves as successful students.
Intentional institutional support designed to integrate students into the learning
environment is critical. Kuh (2003) suggested that, although the optimal number of interactions
depends on the student and the institution, engagement matters as they build a students capa city
to learn and develop. The path to pursuing postsecondary education in adulthood is nonlinear
and differs based on student experiences and life events (Crossan, Field, Gallacher, & Merrill,
2003). As such, programs designed to address life experiences build autonomy and self-efficacy.
Adaptive programs and services are designed to meet the needs of adult students who are more
susceptible to dissatisfaction and disconnection (Wyatt, 2011). Student support programs are not
sustainable in isolation and require campus-wide collaboration and commitment.
Family-oriented campus events appealed to adult students, but they rarely received
communication about extra-curricular opportunities, asserted Wyatt (2011). Aesthetically
appealing and ergonomically designed spaces are inviting (Hadfield, 2003; Kerby, 2015; Wyatt,
2011). Basic orientations include location, policies and practices, communication channels,
technology training, and available support. Staff, advisors, and faculty understand student needs
and treat them with respect and maturity. Acknowledgment of prior learning is critical to
A CRM APPROACH TO IMPROVING CERTIFICATE COMPLETION 18
engagement. Successful programs foster self-direction and autonomy. Integrated approaches to
learning include work and life experiences in the curriculum. Training develops skills,
knowledge, and ability to complete their program. Positively resolving student complaints
impacts retention. Customer services are the single most crucial factor in determining student
satisfaction and loyalty (Hadfield, 2003; Wyatt, 2011). Students who develop an affinity for their
institution are engaged and persist to program completion (Kerby, 2015). Institutions should
learn students’ experiences and needs by pulling them into a dialogue. Discussions about
students decision -making process could provide valuable insights about what students value.
This study will explore the interaction and engagement techniques employed by the program
representatives to retain and support their adult students through program completion.
Customer Relationship Management
There seems to be general agreement in the business environment by academics and
practitioners that exceptional technology and process cannot curtail the human factor, which
encompasses organizational commitment from leadership, employees commitment, resource
allocation, and incentives. Customer Relationship Management (CRM) is a multidimensional
concept based on relationship management that encompasses strategy, process, and technology.
Up to 75% of CRM implementations are deemed failures by their stakeholders (Payne & Frow,
2005). Most firms adopting a CRM have focused on system implementation and technology and
ignored strategy (Keramati, Mehrabi, & Mojir 2010; Payne & Frow, 2005; Peelen, van Montfort,
Beltman, & Klerkx, 2009). When organizations view CRM systems as a technical solution or a
function of marketing, they fail to understand and harness the full power of CRM (Garrido-
Moreno, Lockett, & García-Morales, 2014; Khodakarami & Chan, 2012). Lastly, many
organizations focus on building the customer base by soliciting and converting new customers,
A CRM APPROACH TO IMPROVING CERTIFICATE COMPLETION 19
the acquisition stage of the customer lifecycle. The most significant gains realized from CRM
systems occur during the customer maintenance stage (Reinartz, Kraft, & Hoyer, 2004). In his
2014 study of student retention in higher education, Fontaine (mapped customer relationship
management to student enrollment management. The maintenance stage aligns with the
reenrollment and retention stages of the student lifecycle (Fontaine, 2014; Reinartz et al., 2004).
Leveraging CRM systems to create knowledge. Knowledge management can be
divided into three categories: knowledge for, about, and from customers (Garrido-Moreno,
Lockett, & García-Morales, 2014; Kohler Giancola, Grawitch, & Borchert, 2009; Khodakarami
& Chan, 2012). Organizations that successfully gather, manage, and share this information can
leverage the knowledge to create a competitive advantage (Khodakarami & Chan, 2012).
Herridge and Heil (2004) described predictive modeling as a process that compares student
characteristics with institutional data to determine the probability of student retention and
program completion. Predictive modeling assists institutions in delivering custom support based
on the student’s anticipated need. Institutions use CRM systems to collect and create a
knowledge bank of student-based information (Garrido-Moreno et al., 2014). Student-generated
knowledge is vital for improvements to process, service, and new program development. CRM
systems can be used to evaluate and connect with students. Users translate the gathered
information into wide-ranging knowledge of the organization that informs practices that address
student needs (Garrido-Moreno et al., 2014; Stachowski, 2011). Tailored experiences and
interactions based on the knowledge generated from a CRM system signal an understanding of
the student’s needs and wants (Stachowski, 2011).
Adopting a customer-centric CRM strategy. When schools use CRM systems for
student-oriented functions, they can reduce the number of dropouts by improving student
A CRM APPROACH TO IMPROVING CERTIFICATE COMPLETION 20
satisfaction, characterizing student needs and delivering assistance aligned with the identified
needs (Hrnjic, 2016; Rigo et al., 2016; Seeman & O’Hara, 2006). Beloin’s 2018 study found
that a CRM system can enhance a detailed student retention plan, but it is not a replacement for a
feeble plan. A sustainable and comprehensive process begins with a planned and coordinated
effort that includes all stakeholder groups who are expected to interact with the CRM system
(Beloin, 2018). CRM is a complex, iterative process that necessitates a holistic approach to
successful implementation and adoption (Beloin, 2018; de Juan-Jordán, Guijarro-García, &
Hernandez Gadea, 2018; Ogunnaike, Tairat, & Emmanuel, 2014; Peelen, van Montfort, Beltman,
& Klerkx, 2009).
Resourcing CRM to ensure success. Adoption of a CRM technology does not shift the
organization toward a relationship management mindset (Ko, Kim, Kim, & Woo, 2008). Before
starting a CRM strategy, the entire organization must engage in dialogue, assessment, and value
creation (Keramati et al., 2010). An approach that includes process orientation, information,
training, and cultural shifts surfaces when organizations emphasize value-driven, customer-
centric services (Payne & Frow, 2005; Peelen, van Montfort, Beltman, & Klerkx, 2009).
Communications that establish the goals and priorities of the organization need to occur before
the implementation of a CRM system (Keramati et al., 2010). When firms adopted an
organizational growth mindset, they searched for innovative ways to work and found more value
in the CRM than firms that were protecting their positions or reacting to changes in the market
(Ko et al., 2008). Users view CRM systems that are incorporated in the Enterprise Resource
Planning as an added tool and not a burden. Garrido-Moreno et al. (2014) found that the CRM
technology, the system selected, is less critical than organizational commitment and the
infrastructure.
A CRM APPROACH TO IMPROVING CERTIFICATE COMPLETION 21
Knowledge, Motivation and the Organizational Influences
Clark and Estes (2008) advanced a gap analysis framework that begins by identifying the
organizational goals and individuals’ performance goals. After clarifying the organizational
performance goal and establishing whether it remains relevant, gaps are analyzed and grouped in
three possible causes: insufficient knowledge, lack of motivation, limited organizational support
or any combination of the three (Clark & Estes, 2008). Implementation of research-based
solutions that address the identified gaps follow the gap categorizations stage. Using Clark and
Estes (2008) framework the following section addresses the knowledge, motivation, and
organizational needs of program representatives to attain the performance goal of using a CRM
system to capture interactions, increase engagements and retain certificate candidates.
Knowledge Influences
Knowledge can be grouped into three types: declarative, procedural, and metacognitive
(Krathwohl & Anderson, 2002; Rueda, 2011). Declarative knowledge is made up of factual and
conceptual knowledge. Factual knowledge is isolated content that includes facts, elements, and
terms (Rueda, 2011). These elements do not change and are learned through rote memorization.
When learners connect key concepts within an area and organize the information, they are using
conceptual knowledge (Krathwohl & Anderson, 2002; Rueda, 2011). Conceptual knowledge
might include concepts, processes, or principles. Procedural knowledge is the process required
for executing a task or knowing how to do something. This knowledge type includes skills,
techniques and methods, and decision-making criteria. Metacognitive knowledge is a higher-
order thinking skill that includes knowing how and when to apply knowledge, skills, or strategies
in specific situations to solve problems (Krathwohl & Anderson, 2002; Rueda, 2011). Learners
build metacognitive knowledge through awareness of their skills, ability, and thought processes.
A CRM APPROACH TO IMPROVING CERTIFICATE COMPLETION 22
Knowledge of adult student characteristics, their expectations, and the influence on
persistence and retention. Student engagement is an essential indicator of student persistence
and success (Braxton, Hirschy, & McClendron, 2011). Adult students are more engaged in the
classroom, spend more time completing assignments, and attend class prepared than traditional
students (Wyatt, 2011). Adult students face competing priorities and do not want to engage in
off-campus or student life activities, and they want a welcoming, clean, safe, and aesthetically
pleasing learning environment. It is imperative that program representatives understand the
importance of student engagement and how it applies to the students they serve. Knowledge of
student engagement, its influencers, and its effect on student persistence and success are
fundamental concepts that staff members should possess to understand the importance and
impact of organizational processes and personal interactions. Program representatives need an
organization with a culture of learning that supports their knowledge acquisition. When
organizations prioritize organizational knowledge, employees feel supported and develop
autonomy.
Knowledge to use CRM to support student retention and program completion.
Adult students, whose expectations are informed by prior personal and professional experiences,
enroll in a program for a specific purpose, either career advancement or retraining (Schuetze,
2014; Wyatt, 2011). Adult students avoid interacting with staff because they do not want to be
treated like children, and they are not confident that staff members can provide adequate
assistance (Wyatt, 2011). Furthermore, adult students have different characteristics that impact
their experience, expectations, needs, and motivation (Schuetze, 2014; Wyatt, 2011). When
schools use CRM systems for student-oriented functions, they can improve student satisfaction
by characterizing student needs and delivering assistance (Hrnjic, 2016; Rigo et al., 2016;
A CRM APPROACH TO IMPROVING CERTIFICATE COMPLETION 23
Seeman & O’Hara, 2006). Knowing the characteristics of the students that the organization
serves may influence the service provided by program representatives. Program representatives
who do not know and understand the implications of the characteristics may be unable to provide
adequate support.
Knowledge to document and capture interactions in the CRM system. Procedural
knowledge is the process required for executing a task or knowing how to do something. This
includes skills, techniques and methods, and decision-making criteria. Individuals with
procedural knowledge have the skills to determine which tools, techniques, or methods to
employ (Krathwohl & Anderson, 2002). The first procedural influence in Table 2 assumes that
staff members need to know how to document and capture interactions in the CRM system.
Stachowski (2011) found that organizations that customize interactions with students based on
system generated knowledge demonstrate an understanding of the student’s needs and wants.
Knowledge of system reports to monitor and evaluate student retention and
program completion. Individuals apply what they learn when they organize knowledge
influences (Schraw, Kauffman, & Lehman, 2006). Program representatives who receive job aid
supported instructions will know how to access data, review reports, and monitor student
engagement. In their 2018 study that analyzed CRM systems in higher education, de Juan-
Jordán et al. asserted that CRM systems improve processes and operations by automating tasks
to free staff time to improve the quality of interactions with students.
Knowledge to adapt interactions to individual student needs. Modeled behavior is
more likely to be adopted if the model and the behavior have practical value (Denler, Wolters, &
Benzon, 2006). Staff members who participate in learning opportunities that model the different
types of interactions with adult students will learn how to apply the steps that foster student
A CRM APPROACH TO IMPROVING CERTIFICATE COMPLETION 24
engagement and have an opportunity to practice and receive feedback. Adult students expect
higher education instittuions to meet their expectations and enhance their experience (Hadfield,
2003; Wyatt, 2011).
The assumed knowledge influences, type of knowledge, and the assessments used to
ascertain the program representatives’ level of knowledge are noted in Table 2.
Table 2
Knowledge Influences
Knowledge Influence Knowledge Type
(i.e., declarative,
procedural, or
metacognitive)
Knowledge Influence
Assessment
Program Representatives need to
know how to use CRM to support
student retention and program
completion.
Declarative Measure understanding of
relationship management
through qualitative assessments.
Program Representatives need to
know how adult student
characteristics and expectations
influence their retention and
program completion.
Declarative Identification of a collective
definition of the characteristics,
experiences and expectations of
adult students through qualitative
assessments.
Program Representatives need to
know how to document and
capture interactions in the CRM
system.
Procedural Review of CRM system training
materials and post CRM system
training evaluations and
feedback.
Program Representatives need to
know how to use reports in the
CRM system, student information
system, and data warehouse, to
monitor and evaluate student
retention and program completion.
Procedural Review of CRM system usage
reports.
Measure understanding of the
steps used to monitor and
evaluate retention.
