A Sales Manager and a Student Services Coordinator have a very similar role: they both represent the company or school to a new potential client or student. In a way, the student services coordinator complements the sales representative, since the student will have already heard about the school and is looking at getting more information. It is therefore an advantage if a student services coordinator has some experience in sales.
The job of a student services coordinator goes beyond what is in the job description. This might be because not all students are alike. The job involves knowing the needs of students, what they expect, and finding a solution for each specific situation. When advising students, some are not quite sure of what they want, but some already know exactly what they want.
This is similar to any sales job. Some clients already know what they want, some have no idea, and some just need a slight push in the direction of the final sale.
A student services coordinator is essential in making the decision to go to a school. With the number of International schools in Switzerland offering similar courses, an efficient coordinator serves as an advisor who must be able to convince the student why one particular school is the best choice. The successful advisor must therefore have certain skills that a salesperson must also have: it is important to be patient, knowledgeable and focused on satisfaction.
Patient
From first contact with the potential client or student to achieving a result may take some time. Other people may need to be consulted. For example, a student will discuss each proposal with his or her parents, and a decision might take a few days or even weeks.
In the same way, in a business-to-business sale, the prospective client might want to discuss with his or her supervisor or with other stakeholders before making a decision. A fair amount of tact is necessary. If the student or client feels like he or she is being pressured into making a decision, he or she might not be very receptive and may decide to go elsewhere.
Knowledgeable
Having a deep understanding of the product being “sold” is essential. When selling a product, the “salesperson” must know what makes this product unique amongst the competition. If a client is looking into two options, one must know which competitor is the strongest. This will help with being prepared in case the client asks. In reality, this is no different from a student who is considering two or three colleges and wants to know about the courses offered. It is important for the person communicating with the student to be knowledgeable about the different programs, and if necessary, get in-depth information from the specific teachers.
Focused on Satisfaction
A sales manager must always follow up with his or her clients to make sure they are satisfied and that they feel the product or service is what they expected. Satisfied customers stay, and might tell a few people about their satisfaction. However, unsatisfied clients may complain or tell others of their bad experience, which could lead to losing business.
A student advisor needs to make sure the student is happy with the choice he or she made or suggest alternatives. Even though the students may no longer be a direct responsibility once they have started the school, keeping the door open is important in providing support for new students.
In essence, the student advisor is “selling” the school. For this, sales and customer service skills are needed. A background in sales can be a very strong asset, even when the clientele is international students. The sales background helps in knowing how to handle the client and gives the added advantage of being able to convince the student to make the desired choice.
A very nice article showing how two seemingly unrelated fields have transferable skills and similar fundamentals.
An interesting article about two different jobs but with a certain numbers of skills that share a similar trait in common --skills which could be useful for another or both.