Higher Education - Sales or Business Development?

Have you ever sat down with a parent desperate to find space for his/her child at a good university or college? The first thing that will strike you is their high emotional state - nervousness because of being unsure of what the processes are. You may also notice their frustration - with the child and/or the system. They may appear vulnerable, some because they know that their child has not worked hard enough, and many because they realise how tough it is going to be to pay for the studies.

At that point it dawns on you that the business of higher education is not about money, or registration targets, or even profit, but about your interest in the problems of this parent, and about contributing in a tangible way, to arrive at a meaningful solution. The result is that instead of "selling" a course or degree that the child or parent has no interest in, or that nobody wants to take, you candidly go through their options, providing good advice on what to do next.

So, what is the challenge for deans, vice-chancellors, registrars, and directors? Well, how do you run your (education) business? How do you drive up student numbers? What actions do you take to meet revenue targets? Where do you go, when you want to reduce expenses to maximise profits?

The answer is not as complex as it appears. And, certainly, it is not possible to run a college or university without money or without worrying about student numbers.

So, what is the recipe to success?

1. Worry about your students!
2. Worry about their parents!
3. Worry about your students' future employment!

If your motives are non-commercial, not just about "sales", but about offering great quality education, your education business will develop. Why? Because you will be looking for ways to provide great customer service, you will insist on academic integrity and high academic quality, and you will make sure that every rand or pound or dollar spent is a sound investment on a good student. Education still attracts the largest budgetary spend in most developing countries across the globe - we just need to go about increasing access responsibly!