Program Representatives need to
know how to adjust the frequency
and types of interactions based on
individual student needs.
Metacognitive Reflection related to using the
CRM system and their
perception of interactions with
students
A CRM APPROACH TO IMPROVING CERTIFICATE COMPLETION 25
Motivation Influences
Motivation explains the reason an individual applied a learned process (Mayer, 2011). In
combination, motivation and knowledge lead to learning. Clark and Estes (2008) asserted that
motivation is equally, or more, important than knowledge in learning as both improve skill
development that translates to better organizational performance (Clark & Estes, 2008; Rueda,
2011). Thus, it is crucial to evaluate and understand stakeholder motivation as it is an integral
aspect of goal attainment (Clark & Estes, 2008). Motivation is manifested in three behavioral
indices: choice, persistence, and mental effort. Expectancy-Value Theory and Attribution Theory
posit that interested employees are motivated individuals who understand and value their work
and believe in their ability to complete the assignment (Anderman & Anderman, 2006; Pintrich,
2003; Schraw et al., 2009).
Expectancy Value Theory. Expectancy-Value Theory is a combination of a belief in
ones abilities and the value of success (Eccles, 2006). Self -efficacy is the belief that one can
perform a task. Expectancy is the likelihood that the behavior will have a successful outcome.
Value is related to the importance attached to the expected outcome. An individuals belief in
his/her ability to complete a task leads to persistence, mental effort, and performance. Even
when self-belief is evident when value is not attached then successful outcomes are unlikely
(Eccles, 2006). Active choice is unlocked when value is attached to an outcome (Pajares, 2006).
Additionally, the amount of effort exerted is related to the perceived value of the outcome.
Utility value, a subset of perceived value, refers to how useful the task is for reaching future
goals (Eccles, 2006; Rueda, 2011).
Value the application of CRM to improve student retention and program
completion. Bash (2011) asserted that support systems are important factors in student success
A CRM APPROACH TO IMPROVING CERTIFICATE COMPLETION 26
and that these systems enhance skill development and improve student learning. Moreover,
institutions can intentionally create interactions between the various campus stakeholders and
adult students (Long, 2011). Quality interactions between program representatives and students
contribute to student persistence and success (Bash, 2011). Program representatives must value
actively engaging inlearning strategies for using the CRM system to improve student persistence
and success. Besides, they must internalize the connection between developing these new skills
and student success, to value the latter over the perceived cost of skills acquisition.
Attribution theory. Attribution is a self-management theory that explains why response
to the same event differs by individuals (Anderman & Anderman, 2006; Rueda, 2011). Three
dimensions are used to understand how individuals perceive the causes of success and failure:
locus, controllability, and stability. For example, program representatives who believe that their
consistent use of the CRM system to interact with students and foster engagement, will lead to
improved student retention and program completion. Program representatives should believe
that through their engagement efforts, students will persist.
Belief that using the CRM system will improve student persistence and program
completion. Staff members should believe that their effort is important for students to persist to
completion. The research indicates a positive correlation between the level of support provided
to students and their success (Crossan, Field, Gallacher, & Merrill, 2003). Adult students who
view themselves as co-creators in their educational experience, must receive value from their
interactions and be equally engaged in creating the meaning of value (Hadfield, 2003; Payne &
Frow, 2005). Students who receive the support that requires interaction and feedback through a
CRM system are more likely to persist and succeed. Program representatives belief that they
can control the student experience through the level of support they provide will develop utility
A CRM APPROACH TO IMPROVING CERTIFICATE COMPLETION 27
value. Furthermore, motivated staff will believe that students persist and are successful because
of the program representatives effort and service.
Assumed motivational influences, previously defined motivational theories as specified
for program representatives, and the assessment instruments are noted in Table 3.
Table 3
Motivational Influences
Motivation Construct Assumed Motivation Influences
Expectancy Value Program Representatives must value the
application of CRM to improve student
retention and program completion.
Attribution Program Representatives must believe that
when students do not reenroll and complete
their program it is partially due to the Program
Representative’s inability to apply CRM
strategies.
Utility Value Program representatives must believe that
using the CRM system will improve student
persistence and program completion.
Organization Influences
Stakeholders may have the necessary knowledge and motivation to reach their objective.
However, if the organizational resources, processes, cultural setting and models are not aligned
and deployed to support the goal, then the stakeholders will not succeed (Clark & Estes, 2008).
The stakeholder group, as well as the broader organization, need to receive regular, inspirational
communications that indicate how student completion is aligned with the organizational vision.
When the stakeholder group understands how the goal fits with the primary objectives and goals
of the organization, they will review their practice and align tasks and strategies with the vision.
Like social cognitive theory, cultural theory asserts that change is nonlinear, iterative, and chaotic
(Kezar, 2001). In cultural theory, leaders shape the change process, individuals interpret it, bring
A CRM APPROACH TO IMPROVING CERTIFICATE COMPLETION 28
meaning to it, and are the doers that make change happen (Kezar, 2001). Successful change
realigns the organization’s mission, vision, capacity, structure, strategy and direction (Schein,
2004). However, this realignment cannot occur without first understanding the organization’s
values, stakeholders, employee rewards, and resource allocation and support (Schneider, Brief, &
Guzzo, 1996 ).
Organizations build capacity for change through knowledge building (Hendry, 1996).
Senge (1990) described two types of learning: adaptive and generative. Adaptive learning is
reactive and occurs in response to something, while generative learning is proactive, future
leaning, and relies on vision (Senge, 1990). While developing processes and procedures to
operationalize and execute daily work is necessary, those steps do not create a culture of
learning. Likewise, the opportunity of professional development is also insufficient as it
promotes individual learning. The prioritization and recognition of organizational knowledge
supports the creation of new knowledge as well as the development of different ways to examine
and address student persistence. Keramati et al. (2010) suggested leveraging existing, internal
resources who have existing organizational process knowledge by training them-up with CRM
system skills.
Before program representatives can develop self-efficacy and know how their actions
influence student success, the organization needs to measure and report how students are
persisting. Diagnostic benchmarking examines an organization’s overall health by examining
the complexities of the organization and the characteristics of the people it serves (Dowd, 2005).
By leveraging data, the program representatives can amend their practices and improve their
interactions with students. Through metacognitive awareness and improvement, program
representatives will develop the belief that their actions affect student completion.
A CRM APPROACH TO IMPROVING CERTIFICATE COMPLETION 29
Table 4 shows the assumed organization’s cultural model and cultural setting influences
needed to support program representatives in meeting the goal to improve certificate completion
rates.
Table 4
Organizational Influences
Organizational Influences
Cultural Model The organization needs to create a culture of
learning related to the adoption of a CRM
system and relationship management
Cultural Setting The organization needs to communicate a
CRM Vision that prioritizes the improvement
of student retention and program completion.
Cultural Setting The organization needs to measure and
report student retention and program
completion data across the student lifecycle.
Conceptual Framework
Qualitative studies can be strengthened by the conceptual framework used to guide the
study (Maxwell, 2013; Merriam & Tisdell, 2016). The power of the conceptual framework lies
in its capacity to explain how the various factors in a study interact (Maxwell, 2013).
Conceptual frameworks can present a tentative theory that is built through connections generated
during the research. Both Maxwell (2013) and Merriam and Tisdell (2016) advanced four
constructs that influence conceptual framework: experiential knowledge, existing theory,
exploratory research and thought experiments. Together, these interconnected constructs support
the meaning generated through the research. A conceptual framework is built on prior research,
guides the methodological process, and instrument selection (Maxwell, 2013). As such, this
study builds on the prior body of research surrounding adult student retention and CRM system
A CRM APPROACH TO IMPROVING CERTIFICATE COMPLETION 30
adoption and implementation. When reviewing prior research, the researcher considers the
context to evaluate whether the methods are appropriate within the context of this study.
This study was further informed by a pragmatist worldview. Pragmatists are concerned
with finding a solution to the problem. The primary concern of this study was understanding the
problem through any available theory and methodology. Researchers are free to select the tools,
methods and process that will render the desired results (Creswell, 2014). Pragmatists do not
believe that there is only one reality. Rather, they believe that research is informed by the
historical, political, social, and other contexts in which the study is conducted (Creswell, 2014).
The researcher’s goal was to find connections between complex views by analyzing responses to
open-ended questions to find emerging patterns and create meaning (Creswell, 2014). The
interconnection present in both the conceptual and theoretical frameworks also exists in the
Clark and Estes (2008) framework used to analyze performance gaps.
Knowledge, motivation and organizational culture, areas discussed previously in this case
study, are possible causes of performance gaps (Clark & Estes, 2008). Issues do not manifest in
one area, rather they occur across areas with consequences that may reverberate in multiple units
throughout an organization. The knowledge, motivation, and organizational culture needed by
the program representatives to attain the organizational goal are illustrated in Figure 1.
A CRM APPROACH TO IMPROVING CERTIFICATE COMPLETION 31
Figure 1. Interaction of stakeholder knowledge and motivation within organizational cultural
models and settings.
The figure illustrates the factors influencing the program representatives’ ability to
engage and support students in their educational goal attainment. The large blue circle represents
the organizational issues that need to be addressed to support the program representatives. These
issues include establishing a clear and consistent vision for the organization in which the
employee tasks are aligned with the mission and vision (Schneider et al., 1996; Schein, 2004).
The second issue involves using data to evaluate performance (Dowd, 2005). Through
metacognitive awareness and an improvement orientation, program representatives will amend
their practice and improve their interactions with students. A learning organization will build its
capacity for change through knowledge building (Hendry, 1996; Senge 1990). The two small
circles located within the organization represent the knowledge and motivation factors that
A CRM APPROACH TO IMPROVING CERTIFICATE COMPLETION 32
influence program representatives to meet the expectations and needs of certificate candidates.
Program representatives must possess knowledge regarding the characteristics of nontraditional
students and how to meet the needs of this student group (Schuetze, 2014; Wyatt, 2011).
Attribution theory suggests that program representatives are motivated by the belief that their
actions will influence a student’s ability to persist (Anderman & Anderman, 2006; Rueda, 2011).
Utility value posits that program representatives value student persistence (Eccles, 2006; Pajares,
2006). The bi-directional blue arrows pointing toward the knowledge and motivation circles
illustrate the influence that these factors have on each other. The yellow rectangle at the base of
the figure is the organizational goal. The blue arrow pointing toward the rectangle indicates that
the three areas, knowledge, motivation, and organizational culture must be aligned in attainment
of the goal.
Data Collection and Instrumentation
The students affected by the completion goal are adult certificate candidates who are
career-minded professionals. Through interviews and document analysis this study examined the
program representatives’ practices, including the use of the CRM system, to improve student
completion rates. Program representatives is a student facing group whose work consists of
advising students and documenting student interactions in the CRM system. The program
representatives have a high degree of contact and influence with students. This study examined
the knowledge and motivation of the program representatives concerning the organizational goal
to improve the certificate completion to 80% by June 2021. The population size for this study
included eight program representatives.
To gain 100% participation, the researcher outlined the study with supervisors and
department leadership. Supervisors encouraged staff members to participate in the study and
A CRM APPROACH TO IMPROVING CERTIFICATE COMPLETION 33
provided release time. Before inviting participants and soliciting supervisor support, the
workgroup responsible for advancing institutional student support initiatives provided a
workshop to introduce the study and explain the importance of participation.
Interview Sampling (Recruitment) Strategy and Rationale
The following criteria guided sampling.
Criterion 1. Must be regular, full-time employees in the Academic Programs department
of the continuing education division. The Academic Programs department has primary
responsibility for advising enrolled students.
Criterion 2. Staff members must use the CRM system. The stakeholder goal involves
the use of the CRM system to capture and monitor student interactions.
Criterion 3. The program representative must be willing to participate in a one-hour
interview. Not all staff members may feel comfortable speaking about their knowledge and
motivations and their experience within the organization concerning the performance goal.
Interviews
Due to the size of the stakeholder group, this study used nonprobability sampling
(Merriam & Tisdell, 2016). Semi-structured interviews were administered as they allow
flexibility in the order that questions are posed and allow for a mix of more- and less-structured
questions. The interview questions were designed to collect specific data and to generate
meaning through responses influenced by a participant’s motivation, knowledge, beliefs, and
thoughts (Johnson & Christensen, 2015; Merriam & Tisdell, 2016). Semi-structured interview
questions support meaning generation, understanding and allow the researcher the flexibility to
adjust to the participant (Merriam & Tisdell, 2016). Thus, this interview protocol (see Appendix
A for the interview questions) is aligned with the pragmatist worldview guiding this study.
