Using RingCentral to Increase Enrollment, Student Retention, and Fundraising - According to ChatGPT

Like many this week, I've been fascinated by the samples people have been sharing of ChatGPT's work. ChatGPT is a new chatbot from OpenAI that generates text based on prompts written by users. These prompts can come in the form of a question ("What should I do for a day in Austin, TX?") or a statement. ChatGPT then uses its vast library of training data from across the Internet and its natural language engine to craft an answer.

I decided to test it out with this prompt: "Write 200 words describing how universities can use RingCentral to help increase their enrollment, student retention, and fundraising."

A few seconds later, ChatGPT generated this for me:

Universities can use RingCentral to help increase their enrollment, student retention, and fundraising in several ways. First, RingCentral's cloud-based communication and collaboration platform can be used to streamline the enrollment process by providing a single platform for voice and video conferencing, instant messaging, and other collaboration tools. This can make it easier for universities to communicate with potential students and provide them with the information they need to make an informed decision about enrolling

Second, RingCentral can help universities improve student retention by providing students with the tools they need to stay connected and engaged with their peers and instructors. For example, students can use instant messaging to communicate with classmates, or use video conferencing to attend virtual study groups. This can help keep students motivated and engaged, which can in turn improve retention rates.

Third, RingCentral can be used to help universities with their fundraising efforts. For example, universities can use RingCentral's conferencing and collaboration tools to conduct virtual events, such as donor appreciation events or alumni reunions. This can help universities connect with donors and other supporters in a more personal and engaging way, which can lead to increased fundraising success.

Overall, RingCentral can be a valuable tool for universities looking to improve their enrollment, student retention, and fundraising efforts. By providing a platform for seamless communication and collaboration, RingCentral can help universities create a better student experience and keep students engaged and motivated.        

While it's certainly not comprehensive or masterfully written, it's a solid summary of some really valuable use cases that I think universities aren't taking enough advantage of. It didn't mention SMS/texting which is great for all these use cases, or the agility & flexibility it gives employees to improve their productivity & performance against KPIs, or other capabilities like webinars & contact center. But it generated a solid starting point, and it certainly follows the standard five paragraph essay format very strictly.

I wouldn't feel comfortable relying on ChatGPT for answers without verification at this point, but I'll likely continue experimenting with it as a way to quickly generate a "shitty first draft" (Anne Lamott's great term for just getting something on the page instead of getting wrapped around the axle with writer's block) so I can then revise, augment, sharpen, and complete what I'm writing.

Learning how to leverage AI tools in the best ways for our customers, our organizations, and ourselves has already become a critical professional skill to develop, and it's only going to become more important.