ASRA News
Katy's Blog: Investor in Students 360!
Katy Lemmon
ASRA Northern Rep
Earlier in the month, I had the opportunity to attend the Investors in Students 360 Conference to learn about student trends, and how we can better use data to understand their needs.
The key theme for the conference was about embracing individualisation and sweating the ‘small’ stuff. Students are keen for a more personalised service which reflects their individual needs. This trend was echoed by Collegiate who presented their approach: Listening, Adapting and Building Community. Collegiate gave real life experience of the what and what not to do’s when building community within a property. The smallest things such as the right music at an event or comfortable furniture in common areas makes a huge difference to the residents. Having a clear and evidenced feedback loop also helps as this makes the residents feel valued and listened to.
Moving onto the first panel session of the day featuring ASRA’s very own Jordan Meates, the panel had a deep dive into the realms of using data to successfully build community. With a range of PBSA and Universities on the panel, they collectively agreed that it is about ‘long term-delight’ not just short-term satisfaction when it comes to truly enhancing the student experience. Offering a variety of events and activities that focus on both the large and the small can help to cater towards a diverse group of residents and offer something that makes everyone feel included.
Gallery
We also heard from a panel regarding neurodiverse students in accommodation, and how we can create a culture of inclusivity. The consensus was that tailored packages that offered flexibility and choice were key for neurodiverse students as each resident has their own personal needs. Many providers now offer early arrival as standard for students who need more time to bed in and this is a welcome move from the static dates of old.
And finally, saving the best until last, we heard from a panel of students about what they want to see in accommodation. The panel was diverse, with each student giving excellent feedback and information on their own personal accommodation journey. The students agreed that they want a seamless but personable booking and arrival experience where they can choose how involved to be, and not worry about paperwork and bureaucracy. The students sung the praises of their property teams, something that can be overlooked in the approach to ResLife currently, explaining that the teams make or break their experience. It isn’t just about providing good facilities, it is about friendly, approachable and caring people (although it was also clear that laundry needs reform!). Friendly and approachable teams came out in the number one spot in IIS research as to why students choose to rebook at a particular property – just one more reason to celebrate and champion those wonderful people who chose the Student Accommodation Sector as their career.
Katy
Our thanks go the team at Investor in Students for such an insightful and fun event!
Joining ASRA
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