Impact of Marketing and Collaboration for New Student Orientations

Presentation Overview

• USCard Summary

• What we did before

• Objectives

• Changes

• Results• What are we planning to do in the future?

About USC• Located in Los Angeles, CA

• Founded in 1880

• Total Enrollment: 45,500

–Undergraduate 19,000

–Grad/Professional 26,500

• Total Employees: 27,429

About USCard

• 12 Full-Time Staff

• 7-10 Student workers

• University Park customer service center and an off-campus administrative location

• Health Science Campus One Stop customer service center – provides mail and ticket service

• Satellite CSC for Fall and Spring Registration

USCard FY16-17 Transactions

Total Cards Produced

Student ID’s # of Deposits Amount of Deposits

TotalMeal Plans per term

45,758 26,565 43,625 $4,144,250 7,208

What we did before?

• ID only prior to 2014

• ID card/Family card 2014-2015

• Coin envelope

• Q&A session with parents during orientation’s breakout sessions

• Distribution of the ID card from card office

Motivation for Change• Declining discretionary deposits

• Low customer service satisfaction scores from prior year breakout sessions

• Orientations surveys: “we were unavailable to answer questions for students and parents”

• Did our marketing fit the university-wide initiative of the Trojan Experience?

Objectives

• Enhance the Trojan Experience

• Increase brand awareness of the ID card office

• Partner with Orientation Programs

• Convey what the ID can do

• Increase discretionary deposits

• Increase USCard and Tapingo mobile app downloads

Know who your students are….

• Social media savvy

• Confident and achieving

• Team oriented

• FOMO

Started with Something Small• Business card idea

• Utilize our existing partnerships and current resources

• Postcard design

• Fit the university-initiative

• Create a post-worthy experience

Evolution

Partner with Orientation Programs• Improve attendance at Student Services Expo

• USCard to “train” student orientation advisors (OA’s)

– OA received a $25 discretionary deposit to demonstrate to new students how to use discretionary

• USCard presentation during revamped breakout sessions for parents and students

Breakout Sessions

• Presented to parents about how their student will use their student ID

• Meal Plan Q & A

• Discretionary Q & A

• How to load funds to discretionary

Photo Submission

• Easy for this selfie generation

• Decrease foot traffic and wait times

• Proactive communication

–Emailed minimum 3 times prior to orientation

• Achieved 94% submittal acceptance rate

Our “Oscars”

• Packaged in an envelope personalized with the student’s name

• Student ID and Parent Card

– Explains the function of both cards

• Advertise our two apps

–USCard and Tapingo

• Explains how to add discretionary dollars

What we did during orientation days• Instagram raffle (@myuscard)

• Distribute IDs at student services fair

• One Stop Shop

Student Services FairBefore students arrive

Student Services FairStudents arrive to pick-up ID card

Student Services Fair

New additions to the Trojan Family

Results – FY16 vs FY17

• Cash discretionary deposits increased 40%

• Credit Card deposits increased 8% (+$73k)

• USCard App Downloads increased 158%

– 660 to 1,709

• Tapingo mobile app - 1,578 new registrations

• Instagram followers increased from 50 to 400+

Lessons Learned

• Postcard success! Students and parents were excited about receiving their cards that made them a part of the Trojan Family.

• Individualized, memorable and transformative experience for our students and their families.

• Partnerships make a difference

• Deposit growth slow but opportunities remain

Additional Opportunities

• Expand to graduate programs

• Scavenger hunts

• Advertise in Daily Trojan/University Trams

• Optimize for social media

• Present to staff breakfast forum

Additional Opportunities

• ID card awareness is a year-round endeavor

Contact Information

Peter Tomptom@usc.edu(213) 821-7971

Questions?