A CRM APPROACH TO IMPROVING CERTIFICATE COMPLETION 34
Interview procedures. To mitigate distractions and interruptions, each, one-on-one,
interview was conducted on-site during work hours, in a private meeting space, and at a time that
was convenient for the participant. Audio was recorded, with permission, during each interview,
and notes were taken that captured visual cues included body language and facial expressions.
The interviews were conducted after the documents were collected and before document analysis
began. By collecting the documents before the interviews, the researcher ensured that the
document reflected current practice. Further, ensuring that the document has not been altered
because of participation in the study or exposure to the interview questions. Document
authenticity is an important component of data collection (Merriam & Tisdell, 2016). Post-
interview document analysis safeguards that the research protocol was followed.
Documents and Artifacts
Training and usage documents that guide the implementation and adoption of the CRM
system were reviewed. The documents are kept in the organization’s CRM platform. The CRM
platform is available to system users. CRM system usage reports were examined to access the
frequency of usage by looking at how many interactions were logged and how often each
program representative logged in to the system. The CRM Manager provided the researcher with
access to review the reports within the online system. The usage reports were aggregated, and
individual identifiers were removed. Interactions with students will not be reviewed due to the
Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) regulations, which protects student privacy.
Because the organization does not have a documented Retention and Enrollment Management
Plan the researcher relied on monthly enrollment and revenue reports to determine whether the
organization identifies and differentiates the support provided to adult students.
A CRM APPROACH TO IMPROVING CERTIFICATE COMPLETION 35
Findings
The purpose of study was to identify the retention practices of student support personnel,
their use of the Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system and their influence on
certificate completion. As such, the questions that guided this analysis were the following:
1. What is the Program Representatives’ knowledge and motivation related to the use of
CRM to improve student retention and program completion?
2. How does the organizational culture and context support or inhibit the Program
Representatives’ ability to apply CRM to improve student retention and program
completion?
3. What are the recommendations for organizational practice in the areas of knowledge,
motivation, and organizational resources that could improve the Program
Representatives use of CRM?
The study participants spanned a continuum from entry level to senior level of
professional and higher education specific experience. A gender-neutral pseudonym was
randomly assigned to each participant. Table 5 provides the assigned pseudonym, time in current
role, years of experience in higher education and years of professional work experience for each
participant. Each program representative manages approximately ten certificate programs.
Table 5
Professional Experience of Program Representatives
Participant
Pseudonym
Time in
Current Role
Work Experience in
Education
Total Full-time Work
Experience
Taylor 3 years 6 years (3 part-time) 3 years
Alex 10 years 24 years 40 years
Bailey 8 years 9 years 9 years
A CRM APPROACH TO IMPROVING CERTIFICATE COMPLETION 36
Charlie 7 years 30 (23 in the classroom) 30 years
Frankie 6 months 4 years (3.5 part-time) 6 months
Jaime 6 months 1 year 5 years
Peyton 1 year 3 years (2 part-time) 1 year
Robin 3.5 years 11 (2 part-time) 9 years
The data was collected over a series of individual interviews with eight participants
followed by a document analysis that included usage reports, enrollment and revenue reports,
and CRM system training materials. As themes emerged during the coding phase, the data were
organized thematically. This section presents the findings. The main themes that emerged from
the data were as follows:
1. Program Representatives have a basic knowledge of adult students needs and
customize the support they provide each student.
2. Participants described ambiguous procedures, competing priorities and varied data
collection methods as barriers to providing adequate student support.
3. Program representatives view the CRM system as an added complicating step.
4. Program representatives report receiving CRM system training but no integrated
training.
5. Program representatives are motivated to provide students with the highest quality
interactions but do not have the time to do so.
The following section presents the themes and sub-themes that arose during data
collection. The first and fifth themes answer the first research question related to the program
representatives’ knowledge and motivation. Themes two, thee and four address the second
research question related to the organizational culture and context that the program
A CRM APPROACH TO IMPROVING CERTIFICATE COMPLETION 37
representatives need. Interview excerpts and document analysis are presented as evidence of the
themes and sub-themes.
Theme 1: Program Representatives Have a Basic Knowledge of Adult Students’ Needs and
Customize the Support They Provide Each Student
The program representatives work as a multi-generational community of practice whose
professional experience ranges six months to thirty years. Through their responses, study
participants expressed a basic understanding of adult student characteristics and needs. The more
experienced participants discussed adjusting their responses based on the needs of individual
students.
Knowledge of basic adult student characteristics. Of the eight study participants, three
had over ten years of experience working with adult students in higher education, two
participants had three to nine years and three had less than two years of full-time experience.
Two participants reported formal training related to adult students before their current
appointment. Despite limited formal training or job-related work experience, the participants
demonstrated basic knowledge of adult student characteristics and how those characteristics
influence student needs. Participants grouped students by their status, interests, objectives and
demographic characteristics. Bailey called students, “non-traditional, non-matriculated” which is
a reference to the type of credentials the organization awards. Peyton referred to students by
their position in the student lifecycle, “prospective students and then active students, current
students.” The variant, albeit consistent, responses indicated a constructed definition of adult
students.
Defining secondary characteristics. Some program representatives hesitated when
defining student characteristics and classified students by either program of interest, stated goals
A CRM APPROACH TO IMPROVING CERTIFICATE COMPLETION 38
or age. For instance, Jaime referred to student characteristics based on their area of interest,
“Whatever programs that they're interested in. If they're either just doing it for leisure or they just
want to learn a new trade.” Charlie identified a student’s stated goal as a characteristic, “most of
them, they want the certificate to be on their resumes, they are looking for jobs. I have another
type of students, they want to higher up their job.” Several representatives noted the difference
in student expectations based on their age and academic experience. Specifically, Alex reflected,
“[Professionals] are older, more experienced, already in the work force. Their concerns are more
with program outcomes,” Charlie observed that “we have some unemployed prospective students
[who are] either changing their career path or they want to move up.” Participants also reflected
that adult students were unfamiliar with the practices in academia. Bailey noted that “working
professionals don't know all of the little things that we assume that people know,” and Taylor
commented that “I spend more time talking them through the steps, especially those that have
taken [a] long break.” When contemplating students in different programs, Jaime observed, “my
entry level [students], are more concerned about how they're going to pass a class,” Taylor added
that “They don't know how to balance their personal life with taking the class. I think that at
times they need encouragement.” The characteristics and expectations identified by the
participants are representative of the primary and secondary adult student characteristics
identified in the literature.
Customized support. When describing their interactions with students, the participants
with more experience demonstrated an adaptive practice. Respondents described scenarios in
which they tailored their behavior to fit the situation. Taylor discussed the different forms of
encouragement students require based on their life stage, “If they have kids and they're working a
full-time job, then [I suggest that] they start with one class to relearn how to study, how to
A CRM APPROACH TO IMPROVING CERTIFICATE COMPLETION 39
learn.” Alex recounted an experience with a student who was experiencing anxiety in the final
course of the program “[The] student e-mailed me, left me a voice-mail and stopped by [because]
she wanted to make sure she could take a class and the internship at the same time. After
confirmation, she came back with another question.” Alex shared an interaction with a student
who had never enrolled in college-level coursework “I have to encourage him. I send an e-mail
every week. He takes one class a quarter, because that's all he can manage.” Metacognitive
knowledge is evidenced by the responses that indicate adjustments to recommendations and
communications based on individual characteristics.
As a unit, the program representatives are proud of the service that they provide students
and believe in the importance of adapting to students’ needs. Program representatives with more
work experience, described interactions that were consultative when compared with procedural
interactions described by representatives with less than three years of work experience. The
difference between these approaches seems to indicate a gap in metacognitive knowledge.
Through their responses the participants indicated that they have declarative and procedural
knowledge, and those with more experience readily apply the knowledge to adjust their
interactions to create opportunities that support engagement. The literature indicates that student
engagement is a contributing factor in student retention and persistence. The participants’
responses indicated a constructed, informal definition of adult students and their engagement
techniques varied. Learning opportunities that model the adaptive, consultative interactions with
adult students could provide program representatives with the training they need to develop
fostering techniques.
A review of the organizational chart shows that an integrated Academic Programs unit
was formed this year, of which, the program representatives form a sub-unit. The multi-
A CRM APPROACH TO IMPROVING CERTIFICATE COMPLETION 40
generational sub-unit is comprised of staff members with varying degrees of experience. This
variance in experience creates an opportunity for an effective learning environment where staff
members can learn by organizing and rehearsing modeled behaviors and enacting them overtly
as Mayer (2011) suggested. This approach could minimize the program representatives’
knowledge gaps.
Theme 2: Participants Describe Vague Procedures, Competing Priorities and Varied Data
Collection Methods as Barriers to Providing Adequate Student Support
When discussing the completion goal, the program representatives were unsure how the
goal was established or whether policies and processes were aligned with the objective. For
example, the monthly enrollment and revenue reports show first-time and returning student
enrollments per program and do not report student completion information. The participants
indicated that the organization was a place where unclear procedures, rival priorities, wide-
ranging data collection methods, and inconsistent reporting created obstacles that impeded their
ability to provide student support.
Ambiguous procedures and inconsistent reporting. In response to the prompts
regarding student retention and planning, the program representatives described inconsistent
policies and procedures. The organization offers eighty certificate programs that employ varied
delivery modes and models. The complexity of the College’s offerings creates a challenge in
enrollment planning and student progress tracking. As evidenced in the quarterly course
schedule and the College’s website, coursework in many programs can be started in any quarter
and any sequence. Prospective students may enroll in individual courses or apply and become
certificate candidates. Frankies succinct observation encapsulates the situation: “students are all
over the place, and they dont always apply.” Taylor described a complex tracking system
A CRM APPROACH TO IMPROVING CERTIFICATE COMPLETION 41
created in Microsoft Excel that is used to manage students as cohorts, “So I tell them youre
going to start in the green track, and its clear. Its also clear when theyre going to end .” Peyton
uses e-mail to review student progress noting that “I look at a students record because we have
these trackers. Were moving away from them because we can check their progress through e-
mail.” Students in programs without an established enrollment plan are encouraged to self-serve
by reviewing their progress on the student portal.
Enrollment goals are established and managed at the course level. Only four programs
have documented enrollment management plans. The reported completion rates in these
programs are higher than the organizational average of 52%. Two of the four programs are
managed by external partners that use their own CRM system, one is managed using the tracker
process previously described, and the last is managed completely by a non-CRM user. The four
programs employ different processes that are not centrally located or readily accessible across
the organization. A review of the monthly reports found that the enrollment reports accurately
reflect the number of first time and returning students by program. However, they do not report
student completion information. The monthly revenue reports are incorrect and do not
accurately reflect the financial information contained in the finance and student information
systems. Ambiguous policies and incomplete reports are sources of confusion for students, staff
and external partners. Duties with established goals and deadlines with visibility throughout the
organization are prioritized.
Competing priorities. Program representatives reported that advising students account
for a portion of their appointment. Through their descriptions of specific tasks, processes and
deadlines, the participants indicated their primary role is scheduling courses and contracting
instructors. Each program representative is responsible for managing ten or more programs. The
A CRM APPROACH TO IMPROVING CERTIFICATE COMPLETION 42
unit is responsible for scheduling over three hundred courses per quarter. The participants
reported that advising students accounts for one-third or less of their appointment and generally
agreed that the bulk of their work involves scheduling courses. Frankie reinforced this sentiment
stating that “Programming courses, scheduling programs. Updating course requirements,
making sure they’re [current].” When responding to the question about time allocation, Robin
mused, “I am going to go with scheduling. I mean scheduling definitely takes the most amount
of time,” Jaime added, “What I do here mostly is coordinating programs, making sure that the
classes are getting scheduled, instructors are getting scheduled.” When contemplating the time
spent on specific tasks Alex stated, “I think managing the programs takes most of my time.
Within that youre cycling in the instructors and the scheduling. ” Of the eight participants, none
indicated dedicated advising times or tasks.
Participants’ time constraints affect their ability to respond to students. Bailey reflected
that responding to students was secondary to scheduling courses, “We know that we have to
program these courses, yet three or four people [called]. And theyre not going to get a response
for a couple days.” Alex commented that “Its hard. I dont give long flowing e-mails. I kind of
just lay it out how it is. I do a lot of my e-mails at night [from] home.” Beloin (2018) and de
Juan-Jordán et al. (2018) found that time-saving processes and automated tasks can alleviate staff
time. Bailey remarked, “It really leads to alleviating [for] workload to staff. Ive heard that they
dont feel like they can talk to students and spend a lot of time doing that. ” The under resourced
student advising function suggests a gap between the completion goal and the resources
necessary to reach the goal. Further compounding ambiguous procedures and an under
resourced advising function, student information is captured using inconsistent tools and formats.
