Transformation

Frequently Asked Questions

We’re currently building a comprehensive set of FAQs that will explain the CRM project in more detail, including how it’s being delivered and who is involved. To help us make sure we’re covering the information you need, please submit your questions to us. We’ll use your feedback to update this page with answers as the project progresses

Submit a question to the CRM project team

What is a CRM and why do we need it?

A CRM (Customer Relationship Management) system helps organisations manage relationships and interactions with people. For the University, it means having a single view of every student’s journey, making communication smoother and the overall experience more consistent and personalised.

We need a CRM to give us a clear view of every interaction with our students, from their first enquiry all the way through to registration and enrolment. It means no more information gaps for staff or repeated questions for students, as everything is captured in one place. 

Why is the student onboarding process changing?

Although our colleagues work incredibly hard to deliver a positive experience, the onboarding process is complex, manual and spread across multiple systems. This makes it difficult to get a clear view of where each student is at in their journey and can lead to duplication of effort or inconsistent experiences.

By introducing a CRM and streamlining how we manage interactions, we can reduce manual workload for our staff, improve collaboration across teams and ensure every student has a smooth, consistent, and welcoming start to their University journey

How will staff be supported to adopt the CRM?

Colleagues who need to adjust their ways of working or start using the CRM will be supported at every stage of the rollout. This includes training sessions, step-by-step guides and opportunities to try the system before it goes live.

The project team will also be supported by Subject Matter Experts (SMEs). These are staff members with in-depth knowledge of how the current onboarding process works and what is needed to introduce the CRM smoothly and make sure it does everything we need it to do. They help guide decisions and advise on the best ways to support colleagues through the change.

We’ll continue to share regular updates, FAQs and practical tips through our website and newsletters for key stakeholders, so everyone knows what is coming and when.

After each release, there will be dedicated support in place to help staff move onto the new system with confidence and embed new ways of working.

What benefits will a CRM bring for staff and students?

For our staff:

  • Easier collaboration across teams. With shared information, teams can work together more smoothly, reducing back-and-forth and helping tasks move faster.
  • Data-driven insights to improve decision-making. Staff will have better evidence to make informed choices.
  • A consistent approach that builds trust. Using the same processes and tools across the University creates clarity, reduces duplication and supports a more reliable service for everyone.

 

For our students:

  • No more having to repeat information. Staff can see your full history, so you don’t have to explain things multiple times.
  • A smoother experience. Everything is connected, so your journey through the University feels joined up, not fragmented.
  • Faster, more consistent service. You’ll get clear, timely responses no matter which team you speak to.
  • A more personal approach. Staff have the full picture of your interactions, so they can better understand your needs.

When will the CRM be introduced?

The University is rolling out the new CRM in phases, ensuring alignment with institutional priorities, operational capacity, and delivery readiness. Colleagues in Transformation, IS, ER and College teams are working together to deliver the recruitment, admissions and marketing functionality currently in development. 

  • Autumn 2026 - Enquiry management, events management, and lead capture/nurture capabilities.
  • Autumn 2027 - Admissions and Scholarships

‌Opportunities for earlier releases in Spring 2027 are currently being explored, with confirmation expected in the near future.

What was the purpose of the Discovery phase and who was involved?

The Discovery Phase ran from April - September 2025 and was designed to help us build confidence in the benefits, implementation plan and solution design for Phase 1 of the CRM project. It allowed us to understand how the University works today and what colleagues need from the new system. More than 80 staff took part across a wide range of teams.

We engaged colleagues from central teams and the Colleges, including:

  • Admissions
  • Recruitment and International Relations
  • Scholarships
  • Marketing and Communications

Their insights helped shape practical, realistic plans for how the CRM will support our work.

We also held workshops to review the requirements we gathered earlier in the year, and confirm they are accurate, complete and realistic, reflecting how teams currently work. These sessions were used to identify anything missing, unclear or needing refinement.

We did this with a focus on:

  • Admissions
  • Lead management
  • Scholarships
  • Marketing
  • Events management
  • Contact data
  • Enquiry management

The input gathered helped us understand what staff need from the system and how it should work in practice.

