Customer Relationship Management Programme - FAQs

Welcome to the Oxford CRM Programme FAQs page. Below, you'll find answers to the most common questions about the programme. Our CRM programme is designed to streamline processes, reduce silos, and co-create a platform for managing relationships across the collegiate University. Explore the FAQs to learn more about the CRM programme.

Question Answer
What is the timeline for the programme?

The CRM Programme will be delivered in three phases between 2025 and 2028. 

The first phase will take place during the 24/25 academic year with university functions involved in the initial discovery work and early adopter teams, development and alumni, the people department and OxTalks are onboarded. 

Phase two begins at the start of the 25/26 academic year. The second phase of the programme focusses on the student lifecycle, from outreach and prospecting through to alumni. A full replacement for the DARs system used by DAE and some colleges.  

The third phase begins during 26/27 academic year and is all about onboarding our department, divisions and colleges, leading to our one institutional CRM.  
What is the scope for the programme?  The scope for phase one of the programme is HR case management for the central HRBP team in the people department, event listing for OxTalks and digital marketing capability for Development and alumni engagement. The scope for phase two is to complete the build, but how we approach this will be decided in May.  
Who is involved in initial discovery and onboarding during phase one?  Development and Alumni engagement, the people department and OxTalks are the early adopter teams and will be onboarded onto the CRM system during the first phase. However, platform co-creation is ongoing and a number of teams from across the collegiate university are all actively involved in the discovery work during phase one Student fees and funding, Student Welfare, DAE, UAO, Graduate admissions, Continuing Education, IT Services, Assurance, Public Affairs Directorate, Proctors, Finance, Colleges and some departments. 
Will all functions, departments, divisions and colleges be part of the programme and onboarded onto the CRM Platform?  Our ambition is that the CRM Platform is an invaluable system for teams across the collegiate university. With simplified processes and all data in a single system, the insights that will be possible will enable us to be truly data driven. 
When will my team be onboarded?  During phase one, the marketing team within development and alumni engagement, the central HR Business Partner (HRBP) team in the people department and Oxtalks will be onboarded with other central university functions that are part of the student lifecycle joining the platform in phase two and phase three is when onboarding will be open to the wider university. While there is a phased plan for the onboarding of different teams, the programme is focused on collaboration, and your team’s capacity will be considered when discussing platform adoption. 
What are the key benefits that my team will see as part of the CRM programme? 

Part of the co-creation of the programme is about working together to identify and realise the benefits of the platform. The benefits that your team sees will be specific to the work that you do, for example:  

  • DAE, have a 360-degree view of individuals current and historical relationship with the University of Oxford allowing a more tailored experience 
  • Continuing Education, can view the full engagement to enrolment journey  
  • Graduate Admissions, have a higher conversion rate of engagement into successful applications, with prospective students applying to the right courses for them  
  • Student visa team, less time spent on routine enquiries because timely communication is sent to international students 
What is meant by co-creation and who is involved in co-creating phase one?   The CRM Programme is a change programme that is co-created with the people who are going through the change. This means that staff experiences and preferences are used to shape the programme, and colleagues play an active role in identifying and implementing the benefits of the change. Currently staff from Student fees and funding, Student Welfare, DAE, Undergraduate Admissions and Outreach, Graduate admissions, Continuing Education, IT Services, Assurance, Public Affairs Directorate, Proctors, Finance and Colleges have all supported the programme with its current work in phase one.  
How does this work with other DT programmes?  The Data Strategy Implementation Programme and Identity Improvement Programme are both working closely with the CRM programme as there are dependencies across the three that also benefit all three. We are also keeping close to People and Finance Service Transformation (PFST) and Oxford Research Management System (ORMS). 

 

Question Answer
Are there systems that will no longer exist due to the introduction of a CRM?  Yes, we know for certain that DARS, OxTalks current system, Redpot and Bluepot will no longer exist once the CRM platform is in wide use. The end date of each system is dependent on its licensing agreements and when the teams using the systems are onboarded. 
Will Student systems (SITS) and other systems integrate with the CRM?  During the first phase of the programme data from key systems SITS (student systems), People XD (staff), and DARs (alumni) will be included into the CRM platform. These essential systems are used across the University and hold source data for the CRM system. 
Will all personal data sit in the CRM platform?  Initially two of Oxford's people systems SITS and People XD will integrate with the CRM platform and the data from these systems will be managed on the CRM platform in accordance with oxford's data governance framework. However, personal data that is part of systems that will not exist in the future (DARs, Redpot and Bluepot) will sit within the CRM platform and will also comply with oxford's data governance framework. 

 

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