A CRM APPROACH TO IMPROVING CERTIFICATE COMPLETION 43
Multiple data collection methods. The literature indicated that student retention and
persistence improve when interactions with students are aligned with their needs (Hrnjic, 2016;
Rigo et al., 2016; Seeman & O’Hara, 2006). A CRM system offers a technical solution by
capturing and organizing data that schools can harness to create solutions to address student
needs. To that end, the data collection process must be uniform. Program representatives
identified multiple systems, channels, and methods for capturing student information. Robin
described a process for programs that involved compiling the responses and preparing a program
profile for instructors stating that, “In some cases, [a] questionnaire would go out via e-mail
before the start date of the program.” The profiles were maintained on the staff member’s share
drive and were not accessible throughout the organization. While the profiles created useful
knowledge for the instructor and the program coordinators, they did not contribute to the
institutional knowledge. Peyton described the process of transferred calls, “If theyre transf erred
by Student Services, they [the Student Services staff member] tell me what they [the caller]
needs, but it’s not always communicated and sometimes it is wrong.” The training
documentation available for the transfer process shows how to document calls when the program
representative is unavailable. However, it does not contain expected actions by the program
representatives. Frankie described a process that does not provide a complete picture lamenting
that “We dont necessarily get a full explanati on as to who the students are except when theyre
over the phone and they tell us their life story.” Through their interactions with students,
program representatives glean important information that is not systematically captured or
stored. As such, the CRM system is underused and the ability to generate actionable intelligence
is nonexistent.
A CRM APPROACH TO IMPROVING CERTIFICATE COMPLETION 44
The CRM system training materials describe a multi-departmental process where Student
Services representatives enter contact with prospective students into the CRM system. Those
who are transferred to the department are entered after they are transferred. If a student is
transferred to voice-mail, the Student Services representative creates a follow-up task in the
CRM system that is assigned to the program representative. The gap between the process
recounted by the program representative and the training materials is supported by the usage
reports. Program representatives unfamiliar with the new process have more open tasks
compared with those who know and understand the process. A correlation between the number
of resolved tasks in the CRM system and participant’s process knowledge is evident. The
knowledge gap is more prominent with newer staff members and may signal an issue that could
be mitigated during onboarding.
Theme 3: Program Representatives View the CRM System as an Added Complicating Step.
In a work environment with competing priorities, program representatives view
documenting interactions in the CRM system as an additional, unnecessary step. Taylor alluded
to the multiple systems used to support the students, “Now we have to do the same process, but
within a different system, within the CRM. We have to call them, we have to use Outlook, and
now we have to use Salesforce,” Peyton added, “its j ust one more thing” Alex noted the
additional effort, “We have to divert more time to a second system.” The CRM system training
materials indicate two processes for documenting e-mail interactions. Users may correspond via
Outlook and append the e-mail to the system, or they may send the communication from the
CRM system. The training materials do not indicate a preferred method for documenting
interactions and are missing a defined business process. As such, study participants with an
established process for communicating with students demonstrated reluctance to use the CRM
A CRM APPROACH TO IMPROVING CERTIFICATE COMPLETION 45
system. Robin indicated the complexity of the system as a barrier stating, “It was something
difficult to navigate and it just became off-putting because there were just so many different
areas to pull from.” Training materials are stored in the CRM platform and require users to
navigate to another area in the system to access the materials. The system captures the frequency
that training documents are viewed and downloaded. The materials noted previously were
viewed by two users and not downloaded. Program representatives are electing to use an
alternate system, or no system, as implied by Frankie, “we have dozens and dozens of students
calling, so its hard to keep track of them .” The choice of the study participants to use alternate
procedures signals that the CRM system is not valued. Pajares (2006) suggests that active choice
is the initial step that leads to persistence, mental effort and performance. If program
representatives choose to prioritize other tasks, systems and processes over the CRM system,
then they will not allocate the mental effort to learn the new system and will continue to
undervalue the CRM system. Participants reflected on methods to overcome the barriers.
Peyton commented that “For me its just getting into the habit of using it more often and taking
advantage of what it can offer,” Taylor indicated that “I think its a good way to kee p track of
everything, its just getting used to it. I think if I wouldve started working with it then it would
be easier.” This gap in program representatives’ motivation leads to the question, do program
representatives believe that using the system will improve student outcomes and lead to
performance efficiencies?
Theme 4: Program Representatives Report Receiving CRM System Training but no
Integrated Systems Training, and no Training Related to Advising Students
Except for one participant, the respondents reported receiving CRM system training.
They described the CRM system training that they received as tactical and somewhat basic. In
A CRM APPROACH TO IMPROVING CERTIFICATE COMPLETION 46
response to the questions surrounding the training Taylor noted, “I think that my knowledge of
how to utilize it is limited, so I only use it for the most basic tasks,” Charlie added that “I think
[training] was mostly when we first started using Salesforce, I think it was more of how to
create, and how to log in.” Frankie did not receive any training on the CRM system or direction
from management to use the system, “Maybe not because Ive had [no] training for it. But Ive
just never found my way around the CRM.” A review of the CRM system training documents
revealed that the documents are only accessible to system users as they are stored on the CRM
platform. The training documents are difficult to locate in the platform. Approximately half of
the full-time staff members are system users. Collectively, the program representatives form the
largest unit accessing the system. The process-oriented training materials contain images and
step-by-steps instructions for documenting communications. System wide usage reports indicate
that the materials are not being accessed. The program representatives report a relatively even
distribution of programs and an even number of calls or emails from students. However, one
program representative is responsible for logging three times as many interactions compared to
the second and third most active users. The usage reports indicate no activity for three of the
study participants.
The managers’ conflicting espoused values, actions, and direction confuse the program
representatives and inhibit system adoption. In response to the question relating to managerial
support, Peyton commented that “There wasn’t much communication. Not in the beginning. It
was more like here’s this tool and we are going to try to use it.” The participants indicated that
department level managers are unable to direct and prioritize the system usage. Robin stated that
“even our own director would say that she didn’t use it and didn’t know how to use it.” Jaime is
relatively new to the organization and did not receive training until a data entry error occurred
A CRM APPROACH TO IMPROVING CERTIFICATE COMPLETION 47
that was uncovered during data checks, “It took a while before someone finally came to me and
said, oh here, this is what you shouldve been doing. ” Participants reflected that the training they
received did not mirror the system capacity they were promised. Taylor mused, “I feel more
because I have been told, to be honest. But I think it [could] be good, I think it would be good to
use it for future,” Bailey added, “From what Ive seen, I think the CRM could do that, I just dont
know how to do that, but I hear that it can.” A gap exists between what the participants have
been told the system can do, what they believe it can do, and how it is currently being used.
Further study to explore possible gaps in managements’ knowledge or motivation that may be
contributing to the decision not to use the CRM system is recommended.
Study participants indicated that they did not participate in professional development
related to their advising functions. Most attended conferences related to program development
or specific programs that they managed. None of the respondents partook in training related to
advising, let alone advising adult students. Some participants specified that they received
training to improve the function of the team by maximizing their skills and strengthening the
team. Participants noted an understanding that time and monetary investments in training or
professional development should build efficiencies. Peyton stated that "[Management] is
thinking of offering project management as professional development. I think it would help us
be more efficient.” However, Robin expressed a lack of follow through from management,
“there was one opportunity that was an online training for program coordinators related to
program development. I was truly interested in [it] my own boss never replied to my e-mail.”
The evidence suggests a lack of formal training throughout the organization related to adult
student advising practices as well as the anticipated use of the CRM system.
A CRM APPROACH TO IMPROVING CERTIFICATE COMPLETION 48
Theme 5: Program Representatives are Motivated to Provide Students with the Highest
Quality Interactions but Lack Time
The literature demonstrated that schools can reduce the number of dropouts by adopting a
CRM strategy focused on student-oriented functions that aligns assistance with student needs
(Hrnjic, 2016; Rigo et al., 2016; Seeman & O’Hara, 2006). The study participants revealed that
most of their interactions with students occur at the beginning and the end of the program. Few
participants indicated interactions with students in the middle of their programs, except for the
occasional enrollment reminders. All participants paused to understand the question and
consider the student lifecycle stage in which their exchanges occur. The participants
unanimously agreed that most interactions occur during the initial stage. Robin explained, "I
would say two to three weeks before the program starts and then two to three weeks after our
program starts,” and Jaime added, “I feel like I spend a lot of time with the potential [students]
because I want to make sure that they know what theyre getting themselves into. ” Charlie
suggested that prospective students have multiple questions as part of their decision-making
process: “At the beginning, sometimes, they want to interact with the instructor. This is a big
decision.” The participants indicated that students nearing the end of their respective programs
would inquire about the completion process and logistics. Irrespective of the student lifecycle,
the program representatives indicated that the student interactions are initiated by the student.
Frankie expressed a sentiment inconsistent with those described by the other study participants
“its [the student ’s] responsibility to notify us of their situation. Otherwise we have no idea.” A
gap between the desire to be proactive and the participants’ cumulative reactive practice was
expressed by most of the study participants.
A CRM APPROACH TO IMPROVING CERTIFICATE COMPLETION 49
Participants expressed an earnest desire to deliver superior student support and lamented
the minimal time that they dedicated to interactions with students. Automated communications
prompt students to interact with the program representatives. The study participants believe in
the value of the system to create engagement opportunities. Charlie noted that “The CRM does
play a role in when they get that first e-mail. I get a lot of e-mail replies asking questions.” In
addition to enhancing automated communications, several participants noted that they were in a
reactive mode trying to respond to student inquiries, Bailey noted, “I think making
communication more automated would be really helpful. That way we can be proactive with
communicating and assisting [students]. We need to stop waiting for the student to ask for help,
we need to offer it.” Despite reporting limited use of the CRM system, Frankie recognized a
need to communicate with students “So now we have a student whos cons tantly following up
with us. When is the next class offered? Am I on track? Am I taking the right courses?” The
frequency, type and volume of student inquiries reported by the study participants indicates a gap
in the expected service and what is provided. The lack of organization wide prioritization was
suggested as potential barriers to system usage. The participants identified three areas: lack of
use across the organization, devaluing of the CRM system work, and manager support. Taylor
noted “I think its more, I feel like it has to be a whole, and not just certain people using it, cause
then [it] wont work if not everyone is using it. ”
Like many higher education systems, the organization uses student assistants for routine
tasks. Student assistants may work for a quarter, a year or longer but they are not a permanent
solution. Peyton noted that “The role as a student [assistant] is more often to enter information
into the CRM system. [Now] we dont have a stead y student and it backs us up.” CRM system
A CRM APPROACH TO IMPROVING CERTIFICATE COMPLETION 50
work that is assigned to student assistants is referred to by managers as “data entry work” this
reflects a low priority and misunderstanding of the system’s functionality and potential.
Participants noted a desire to capture and demonstrate the volume of work, Peyton stated
that “I think we need a way that we can measure how many students are contacting us, what are
they contacting us about, and how many of those students are [served].” The participants also
expressed a lack of support from management, Bailey commented that “I think [our] time is
undervalued by management. Upper management doesnt believe that were overwhelmed, and
thats just what it is. ” Peyton expressed a need for transparency, “Well, I mean, I feel like it
would make it a bit better if I would use it more often. I feel like it would make it easier for
other people to see what Im doing .” The program representatives seem motivated to use the
system for reasons other than providing student support.
Summary of Findings
The data collected denotes that the multigenerational unit leveraged their professional
experience and crafted informal and independent definitions of the characteristics and
expectations of adult students. Despite the varied definitions, this peer group developed a
working knowledge of the students that they serve. The knowledge gap is evident with newer,
less experienced program representatives who, without a firm grasp of basic information, do not
have the necessary knowledge to adapt their practice to each student’s needs.
The lack of consistent policies, explicit program completion goals, and varied data
collection methods indicate organizational barriers. The participants are not evaluated on student
outcomes. Rather, they are evaluated on the number of programs, courses and instructors that
they manage. Participants suggested that student advising is an under resourced and undervalued
function. Moreover, documented hours of operation and support available to students are not
A CRM APPROACH TO IMPROVING CERTIFICATE COMPLETION 51
aligned with the espoused values of the organization that, as a professional continuing education
unit, serves mid-career professionals. Further study is needed to identify whether the
organizational gaps are a result of changes in leadership, managerial training and support, or lack
of systemic performance management related to student outcomes.