Between July and September, we focused on detailed design work.
The project team ran a series of “sprints,” which are short, focused workshops that examine one area of work at a time. These covered:

  • Enquiries
  • Scholarships
  • Admissions
  • Lead capture and nurture (Marketing)
  • PGR Admissions

These sessions helped us:

  • Explore business rules in more depth
  • Map processes in greater detail
  • Understand key user journeys
  • Begin drafting early design documents and data structures

This work ensures the system we build will meet real operational needs.

How will project updates and decisions be shared?

Regular Communications
Updates on CRM development and timelines will be shared through a regular newsletter distributed to colleagues across External Relations and Information Services. This ensures everyone stays informed and aligned as the project progresses.
 
Decision Management
All key decisions related to the CRM and its integrations will be managed and tracked at the project level, providing clear visibility, accountability, and a consistent audit trail. This includes formal project governance and goverance outside the project, examples include Investment Committee, Design Authorities and Portfolio Level boards.

What are the main parts (or modules) of the system and what does each one do?

Agentforce Education

Agentforce Education (formerly Education Cloud) is built for educational institutions that want one unified view of every student and stakeholder. It's designed to manage recruitment and admissions, track student progress, deliver tailored support, and engage alumni - all from a single platform. With real-time data and customisable tools, Education Cloud helps a university to create meaningful experiences, improve retention, and strengthen community relationships. The University of Glasgow will be using funcitonality to support enquiry management, lead capture, lead nuture, admissions and scholarships.

Salesforce Marketing Cloud

Salesforce Marketing Cloud is a digital marketing platform that helps organisations create personalised customer journeys across email, mobile, social media, and web channels. It allows marketers to manage campaigns, analyse customer behavior, and deliver the right message at the right time. Marketing Cloud helps improve customer engagement, increase loyalty, and drive better marketing results.

How will this change affect my day-to-day work?

We recognise that introducing a new system will mean change for the people who will use it as part of their roles. We are mapping out the impact of this change and what it will mean for individuals and their teams, so we can make sure the right support is in place to make that transition as smooth as possible for everyone.
 
For some colleagues, this will mean being involved in testing the new system before it goes live, while for others this will mean taking part in dedicated training, to get ready to use it.
 
Here are some of the changes you can expect:
 
More Streamlined Processes
Many tasks that currently require manual effort-tracking enquiries, following up with prospective students, managing event interactions, or updating spreadsheets- will become centralised and automated. This means less time spent on admin and more time available for meaningful engagement.
 
Improved Collaboration Across Teams
Because everyone will be working from the same system, information will be easier to share, reducing duplication and improving coordination across External Relations and other departments. You’ll spend less time chasing updates and more time acting on them.
 
Training and Support
As new functionality is introduced, you’ll receive guidance, training, and support to help you feel confident using the CRM. The aim is to make your work easier, not more complicated.

What training and support will be provided?

The project team are working closely with colleagues in External Relations and P&OD to develop a comprehensive training plan to support colleagues using the new platfrom. Training will start ahead of Release 1.

How will External Relations colleagues be involved in implementing the system?

We are lucky to benefit from direct expertise of a dedicated group of staff from External Relations, who are supporting the implementation. Known as Subject Matter Experts, or SMEs for short, they form part of the day-to-day delivery of the project, including key involvement in all working groups and development phases. Our SMEs are critical to sucessful delivery and ensuring the end product is fit for the University.
 
SMEs and the wider ER team have already been critical in creating user stories, including use of student journeys, to ensure the CRM delivers a great experience for both staff and students. They will also help inform the training and support that's put in place for colleagues, as they get ready to start using the CRM.

Will the CRM meet GDPR and University data protection requirements?

Yes. The CRM is designed to support GDPR compliance and University data protection requirements. Salesforce provides a secure, trusted platform with built-in privacy and data protection features that help institutions manage personal data responsibly.
 
Key capabilities include role-based access controls, data encryption, audit trails, consent management, and tools to support data subject rights such as access, correction, and deletion. These features enable universities to protect sensitive student, staff, and alumni information while maintaining transparency and accountability.
 
Salesforce operates under internationally recognised security and privacy standards, allowing universities to align their CRM usage with GDPR principles and institutional data protection policies.
 
A Data Protection Impact Assessment has been conducted, as part of the planning for the CRM. This is a standard approach to identifying any risks associated with privacy and data protection.