Educational institutes must embrace AI to unlock transformative benefits shaping the sector in the decade ahead.
In a world defined by rapid technological strides, the education sector stands at the brink of profound transformation, with artificial intelligence poised to revolutionize the essence of learning itself. As AI asserts its dominance, a wave of change is imminent, impacting students, educators, and traditional institutions alike.
Adapting to this AI-driven revolution is imperative for educational institutes, as it promises an array of benefits that will shape the entire sector in the coming decade.
The Rise of Chatbots and Voice Agents
AI-driven virtual assistants, including chatbots and voice agents, have become invaluable companions for both students and educators. These intelligent conversational agents are reconfiguring the educational system by offering immediate support, answering questions, and providing guidance on a wide range of subjects. Voice agents, in particular, are playing a pivotal role in breaking down barriers and delivering timely information in multiple languages. Their presence ensures that educational institutions always have access to a guiding companion whenever they require assistance. Here are some benefits which the education sector can reap from AI-powered voice agents:
● Streamlining Admission Counseling: The Indian Education Industry, particularly higher education and ed tech, faces a persistent challenge of longer turnaround times and inefficient utilisation of counsellors’ time for actual counselling. A significant portion of their time is spent on verifying leads, resulting in nearly 40 per cent of potential candidates becoming cold leads due to delayed follow-ups or communication.
To tackle this issue, many organizations are turning to AI-powered calling. Forward-thinking brands such as Miles Education, SRM University Sonepat, and Parul University are leveraging AI-driven voice agents to effectively automate their admission counselling process.
By doing so, they have reduced their initial interaction time with students to under five minutes and automated their lead profiling process. This allows their human counsellors to focus on actual counselling, saving 60 per cent of their time previously spent on lead profiling. As a result, these brands are paving the way for a more efficient and streamlined approach to education counselling.
● Auditing and Re-engaging Leads: An ongoing hurdle in the industry is tracking the fate of leads once they enter the system. Voice agents can audit leads marked as uninterested, uncovering the reasons behind their disinterest. Moreover, potential leads can be identified and reapproached. Statistics have shown that even among those labelled as “Not Interested,” approximately 4-6 per cent can be converted into potential leads, with a conversion rate of around 1.2 per cent.
● 24x7 AI-Powered Call Center: Voice agents empower educational institutions to deliver uninterrupted support via AI-driven call centers. This accessibility boosts student engagement and support, accommodating the diverse needs and schedules of learners.
Redefining Administrative Efficiency
AI is the guiding light, illuminating a path towards streamlining administrative functions in education. The statistics paint a vivid picture – AI-powered automation could potentially save a staggering 7.8 billion staff hours annually in the education sector alone.
Through AI, mundane tasks like grading, scheduling, and data management become automated wizards, granting educators the precious gift of time. This newfound efficiency translates into heightened productivity, a lighter administrative load, and the judicious allocation of resources.
Authored by Sarvagya Mishra, Co-founder and Director Superbot (It's an AI-powered voice agent start-up)