Despite the program representatives’ desire to provide superior student support, the
organization’s failure to measure this portion of their performance lowers its importance and has
the undesired impact of elevating less important duties. The program representatives expressed
frustration with the discrepancies between the amount of work they produce, and the value
placed on their contributions by management. Bailey referred to program representatives as a
“dumping ground.” Peyton’s assertion that management would value contributions, if they could
see them, signaled feelings of uncertainty. The performance gap noted by the participants
regarding their approach to advising, reactive versus proactive, supports the finding that this
function is under resourced.
The lack of articulated enrollment management plans and goals for each program and
corresponding program representative create unfocused and unclear areas that are subject to
individual judgement in execution and evaluation. Performance in this area is not regularly
evaluated. Clark and Estes (2008) stated that organizations must address motivation influencers
to ensure change. Participants who understand how their work product contributes to the
organizational goals can use data to prioritize tasks. The lack of measurable data and minimal
understanding of how participant’s responsibilities are interconnected with the overarching goals
contributes to the motivation gap.
Lastly, it is worth noting that serving adult students is the College’s core mission. Yet, it
has not dedicated continuous efforts toward providing consistent advising or support for all
A CRM APPROACH TO IMPROVING CERTIFICATE COMPLETION 52
students. Individuals throughout the organization would explicitly agree that the organization
prioritizes student success. However, numerous structural and behavioral barriers signal
organizational gaps that demonstrate the contrary. Further study designed to examine the
decision process and prioritization employed by leadership, may identify gaps in knowledge
and/or motivational influences.
Recommendations for Practice
The purpose of this modified gap analysis, based on Clark and Estes (2008) framework,
was to review the knowledge, motivation and organizational gaps among the program
representatives through careful review of the data collected. The influences were based on the
literature review and served as a guide for the context specific recommendations to address gaps
and lead to improved performance. Table 6 lists the influences that cause gaps in knowledge,
skills and organizational context recommendation, and the supporting theoretical principle.
Table 6
Summary of Knowledge, Motivation and Organizational Influences and Recommendations
Knowledge, Motivation,
and Organizational
Influence
Principle and Citation Context-Specific
Recommendation
Program representatives will
benefit from increased
knowledge of adult student
engagement strategies.
Information necessary to
work in a specific discipline
(Krathwohl & Anderson,
2002).
Declarative knowledge
supports the grouping of
characteristics and
associations to other
elements that support
correlation. (Krathwohl &
Anderson, 2002)
Communicating definitions
or simple information can be
Provide program
representatives with a
common definition of the
characteristics and
expectations of adult
students.
Illustrate the complexity of
student characteristics with
training materials that
contain fictional students.
Construct trainings to
include anecdotes, case
studies and diagrams.
A CRM APPROACH TO IMPROVING CERTIFICATE COMPLETION 53
transmitted conversationally
(Clark and Estes, 2008).
Program Representatives
will benefit from routine
exposure to the CRM system
as an integrated system that
supports student retention.
Individuals with procedural
knowledge have the skills to
determine which tools,
techniques, or methods to
employ (Krathwohl &
Anderson, 2002).
Information learned
meaningfully and connected
with prior knowledge is
stored more quickly and
remembered more accurately
because it is elaborated with
prior learning (Schraw et al.,
2006)
Provide training
opportunities that model the
different types of
interactions with the adult
learners and the steps that
foster student engagement
followed by opportunities to
practice and receive
feedback.
Provide a matrixed job aid to
support on the job recall.
The matrix should align
adult student types with
interaction techniques and
CRM system engagement
approaches.
Program Representatives
will benefit from time to
apply and adjust engagement
and retention practices.
Metacognitive knowledge is
understanding and
awareness of self, strategies,
and situations (Krathwohl &
Anderson, 2002).
The use of metacognitive
strategies facilitates learning
(Baker, 2006).
Begin training sessions with
a designated debrief time to
discuss their knowledge
related to the specific task.
Provide opportunities for
learners to engage in guided
self-monitoring and self-
assessment.
The organization can
improve program
representative’s performance
related to student
engagement by establishing
clear communication
channels that espouse the
value of student completion.
The four primary
characteristics followers
describe in the “best” leader
are: trust, compassion,
stability and hope (Rath &
Conchie, 2009).
Vision = hope
Ensure that regular
communications show and
tell the vision.
Supervisors will review the
alignment of tasks, tactics,
goals and strategies with the
vision and adjust as
necessary.
The organization can
improve performance by
providing the program
representatives with time to
analyze and reflect on data
to develop engagement
strategies in response to
data.
Effective change efforts
ensure that everyone has the
time needed to do their job,
and that if there are resource
shortages, then resources are
aligned with organizational
priorities (Clark and Estes,
2008).
Supervisors will provide
staff members with time to
review and analyze student
engagement and interaction
data. Supervisors will hold
regular meetings with staff
members to review the data
and interpret the results.
A CRM APPROACH TO IMPROVING CERTIFICATE COMPLETION 54
Effective organizations
ensure that organizational
messages, rewards, policies
and procedures that govern
the work of the organization
are aligned with or are
supportive of organizational
goals and values (Clark and
Estes, 2008)
The organization can
increase the program
representatives’ engagement
by measuring and reporting
aggregated and
disaggregated student
persistence data across the
student lifecycle.
Different types of
benchmarking
contribute data to
improve organizational
performance (Bogue &
Hall, 2003; Marsch,
2012).
Data-driven benchmarking
as a common approach to
benchmarking (Dowd, 2005;
Levy & Ronco, 2012).
The organization will
prioritize student persistence
by establishing benchmarks,
targets, goals and regularly
monitoring performance.
Explain the importance and
usage of data-driven
benchmarking in improving
organizational
performance.
Knowledge Recommendations
The data revealed gaps in knowledge which create barriers in the program representatives’
ability to foster student interactions and use the CRM system to support student persistence and
program completion. The theoretical principles associated with the knowledge gaps and
practical recommendations are provided in Table 6. The recommendations for addressing the
performance gaps are based on strategies suggested by the Clark and Estes (2008) framework.
Addressing gaps in program representatives’ knowledge of strategies to foster
engagement with adult students. The data suggests that although experienced program
representatives have a general, constructed understanding of the differences between adult
students and nontraditional students they lack an evidence-based and shared definition. Further,
the data proposes that without a foundational understanding of adult student characteristics,
program representatives are unable to create and sustain interactions that build rapport and
A CRM APPROACH TO IMPROVING CERTIFICATE COMPLETION 55
support student engagement. Fundamental knowledge, facts, concepts, processes, or principles is
required to adjust practice (Rueda, 2011), and is essential to work in a specific discipline
(Krathwohl & Anderson, 2002). The Clark and Estes (2008) framework asserts that definitions
and simple information can be transmitted conversationally. This suggests that providing a
definition of adult student characteristics and expectations would support the program
representatives’ learning. The Cognitive Process described in Krathwohl (2002) presents
declarative knowledge as the grouping of basic information, characteristics and associations to
other elements that support correlation. Training materials that illustrate the complexity of
student characteristics with fictional robust student profiles would deepen the program
representatives’ understanding and support their acquisition of knowledge. The trainings would
include anecdotes, case studies and diagrams to facilitate recall.
According to Wyatt (2011), adult students are highly motivated, skilled individuals who
require supportive and reassuring interactions. Adult students expect responsive and adaptive
exchanges that enhance their experience (Hadfield, 2003; Wyatt, 2011). Gilardi and Guglielmetti
(2011) found that positive non-classroom experiences increased the likelihood of persistence.
These findings suggest that formal training designed to develop the program representatives’
advising skills would improve their interactions with students.
Addressing gaps in program representatives’ use of the CRM system. The program
representatives indicated that they received elementary training on the use of the CRM system.
They also reported that enrollment management plans are not in place for many programs.
Further, they reported viewing the system as an additional complicating step that does not
influence student persistence. Krathwohl (2002) found that individuals with procedural
knowledge have the skills to determine which tools, techniques, or methods to employ. This
A CRM APPROACH TO IMPROVING CERTIFICATE COMPLETION 56
indicates that program representatives could benefit from a broader understanding of how the
CRM system and relationship management supports student persistence. When information
relates to prior learning it is stored more quickly and learned more accurately (Schraw et al.,
2006). Further reinforcing the recommendation that program representatives need to receive
advanced training that demonstrates the interconnection and potential of the CRM system.
Training sessions in which lead trainers are modeling the processes will support learning.
Program representatives will benefit from training opportunities and routine exposure to the
CRM system as an integrated system designed to support student retention. Job aids with the
documented steps necessary to initiate and document interactions with students in the CRM
system will support instruction.
The literature discusses the value of a CRM system and strategy in higher education. It
further suggests that the initial process should involve the input of all the stakeholder groups who
are expected to interact with the CRM system (Beloin, 2018). CRM is a complex, progressive
process that necessitates a holistic approach to successful implementation and adoption (Beloin,
2018; de Juan-Jordán, Guijarro-García, & Hernandez Gadea, 2018; Ogunnaike, Tairat, &
Emmanuel, 2014; Peelen, van Montfort, Beltman, & Klerkx, 2009). This suggests that the
program representatives would benefit from an inclusive process that sought their input and
demonstrated the integral use of the CRM system.
Addressing gaps in program representatives’ knowledge in applying and adjusting
engagement and retention practices. Metacognitive knowledge is a higher-order thinking skill
that includes knowing how and when to apply knowledge, skills, or strategies in specific
situations to solve problems (Rueda, 2011; Krathwohl & Anderson, 2002). Learners build
metacognitive knowledge through awareness of their skills, ability, and thought processes.
A CRM APPROACH TO IMPROVING CERTIFICATE COMPLETION 57
Program representatives reported that interacting with students accounted for one-third of their
assigned duties. The study participants further recognized that competing priorities limited their
ability to proactively engage with students. This suggests that program representatives would
benefit from time to apply and adjust engagement and retention practices. Metacognitive
knowledge is understanding and awareness of self, strategies, and situations (Krathwohl &
Anderson, 2002). The use of metacognitive strategies facilitates learning (Baker, 2006).
Program representatives, in coordination with their managers and directors, must set goals and
timelines to review and assess their progress.
Motivation Recommendations
Clark and Estes (2008) suggested that there are three behaviors required for individuals to
optimally engage in a task: choice, persistence, and mental effort. The program representatives
are selecting alternate systems and methods to interact with students outside of the CRM system.
This signals a lack of motivation related to the use of the CRM system. Table 6 contains
influences identified in the data analysis that affect the program representatives’ motivation to
use the CRM system and to foster student retention. The theoretical principles of value and self-
efficacy formed the basis of the recommendations related to the motivation influences
(Anderman & Anderman, 2006; Pintrich, 2003; Schraw & Lehman, 2009).
Establishing student interaction and CRM system documentation goals for the
program representatives and report student engagement and retention. Program
representatives reported that they lacked time to spend engaging with the CRM system. While
students’ persistence may be influenced by their lack of motivation or other external factors,
program representatives should believe that their failure to engage students affects their
persistence to completion. Learning and motivation are enhanced when individuals attribute
A CRM APPROACH TO IMPROVING CERTIFICATE COMPLETION 58
success or failures to effort rather than ability (Anderman & Anderman, 2006). Clearly
established goals and results that are regularly measured will demonstrate the connection
between interaction, engagement, persistence, and program completion. Program representatives
who attribute student persistence to their efforts will adapt their practice to improve student
engagement results.
The research indicates a positive relationship between the level of support provided to a
student and the student’s success (Crossan, Field, Gallacher, & Merrill, 2003). In other words,
students who receive the support that they need are more likely to persist and succeed. Program
representatives reported that they valued interactions with students and could see positive results
related to student persistence and program completion. Furthermore, they expressed the belief
that they can control the student experience and understand that the level of support they provide
is directly related to student success. Motivation can be indirectly enhanced and improved when
employees acquire an understanding of the effect that their actions create (Clark and Estes,
2008).
Linking student completion outcomes to the College’s mission of providing quality
learning experiences for individuals wishing to upskill or reskill. The findings demonstrate
that the program representatives indirectly value the organizational goal of increasing student
completion as the study participants expressed the value of individual student enrollments.
Activating and building upon personal interest can increase learning and motivation (Schraw &
Lehman, 2009). Learners must understand the relevance of the task before valuing its
application. Through their belief that they can control the student experience by providing
superior support indicates attainment value. Furthermore, the data indicates that program
representatives believe that their efforts improve student persistence.
