Uxbridge College
Missed enrolment interviews? Just send a text!
Reminding students about enrolment interviews used to be a chore – until Uxbridge College started using SMS messages.
“We have a massive enrolment programme and we used to triple book some appointment slots because of the low turn-out rate,” says Mark Nettle, Director Of Student Services. “But with a text reminder the day before the interview, the turn-out rate has shot up dramatically.”
“I think we set a record with an Electrical Installation student who arrived saying ‘I’ve had this text – I’ve come for my interview’ – seven minutes after we sent it.”
Uxbridge College, which is one of London’s top performing colleges, attracts around 3,000 full-time students and 6,000 part-time students every year.
The secure SMS service was launched thanks to a joint venture between PageOne Communications and JANET(UK).
In May 2007, JANET(UK) selected PageOne to operate the service, allowing educational and research organisations to distribute individual or group messaging to mobiles, landlines, email and pagers through one, easy to use, interface.
“We were talking to several firms until the JANET txt offer came along at just the right time,” says Mark. “It was competitively priced and offered just what we were looking for.”
“Looking ahead, we want to extend the text reminders across the curriculum. Throughout the year we have tried other methods to help remind our students. However, in comparison to JANET txt the results were not as good.”
In a completely separate application, JANET txt proved invaluable when the local authority asked the college to consult young people on potential uses for a neighbouring RAF site which will be sold off in the next two years
“We used JANET txt to invite 20 of our student reps to take part in the consultation,” says Mark.
“Seventeen turned up the next day and had masses to say about what they wanted on the site. We are extremely pleased with the system and hope to use it further.”
