Student and Registry Services pilot new student enquiry management system

In June, Student and Registry Services (SRS) launched a pilot of the Student Information Desk (SID), an enquiry management system that includes functionality to track student enquiries, harvest emails, manage student casework and provide comprehensive FAQs. This is the first of a series of SID implementations, initially taking place across SRS involving teams who directly support current students.  

SRS teams currently using SID (askUCL)

• Student Records
• Student Enquiries Centre
• International Student Support
• Study Abroad
• Student Immigration Compliance
• Student Visa Advice
• Student Funding
• Disability, Mental Health and Wellbeing Services

The impact of SID on SRS teams

A soft launch approach allows SRS the opportunity to familiarise and develop their understanding and use of the system and the significant step change of managing enquiries through the SID dashboard rather than Outlook. 

SRS will gradually introduce current students to askUCL, the brand for the student-facing part of the service. Promoting askUCL to students has been intentionally limited to allow traffic through the system to build steadily during the pilot. Over the coming months, students will be encouraged to use askUCL rather than email teams to raise enquiries; this is likely to peak during the pre-enrolment and re-enrolment period as the new cohort of students join UCL in September. 

How the system handles enquiries

The system pulls in enquiries in two ways. Firstly, students can log into askUCL and search for answers to their questions using the FAQ area (known internally as the knowledge bank). If their answer is not there or they need further information, they can use the system to log an enquiry that automatically triages to the SRS team who can assist them. 

The system also harvests emails sent to the following SRS accounts:

• studentrecords@ucl.ac.uk
• researchdegrees@ucl.ac.uk
• studentstatus@ucl.ac.uk
• newstudents@ucl.ac.uk
• internationalsupport@ucl.ac.uk
• study-abroad@ucl.ac.uk
• visacompliance@ucl.ac.uk
• visaadvice@ucl.ac.uk
• studentfundingadvice@ucl.ac.uk
• us-cdn-loans@ucl.ac.uk
• student.wellbeing@ucl.ac.uk

Email harvesting means the system pulls the enquiries automatically from Outlook into SID. Teams handle the enquiries within SID, updating and answering the questions. The enquiries are easy to trace as both staff and the enquirer receive a notification from the system when an enquiry is updated or resolved. 

How the SID implementation affects other UCL staff

If you send an email to any of the above accounts, you receive an auto-response confirming the log of your enquiry and a link that allows you to track your enquiry. You can also use this link to update your enquiry. Importantly, every time you email the above accounts you will create another enquiry record. 

For this reason, we ask you to avoid the use of CC or BCC whenever possible and please do not include them on a reply-all. If you do need to update an enquiry, please use the link in the auto-response.

Expanding to other SRS teams who manage enquiries from students and applicants

The SRS Admissions, Examinations and Casework teams will be working towards using the enquiry management tools of the SID system in the second roll out later this year.

The initial pilot allows us to surface issues and make improvements to the system while working with staff across UCL to resolve any workflow problems stemming from email harvesting of staff enquiries. We appreciate your patience while we make these changes.

For more information on the project, please visit the Student Success Platform website.