A CRM APPROACH TO IMPROVING CERTIFICATE COMPLETION 59
Support systems lead to skill development and enhanced student learning and are key
factors in student persistence (Bash, 2011). Moreover, institutions can intentionally create
interactions between the various campus stakeholders and adult learners (Long, 2011). Quality
interactions contribute to student persistence and success (Bash, 2011). Program representatives
who value student persistence and success are motivated to actively engage in the learning of the
CRM system. Successful adoption of the new processes and system is contingent upon their
ability to internalize the connection between developing the new skillset and student success.
Reinforcing that while external factors influence student persistence, program
representatives’ efforts are critical to achieving results. The findings demonstrate that
program representatives believe that student persistence is the student’s responsibility. Program
representatives believe that students who do not persist do so because of their circumstances and
that the program representative have no influence. Feedback stresses the process of learning,
including the importance of effort, strategies, and potential self-control of learning (Anderman &
Anderman, 2006). WUSU should develop accurate measurement and reporting tools that
provide actionable feedback. These instruments would serve to identify the skills or knowledge
the program representatives’ lack. Performance improves when the communication of gaps is
coupled with the message that the skills and knowledge required to bridge the gap can be learned
(Anderman & Anderman, 2006). The program representatives could develop the belief that
monitoring student progress and actively supporting students through the CRM system will
improve student persistence.
Program representatives should believe that their effort is important for students to persist
to completion. Adaptive attributions and control beliefs motivate program representatives
A CRM APPROACH TO IMPROVING CERTIFICATE COMPLETION 60
(Pintrich, 2003). Provide feedback that stresses the nature of learning, including importance of
effort, strategies, and potential self-control of learning (Pintrich, 2003).
Organization-Related Recommendations
Organizational resources, policies and procedures must be aligned and proportionately
allocated for stakeholder goal attainment (Clark and Estes, 2008). Stakeholders may have the
necessary knowledge and motivation to reach their objective, however, if the organizational
resources, processes, cultural setting and models are not aligned and deployed to support the
goal, then the stakeholders will not succeed. This study found gaps in the organizational learning
models, vision alignment, decision making processes, and time allocated to stated priorities.
Providing program representatives time to develop engagement. This
recommendation addresses the finding that program representatives have insufficient resources
to provide proactive student support. Time is an important element and a valuable resource that
program representatives will need to foster relationships with students and document their
interactions in the CRM system. For program representatives to reflect on their practice, analyze
data, and develop strategies to engage with students, they will need time and managerial support.
When resource shortages existor when resources are misaligned, change efforts fail (Clark and
Estes, 2008). Tracking whether the expected behavior is occurring is also a critical component in
change initiatives (Clark and Estes, 2008). The data suggests that the program representatives do
not receive managerial support to review and analyze student engagement and interaction data.
Supervisors should schedule regular meetings with program representatives to review the data
and discuss the results.
Effective change efforts utilize feedback to determine when or whether improvement is
happening (Clark and Estes, 2008). Supervisors will provide program representatives with time
A CRM APPROACH TO IMPROVING CERTIFICATE COMPLETION 61
to review and analyze student engagement and interaction data. Supervisors will schedule
regular meetings with program representatives to review CRM system usage reports, discuss the
results of enrollment management reports, and explore solutions.
Providing professional development related to adult student advising and CRM
system usage. This recommendation supports the finding that program representatives do not
receive adequate training related to student advising, let alone adult student advising. The
evidence suggests a lack of formal training throughout the organization related to adult student
advising practices as well as the anticipated use of the CRM system. The organization needs to
create a culture of learning. Organizational culture is created through shared experience, shared
learning and the stability of membership. It is something that must be learned and cannot be
imposed (Schein, 2004). Leadership, managers, and supervisors should prioritize knowledge
development and creation by allotting program representatives time to engage in learning,
reflection, and application.
Successful CRM system implementations require the input of those expected to interact
with the system (Beloin, 2018). Beloin’s findings support the program representatives’ need of
managerial sponsorship. Organizations build capacity for change through knowledge building
(Hendry, 1996). Adaptive learning is reactive and occurs in response to something, while
generative learning is proactive, future leaning, and relies on vision (Senge, 1990). While
developing processes and procedures to operationalize and execute daily work is necessary it is
also insufficient to create a culture of learning. Likewise, the opportunity of professional
development is also insufficient as it promotes individual learning. The prioritization and
recognition of organizational knowledge supports the creation of new knowledge as well as the
development of different ways to examine and address student persistence.
A CRM APPROACH TO IMPROVING CERTIFICATE COMPLETION 62
Supporting program representatives through an organizational alignment of goals,
strategies, objectives and tactics. This recommendation supports the finding that the
organizational practices are not aligned to attain the completion goal. Under resourced goals are
only ideas. Leadership needs to clearly communicate an organizational vision that values student
completion and provide the resources required to support the vision. Leaders who are stable,
compassionate, and hopeful are regarded as the “best” leaders (Rath & Conchie, 2009). The
program representatives and the broader organization need to receive convincing inspirational
communications with regularity that indicate how student completion is aligned with the
organizational vision. When the goal is prioritized, and the program representatives understand
how their efforts align with the primary objectives and goals of the organization, they will
become followers who are inspired to complete their respective assignments. Like social
cognitive theory, cultural theory asserts that change is nonlinear, iterative, and chaotic. In
cultural theory, leaders shape the change process, individuals interpret it, bring meaning to it, and
are the doers that make change happen (Kezar, 2001). Successful change realigns the
organization’s mission, vision, capacity, structure, strategy and direction (Schein, 2004).
However, this realignment cannot occur without first understanding the organization’s values,
stakeholders, employee rewards, resource allocation, and support (Schneider et al., 1996).
Implementing instruments to measure key performance indicators across the
student lifecycle. This recommendation emerged from the finding that while enrollments and
revenue are routinely reported student retention and completion rates are not. The organization
needs to measure, and report aggregated and disaggregated student persistence data across the
student lifecycle. Data-driven benchmarking is a common approach to benchmarking that
improves organizational performance (Bogue & Hall, 2003; Dowd, 2005; Levy & Ronco, 2012;
A CRM APPROACH TO IMPROVING CERTIFICATE COMPLETION 63
Marsch, 2012). This approach uses peer-based data of higher performing institutions to
establish benchmarks, targets and goals and explain the importance of data-driven benchmarking
in improving organizational performance.
Before program representatives can develop self-efficacy and know how their actions
influence student success, the organization needs to measure and report how students are
persisting. Diagnostic benchmarking examines an organization’s overall health by examining
the complexities of the organization and the characteristics of the people it serves (Dowd, 2005).
By leveraging data, the program representatives can amend their practices and improve their
interactions with students. Through metacognitive awareness and improvement, program
representatives will develop the belief that their actions affect student completion.
Training Implementation Plan
The Kirkpatrick format (2016) was used to create a training and evaluation program to
provide the program representatives with the knowledge and skills necessary to achieve the
organizational goal. Additional details are included in Appendices F and G. The
implementation and evaluation plan, Levels 3and 4, ensure that the organization is adapting an
actionable plan with guided metrics. The New World Kirkpatrick Model (2016) recommended
developing an evaluation plan by working backwards from Level 4: the desired results, then
Level 3: the application of what is learned by the participant on-the-job, then Level 2: each
learner’s knowledge, confidence acquisition, and commitment to perform the tasks, and
eventually Level 1: each learner’s belief that the training session is relevant and important. This
places the outcome and results, Level 4, front and center which focuses the attention on what is
most important (Kirkpatrick & Kirkpatrick, 2016).
A CRM APPROACH TO IMPROVING CERTIFICATE COMPLETION 64
WUSU’s goal to improve the graduation rate to 80% fulfills a core system wide tenet,
provides residents opportunities for advancement, and strengthens the community with educated
residents. In support of this goal, 100% of the program representatives must interact with current
students and document the interactions in the CRM system. To ensure that these performance
goals are met, the following internal indicators will need to be achieved: increase the number of
staff member initiated interactions with students, increase the number of interactions documented
in the CRM system, increase re-enrollments in subsequent terms, increase number of graduates
per program, and increase the program representatives’ availability to interact when adult
learners are on site. This will lead to the achievement of the following external indicators:
strengthening the revenue stream for campus, increase educational attainment levels in the
region, and the improved perception of certificates as a valuable credential. WUSU is a
nonprofit, self-sustaining unit that provides a revenue stream for campus and addresses a local
educational attainment gap. Thus, the increased enrollments and completions will generate
revenue and enhance the University’s reputation.
Required drivers. Required drivers are processes and systems that reinforce, monitor,
encourage and reward performance (Kirkpatrick & Kirkpatrick, 2016). Program representatives
need to know the importance of and value student retention and completion. They must believe
that they are capable of improving retention and completion by fostering student engagement
through interactions. The organization needs to provide program representatives with the proper
and relevant training in the techniques and tools that support and build student confidence. The
organization must foster program representative’s belief that through of their efforts, students
will re-enroll and persist to program completion. To ensure that each staff member applies the
training, develops confidence, and sustains his/her commitment, the area manager will reinforce,
A CRM APPROACH TO IMPROVING CERTIFICATE COMPLETION 65
encourage, reward and monitor performance through required drivers. These required drivers
play a role in program representatives’ application of new strategies to engage and retain
students. The drivers mentioned can be viewed in greater detail in Table 9.
Program. The learning goals provided in the previous section will be achieved through
workshops, training and usage reports. The development of the learners’ knowledge and skills to
improve student engagement will result from workshops, job aids, and trainings. Reinforcement
of fundamental knowledge is important due to rolling enrollments which result in rolling
completions and the complexity of the program representatives’ positions in the organization.
Thus, quarterly and on-demand workshops will be held to refresh knowledge of adult learner
characteristics, needs and preferred interactions. On-demand job aids will be created and
incorporated to the onboarding of new employees. These job aids will illustrate the
characteristics of adult learners, the recommended interactions, and the process of capturing
interactions in the customer relationship management system. During the quarterly workshops,
the aids and tactics will be reviewed with an eye toward enhancements. Through reports and
monthly one-on-one meetings supervisors will monitor the program’s effectiveness.
As program representatives gain more exposure to the knowledge and tactics used in
adult learner engagement, they will develop expertise and make adjustments to their practice as
well as recommend adjustments to improve the adult learner experience across the organization.
The increased mastery will build program representatives’ confidence and self-efficacy. During
monthly team meetings, connections between student persistence and graduation rates and
engagement efforts will be highlighted. Program representatives with the most documented
engagements will be recognized and share their approach. Through monthly discourse the
treatment will be reinforced and the program representatives’ valuation of the endeavor should
A CRM APPROACH TO IMPROVING CERTIFICATE COMPLETION 66
increase. On a quarterly basis, supervisors will report to the organization the gains made in
student persistence and link them to a specific staff member.
Conclusion
This case study examined the knowledge, motivation, and organizational influences on
program representatives’ performance, which impacts the ability of the Division to deliver on its
core value to improve post-secondary educational attainment rates within the region. It was
necessary to understand the strengths and limitations that inhibit program representatives’
performance to interact with students across the student lifecycle and document interactions in
the CRM system. The findings revealed areas for improvement and growth to support the
program representatives’ performance and a training program was developed to address these
opportunities.
A CRM APPROACH TO IMPROVING CERTIFICATE COMPLETION 67
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Appendix A: Protocols
Interview Protocol
Interview Opening Remarks
I want to thank you for agreeing to participate in my study and taking time out of your
busy schedule to meet with me and answer some questions. I am conducting research on adult
student persistence toward certificate completion as part of my doctoral program at USC. The
focus is on how colleges can improve retention through the use of a CRM system. The interview
will take around 1 hour, and consists of 18 questions. There are no right or wrong answers. You
can skip any question you don’t want to answer, and you can stop the interview at any time.
Your responses will be kept confidential, and will only be shared in summary form, with
no identifying information. I also plan to make specific recommendations to leadership related to
improving the use of the CRM system to foster student retention and program completion as a
result of this study. Again, your answers will be kept confidential, and will be summarized with
other interview responses so that no individual participant can be identified.
I would like to record the interview to help me remember your responses. Immediately
following this session, I will upload the recording to a secure server and delete it from my
device. Within a week, I will transcribe the session and permanently delete the recording. The
transcription will be stored under a pseudonym so your responses cannot be connected back to
you.
Do I have your permission to record the interview?
Do you mind if I also jot down a few notes to jog my memory?
Do you have any questions for me before we get started?
A CRM APPROACH TO IMPROVING CERTIFICATE COMPLETION 76
In addressing the questions in this interview, I would like you to only focus on your
interactions with enrolled certificate candidates.
