Small changes = big impact!

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There are so many things that contribute to a positive student experience. The obvious would be plenty of social activities, great facilities, an unforgettable Freshers’ Week, exceptional accommodation and not to mention the academic side! Although this list requires a lot of resources and time to deliver from all teams, there are also many small and simple steps you can take that will improve the student experience throughout their entire journey.

Filtering room types

When a prospect is browsing accommodation types on your website, you want them to be able to find the room they’re looking for quickly and efficiently. To reduce the number of clicks and improve the navigation on your website, you could include a filtering option. This will narrow their search and display a list of choices based on their preferences. Here are a few examples of how the filter could be applied:

• Student type: new undergraduate, postgraduate or returning student

• Catering type: self-catered or catered

• Type of room: double, family, twin, studio, en-suite

• Budget: weekly or annually

• Other: gender-specific, alcohol-free, quiet rooms, LGBT

Roommates

The Student Accommodation Survey 2018/19 reported that “second and third-year students deemed being able to maintain friendship groups as important when looking for accommodation, with over 60% of this group identifying the number of bedrooms available in a property, and the effect this had on being able to live either with friends or alone, as influencing their choice”. This shows that allowing students to add roommates will really improve their experience with you. An alternative solution could be displaying a floor plan so students can see exactly where rooms are located and how far from where their friends or key amenities they are staying.

Online requests

Trails of paperwork, ongoing phone calls and an ever-growing inbox… Not the ideal way to record requests from students. Whether it be a room swap, a friend visiting or a maintenance request, there is a simple way you can manage these that will make the student experience 100x smoother. Have an online hub whereby they can submit requests, receive correspondence related to them and track their progress. By having this online portal for students to access, the process is clear and simple for them to follow.

These are just a few simple things you can offer that will have a big impact on the student experience. If you want to explore more ways to enhance the student experience at every step of their journey, why not download the FREE student experience guide?

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