Interview Questions
1. Describe your role at the continuing education unit.
a. What are your specific responsibilities as they relate to students?
2. How long have you worked for the organization?
a. Have you occupied the same position?
3. How does the organization define students?
a. How do adult student needs differ from those of traditional students?
4. Describe your experience in working with (if any) adult students prior to this job.
5. How was a CRM System used in your previous experience, if at all?
6. Think about your interactions with students. When, in the student lifecycle, do you
work with students?
a. Note: If needed, be prepared with a diagram of the student lifecycle
7. What activities are you engaged in that improve student retention and completion?
8. Describe the steps that you use to decide how you will engage with current students.
9. Which channels (i.e., phone, email, in person) do you use to interact with students?
a. To what degree do you feel the current channels are effective in communicating
answers to student questions?
10. Can you tell me about a time you had an effective/ineffective interaction with a
student?
a. What about the interaction made it effective/ineffective?
A CRM APPROACH TO IMPROVING CERTIFICATE COMPLETION 77
b. What role did the use of the CRM system play in the effectiveness of that
interaction, if any?
11. What kind of training did you receive on the use of the CRM System?
a. Describe the training experience; do you feel it prepared you to use the CRM
System effectively to support student retention?
12. To what degree do you think it is important for your institution to implement a CRM
system?
13. How did your manager communicate the use of the CRM system?
14. How do you feel about your ability to use the CRM system daily?
15. To what degree does the CRM system impact your performance?
16. How does your work with students contribute to reaching the organizational goals?
17. Do you feel you can rely on the organization to provide information to help you
succeed at your job?
a. What support can the organization provide you?
18. What kind of professional development would help you be better at your job? Why?
Document Analysis Protocol
CRM system Training Documents
1. Where are the CRM training documents located?
2. When were the documents created and published? When were they last updated?
3. What specific guidance do the CRM training documents give program representatives
on the process for entering interactions with adult students in the system?
4. Do the CRM training documents provide definitions of terms to ensure there is an
understanding of language used?
A CRM APPROACH TO IMPROVING CERTIFICATE COMPLETION 78
5. Do the CRM training documents outline a specific process for communicating with
students?
6. What are the steps for documenting interactions with students in the CRM system? Is
it simple? Complex?
7. Are the training materials easy or difficult to follow?
CRM System Usage Reports
1. How frequently is the CRM system used by program representatives?
2. How frequently is the CRM system used by the program representatives’ manager?
3. What is the process for extracting reports from the CRM system for the program
representative?
Retention and Enrollment Management Plan
1. Where is the retention and enrollment management plan located?
2. When was the retention and enrollment management plan created and published?
3. Is the organizational goal of an 80% certificate completion rate documented in the
retention and enrollment management plan?
4. Are the activities in support of retention and enrollment outlined with assigned tasks
and responsible staff members?
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Appendix B: Credibility and Trustworthiness
Qualitative studies must be conducted in a rigorous and reliable manner to be considered
credible and trustworthy (Merriam & Tisdell, 2016). Credibility and trustworthiness are
important in qualitative studies because the results may impact individuals and practitioners may
wish to apply the results in their own settings (Merriam & Tisdell, 2016). In qualitative studies,
where the researcher is the instrument, the researcher’s bias may influence the correctness of the
results in the way the collected data is grouped, analyzed and interpreted (Maxwell, 2013).
Researchers should employ multiple data collections methods that are carefully designed and
administered with rigor (Merriam & Tisdell, 2016).
Although bias is unavoidable and cannot be eliminated it can be minimized by using
multiple sources which will allow for data comparison and cross-checking (Merriam & Tisdell,
2016). This study used both interviews and document review to ensure that the data collection
and interpretation was an accurate depiction. Triangulation minimizes the risk of incorrect
correlation and biases, which can occur when data is collected using only one method (Maxwell,
2013). During analysis, I conferred with the study participants to confirm whether I was
correctly interpreting their responses. Some study participants referenced practices that were
unclear, I scheduled follow up conversations to understand how these practices influenced
students.
A CRM APPROACH TO IMPROVING CERTIFICATE COMPLETION 80
Appendix C: Ethics
To ensure maximum participation in the study, the researcher explained the purpose of
the study to the participant’s immediate supervisor and the unit director. The initial invitation
was sent via e-mail to provide participants with complete information of their right to participate.
The e-mail included a complete description of the study, the interview protocol and document
review protocol. The invitation also included a statement that described the participant’s right to
exit the study at any time and for any reason without consequence. Prior to commencing each
interview, the researcher reviewed the participant’s right to withdraw from the study or stop the
interview. The researcher obtained confirmation that each individual was voluntarily
participating in the study and agreed to be recorded. After consent was secured, the researcher
administered each interview in a secure room on a separate floor. Informed consent is a key
responsibility of the researcher that requires that human subjects are informed of their rights and
possible injury before joining in a study (Glesne, 2011; Merriam & Tisdell, 2016; Rubin &
Rubin, 2012).
The hierarchical structure of the organization groups all departments in two overarching
functional units: operations and academics. As a member of the management team and
managerial support for software systems and organizational process teams, the researcher
occupies a highly visible role within the operational units of the organization. While the
potential participants have attended workshops, training sessions and served on committees with
the researcher, none have any type of direct connection with the researcher. All interviews were
transcribed and any identifying information that may jeopardize participants’ confidentiality and
anonymity were removed. The researcher took added precautions to create an environment in
A CRM APPROACH TO IMPROVING CERTIFICATE COMPLETION 81
which the participants felt respected, and secure so that their responses reflected an honest
depiction of the organization.
The credibility and trustworthiness of qualitative studies may be influenced by researcher
bias that stems from existing theory, perceptions, and goals (Maxwell, 2013). The researcher is
an adult student who earned her undergraduate and graduate degrees as a fully employed, single,
head-of-household. As such, the researcher has biases which favor working parents who engage
in academic pursuits. Further, the researcher recognizes that students have obligations that
customers do not, and unequivocally believes that self-sustaining institutions have
responsibilities that commercial enterprises do not. This researcher believes that when a student
has satisfied the institution’s criteria for admission, it is the institution’s obligation to meet the
student’s needs and meet the promise that institutions of higher education imply.
A CRM APPROACH TO IMPROVING CERTIFICATE COMPLETION 82
Appendix D: Limitations and Delimitations
This study was constrained and restricted by several limitations. First, the study and the
interview protocol apply to a division of one higher education institution. Second, the potential
participant group was comprised of a small stakeholder group (eight individuals). Third, this
study was delimited to understanding the use of the CRM system from the perspective of the
study participants. The perspectives of the organizational stakeholders are not represented in this
study unless the participants referenced them during the interviews. Fourth, the sampling
methods used in this study were based on criterion sampling and convenience sampling methods.
Fifth, there is a chance that the researcher experience influenced the stakeholder responses.
Given these potential limitations, this research is still valuable and useful for higher education
institutions that use a CRM system or may be considering CRM technologies as part of their
retention plans.
A CRM APPROACH TO IMPROVING CERTIFICATE COMPLETION 83
Appendix E: Definitions
Attrition: A decline in the number of students from the beginning to the end of the
course, program, institution, or system under review.
Conversion Yield: The percentage of admitted students who enroll in a college.
Enrollment Management: The process of attracting matriculants, retaining students once
they arrive on campus, and assisting students through graduation.
Retention: The continued student participation in a learning event to completion, which
in higher education could be a course, program, institution, or system.
Student Lifecycle: The period of time beginning when a student first has contact with a
university, continuing through his/her student experience, and lasting as long as he/she remains
in contact with the university as an alumnus/alumna
Student Persistence: The result of students decisions to continue their participation in the
learning event under analysis.
A CRM APPROACH TO IMPROVING CERTIFICATE COMPLETION 84
Appendix F: Integrated Implementation and Evaluation Plan
Implementation and Evaluation Framework
The New World Kirkpatrick Model, the most widely employed evaluation model, is
comprised of four levels (Kirkpatrick & Kirkpatrick, 2016). The implementation and evaluation
plan, levels three and four, ensure that the organization is adapting an actionable plan that is
guided by metrics. Kirkpatrick and Kirkpatrick (2016) recommend developing the evaluation
plan working backwards from Level 4: the results and leading indicators, Level 3: the application
of what is learned by the participant on-the-job, then Level 2: each learner’s knowledge and
confidence acquisition and commitment to perform the tasks, and eventually Level 1: each
learner’s belief that the training session is relevant and important. This places the outcome and
results front and center which focuses the attention on what is most important (Kirkpatrick &
Kirkpatrick, 2016).
Organizational Purpose, Need and Expectations
WUSU’s mission is to provide practical, quality learning experiences for residents who
wish to upskill or change careers. In 2009, WUSU leadership established a graduation goal to
improve the graduation rate to 80%. Improving completion rates, fulfills a core system wide
tenant, provides residents opportunities for advancement, and strengthens the community. The
stakeholder goal to apply and document engagement and retention strategies during interactions
with certificate candidates directly relates to the organizational goal in that program
representatives regularly and continuously interact with students throughout their entire lifecycle.
If program representatives apply and document interaction and retention practices, then student
engagement will increase and completion rates will improve.
A CRM APPROACH TO IMPROVING CERTIFICATE COMPLETION 85
Level 4: Results and Leading Indicators
Table 1F presents Kirkpatricks Level 4 in the fo rm of desired internal and external
outcomes, metrics and methods. Organizational prioritization through training, time and
monitoring in support of the critical behaviors identified in Table 2F should lead to the internal
outcomes, which, in-turn will lead to the listed external outcomes. The outcomes listed on table
1F are aligned with in the organizational mission and the student related performance objectives.
Table 1F
Outcomes, Metrics, and Methods for External and Internal Outcomes
Outcome Metric(s) Method(s)
External Outcomes
Strengthen revenue stream
for main campus.
Annual net revenue received by
campus.
Annual report.
Increased educational
attainment rate.
Number of students who
complete the certificate
program.
Annual California economic
forecast report.
Improved perception of
certificates as a valuable
credential.
Number of conversations
generated across all media
outlets.
Media pitches, stories, posts and
videos depicting the measurable
value of a certificate.
Internal Outcomes
Increase the number of
staff member initiated
interactions with students.
The number of interactions
between program representatives
and students.
Quarterly solicit data from the
students.
Increase the number of
interactions documented
in the CRM system.
The number of recorded
interactions.
Monthly CRM system generated
reports.
Increased re-enrollment in
subsequent terms.
The number of returning student
enrollments.
Quarterly enrollment reports.
Increased graduates. The number of students who
complete their certificate.
Quarterly completion reports.
Increase the program
representatives’
availability to interact
when adult learners are
onsite.
The program representatives’
office hours.
Solicit data from supervisors
and human resources.
Solicit data from the program
representatives.
A CRM APPROACH TO IMPROVING CERTIFICATE COMPLETION 86
Level 3: Behavior
Critical behaviors. In support of the organizational goal to improve the certificate
completion rate of all students, program representatives who regularly interact with students will
apply strategies to engage and retain certificate candidates. Critical behaviors are those regularly
performed activities that have the greatest impact on the goal (Kirkpatrick & Kirkpatrick, 2016).
The first critical behavior program representatives will adopt is to interact and build rapport with
their assigned students. The second critical behavior is the documentation of all interactions with
student in the customer relationship management system. The third critical behavior is program
representatives’ reflection, documentation and evaluation of the engagement tactics they
employed. The specific metrics, methods, and timing for these critical behaviors appears in table
2F.
Table 2F
Critical Behaviors, Metrics, Methods, and Timing for Evaluation
Critical Behavior Metric(s)
Method(s)
Timing
1. Program
representatives will
interact with assigned
students to build a
rapport with each
student.
The number of
interactions in which
program
representatives
connect with students.
Supervisor will compare
data collected from
students with the
documented
interactions.
Quarterly
2. Program
representatives will
document all
interactions with
student in the
customer relationship
management system.
The number of
documented staff
member and student
interactions.
Supervisor will review
interaction reports.
Upon initial training
the reports will be
reviewed weekly.
Once a pattern is
established, the
reports will be
reviewed monthly.
3. Program
representatives will
reflect, document and
evaluate the tactics
they employed to
engage students.
The number of tactics
and reflections.
Work-group manager
will review tactics and
reflections weekly.
Tactics are
documented
immediately upon
execution.
Reflections are
captured weekly.
A CRM APPROACH TO IMPROVING CERTIFICATE COMPLETION 87
Work-group
manager will review
tactics and
reflections weekly.
Supervisors will
review them
monthly.
Required drivers. Kirkpatrick and Kirkpatrick (2016) state that required drivers are
processes and systems that reinforce, monitor, encourage and reward performance. Program
representatives need to know the importance of and value student retention and completion.
They must believe that they are capable of improving retention and completion by fostering
student engagement through interactions. The organization needs to provide program
representatives the proper and relevant training in the techniques and tools that support and build
student confidence. The organization must foster program representative’s belief that because of
their efforts, students will re-enroll and complete their programs. To ensure that each staff
member applies the training, develops confidence, and sustains his/her commitment, the area
manager will reinforce, encourage, reward and monitor performance through required drivers.
These required drivers play a role in program representative’s application of new strategies to
engage and retain students. The drivers mentioned can be viewed in greater detail in table 3F.
Table 3F
Required Drivers to Support Critical Behaviors
Method(s) Timing
Critical Behaviors Supported
1, 2, 3 Etc.
Reinforcing
Create job aids that show the
alignment between adult
learner types, interaction
techniques and anticipated
outcomes.
Ongoing 1, 2 & 3
A CRM APPROACH TO IMPROVING CERTIFICATE COMPLETION 88
Program representatives learn
how to identify, classify, and
apply modifications to meet
student needs from on-the-job
training sessions.
Quarterly 1, 2 & 3
Create a visual illustration that
demonstrates the adult
learner’s needs aligned with
potential modifications.
Ongoing 1, 2, & 3
Create community of practice
where program
representatives discuss
scenarios and generate
approaches that support
student retention and
completion.
Monthly 1, 2 & 3
Encouraging
Team meetings to review and
enhance progress and process.
Monthly 1, 2 & 3
Share out of condensed list of
approaches for adoption by all
program representatives.
Quarterly 1, 2 & 3
Rewarding
Organization wide reporting
of programmatic retention and
completion rates correlated
with program representatives’
efforts.
Quarterly 1, 2 & 3
Monitoring
Checkpoint meetings to
review application,
implementation and progress.
Monthly 1, 2 & 3
Key performance indicators to
monitor programmatic
performance.
Quarterly 1, 2 & 3
Organizational support. The drivers presented in table 3F require support from the
organization. The cultural models and settings advanced in table 4 must be present in the
organization to support the required drivers and critical behaviors. Program representatives will
need time to gain the knowledge and develop the skills to engage in the desired behaviors.
Documentation, reflection, monitoring, and regular meetings are identified drivers that require
A CRM APPROACH TO IMPROVING CERTIFICATE COMPLETION 89
time to execute. A unified organizational vision that values student persistence and completion is
a precursor to time allotment. Lastly, monitoring results is embedded in the belief that the
organization adopted a culture of performance improvement informed by data.
Level 2: Learning
Learning goals. Kirkpatrick and Kirkpatrick (2016) discussed the five evaluative
components of learning: knowledge, skills, attitude, confidence, and commitment, all of which
are critical for the program representatives to achieve their goal. Following completion of the
recommended training solutions, program representatives will be able to:
1. Recognize the difference between traditional students and adult learners. (D)
2. Classify the characteristics and expectations of adult learners. (D)
3. Implement the tactics that increase adult student engagement. (P)
4. Reflect and adjust the applied tactics, interactions, to improve student engagement. (M)
5. Use the customer relationship management system to capture interactions with students.
(P)
6. Monitor student retention. (P)
7. Value student completion. (Value)
8. Believe that improved engagement efforts will improve students’ program completion.
(Attribution)
9. Believe that their effort will lead to student persistence. (Expectancy Value; Confidence)
Program. The learning goals provided in the previous section will be achieved through
workshops, training and usage reports. The development of the learners’ knowledge and skills to
improve student engagement will result from workshops, job aids, and trainings. Reinforcement
A CRM APPROACH TO IMPROVING CERTIFICATE COMPLETION 90
of fundamental knowledge is important due to rolling enrollments and the nature of the program
representatives’ position in the organization. Thus, quarterly and on-demand workshops will be
held to refresh knowledge of adult learner characteristics, needs and preferred interactions. On-
demand job aids will be created and incorporated to the onboarding of new employees. These
job aids will illustrate the characteristics of adult learners, the recommended interactions, and the
process of capturing interactions in the customer relationship management system. During the
quarterly workshops, the aids and tactics will be reviewed with an eye toward enhancements.
Through reports and monthly one-on-one meetings supervisors will monitor the program’s
effectiveness.
As program representatives gain more exposure to the knowledge and tactics used in
adult learner engagement, they will develop expertise and make adjustments to their practice as
well as recommend adjustments to improve the adult learner experience across the organization.
The increased mastery will build program representatives confidence and self-efficacy. During
monthly team meetings, connections between student persistence and graduation rates and
engagement efforts will be highlighted. Program representatives with the most documented
engagements will be recognized and will share their techniques. Through monthly discourse the
treatment will be reinforced, and the program representatives’ value of the endeavor should
increase. On a quarterly basis, supervisors will report to the organization, the gains made in
student persistence and link the gains to a specific staff member.
Evaluation of the Components of learning. The program representatives’ ability to
generate solutions presupposes foundational knowledge of facts, concepts and procedures
required to support the adjustment or enhancement of solutions. As such, program
representatives must have the knowledge, skills, and motivation to apply what is learned.
A CRM APPROACH TO IMPROVING CERTIFICATE COMPLETION 91
Accordingly, evaluating for both the declarative and procedural knowledge learned during the
program is important. Assessing the value, commitment, and confidence that the learners place
on the training is equally important to ensure the daily application of what is learned. Table 4F
lists the evaluation methods and timing of these learning components.
Table 4F
Evaluation of the Components of Learning for the Program.
Method(s) or Activity(ies) Timing
Declarative Knowledge “I know it.”
Trainer/facilitator administer knowledge
checks through discussions and other
individual/group activities.
Quarterly: During workshops and training
sessions.
Participants report out during table discussions. Quarterly: During workshops and training
sessions.
Procedural Skills “I can do it right now.”
Peer feedback during mock engagement
sessions.
Quarterly: During workshops and training
sessions.
Case study analysis during group tabling and
role play.
Quarterly: During workshops and training
sessions.
Use post-session reflections to assess the value
that participants attribute to engagement.
Quarterly: During workshops and training
sessions.
Attitude “I believe this is worthwhile.”
Pre- and Post- survey to
assess whether the value of developing
relationships with students has increased.
Quarterly: During workshops and training
sessions.
Observation of participants engagement during
the training.
On the job, by supervisors.
Brainstorm the impact of additional interaction
with students.
During monthly meetings.
Confidence “I think I can do it on the job.”
Feedback from peer and supervisor during
observations.
Ongoing during monthly meetings.
Dedicated time to discuss the program
representatives’ concerns about engaging more
with students.
Quarterly: During review meetings.
Commitment “I will do it on the job.”
1:1 discussions following modeling On the job, by supervisors and peers.
Written participant reflections of how they will
implement what they learned on the job.
Quarterly: During workshops and training
A CRM APPROACH TO IMPROVING CERTIFICATE COMPLETION 92
Level 1: Reaction
Evaluating participants’ perceptions, engagement and satisfaction with the learning event
is essential to predict the program representatives’ on-the-job application of the training
(Kirkpatrick & Kirkpatrick, 2016). Table 5F outlines the methods for measuring the program
representatives’ reaction to the learning event.
Table 5F
Components to Measure Reactions to the Program.
Method(s) or Tool(s) Timing
Engagement
Observation During Training
Workshop Evaluation Immediately following training
Relevance
Pulse-check with participants During Training
Workshop Evaluation Immediately following training
Customer Satisfaction
Pulse-check with participants During quarterly meetings
Workshop Evaluation Immediately following training
Program Evaluation Six months post workshop
Evaluation Tools
Immediately following the program implementation. Level 1 and Level 2 evaluations
provide critical feedback that is necessary to assess the quality of the learning event. Following
the learning event, the participants will complete a survey (see Appendix Gfor the survey
questions) to indicate their commitment, satisfaction, and confidence of applying the learning on-
the-job. The training facilitator will use an outline with learning objectives. During the learning
event, the facilitator will observe and query the participants to assess their understanding and
confidence. Upon completion of the training, the facilitator will write a summary that captures
observations of the participants engagement with, and reactions to the learning event.
A CRM APPROACH TO IMPROVING CERTIFICATE COMPLETION 93
Delayed for a period after the program implementation. Approximately six months
after the learning event, a survey will be administered to evaluate the participants’ perceptions
(see Appendix G for the survey questions). Using the Kirkpatrick and Kirkpatrick (2016) four
level evaluation system, the instrument will be comprised of questions to evaluate the program
representatives belief that the training related to their practice (Level 1), satisfaction, knowledge,
skills, confidence commitment and value of applying the training with the training (Level 2) the
staff member’s on-the-job application of the techniques introduced during the training (Level 3),
and whether their practice lead to the increased student engagement, persistence and program
completion (Level 4).
Data Analysis and Reporting
The Level 4 goal for the program representatives is measured by student persistence, re-
enrollment and completion. To measure whether or not the stakeholder goal has been met, the
following learning objectives will be monitored for all program representatives: do they know
how to use systems to monitor and evaluate student engagement, do they recognize the value in
student persistence and completion, do they know how to implement the tactics designed to
increase adult learner engagement, do they believe that they are efficacious when applying the
engagement techniques, do they know how to classify the characteristics and expectations of
adult learners, and do they know the differences between nontraditional and traditional students,
do they know how to classify the characteristics and expectations of adult learners. . Figure 1F
depicts a possible dashboard for Level 4 data to visually illustrate the conversion metrics that
will be monitored to ensure that the training and on-the-job performance had the desired result,
increased completion rates.
A CRM APPROACH TO IMPROVING CERTIFICATE COMPLETION 94
Academic
Year
Total Number of
Certificate
Candidates
Percentage of Returning
Students
Total
Number of
Student
Completion
s
Completion
Rate
Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4
2017 2,000 X X X X 900 45%
2018 XX X X X X XX XX
2019 XX X X X X XX XX
2020 XX X X X X XX XX
Figure 1F. Conversion metrics dashboard
A CRM APPROACH TO IMPROVING CERTIFICATE COMPLETION 95
Appendix G: Training Plan Evaluation Instrument
Immediate Evaluations (Levels 1 & 2)
For each of the question below, circle the response that most closely reflects how you feel about
the statement.
Strongly
Disagree
Disagree Agree
Strongly
Agree
I received
helpful
information prior
to attending the
workshop (L1).
1 2 3 4
My learning was
enhanced by the
facilitator’s
knowledge (L2).
1 2 3 4
The information
in this program
is applicable to
my work (L1).
1 2 3 4
I am confident
that I can apply
what I learned
when I return to
my job (L1).
1 2 3 4
The workshop
material will
help me on the
job (L1).
1 2 3 4
1. Which characteristics indicate that a student is non-traditional? (Check all that apply)
(L2)
a. Previous college education
b. Member of an underrepresented group
c. Employed Age 26 or older
d. Has dependents
A CRM APPROACH TO IMPROVING CERTIFICATE COMPLETION 96
2. Based on the training session, what do adult learners expect from their educational
experience? (L2)
3. How will you apply what you learned in the session to foster engagement with your
assigned students? (L2)
Delayed Evaluations (Levels 1, 2, 3, & 4)
Strongly
Disagree
Disagree Agree
Strongly
Agree
I have applied
what I learned
on-the-job. (L3)
1 2 3 4
My supervisor
reviews
interactions and
makes
suggestions for
improvement.
(L3)
1 2 3 4
I have seen an
increased
number of
returning
students as a
result of my
efforts. (L4)
1 2 3 4
This program
has positively
impacted my
interactions with
students. (L4)
1 2 3 4
I would
recommend this
training to others
in my
organization.
(L1)
1 2 3 4
Please provide feedback for the following questions:
1. Have you faced any challenges or obstacles in applying what you’ve learned?
2. What suggestions do you have for improving this program?
Abstract (if available)
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Asset Metadata
Creator
Sanford, Maria Cristina
(author)
Core Title
A customer relationship management approach to improving certificate completion
School
Rossier School of Education
Degree
Doctor of Education
Degree Program
Organizational Change and Leadership (On Line)
Publication Date
11/15/2019
Defense Date
06/24/2019
Publisher
University of Southern California
(original),
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Tag
adult learners,adult students,certificate completion,change management,continuing education,CRM,customer relationship management system,enrollment management,nontraditional students,OAI-PMH Harvest,student support
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Seli, Helena (
committee chair
), Bewley, William (
committee member
), Malloy, Courtney Lynn (
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)
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Tags
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enrollment management
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student support