Since so much has changed this year, we wanted to share how we’ve adapted, what is new about ScholarNet, and what you can expect from us in the future.
With every new year comes change, and this year, in particular, has brought significant changes to higher education. Since so much is changing, we thought it might be a good idea to give an update on all things ScholarNet. We recently caught up with ScholarNet Vice President of Marketing and Sales Mike Mutziger on what’s new for ScholarNet this year and what can be expected in the future.
Through all the challenges and changes this year, how is ScholarNet striving to help schools and students achieve their goals?
Mike Mutziger: While schools were delivering education via distance and maneuvering through these unprecedented times, the ScholarNet team was also adjusting to meet the demands of our customers and ensure the safety of our team members. The sales team had already worked remotely and we transitioned the rest of the ScholarNet team to work from home while maintaining our service levels. ScholarNet is committed to maintaining the highest level of customer service for our schools and lenders. We know this has been anything but a normal year, but we want to make sure that ScholarNet is one thing you don’t need to worry about.
What has changed for the ScholarNet suite of products (ScholarNet, CDS and FastChoice) this year?
MM: This past year we focused on enhancing FastChoice™. FastChoice saw a facelift and the ability for schools to customize colors to more closely match their web page. This “white paging” allowed FastChoice to blend seamlessly into a school site – making the lender selection process flow smoother. The lender display also changed to align with more current browsing, sort, and display standards. We have begun work on similar updates to ScholarNet®.
How has COVID impacted what ScholarNet does?
MM: COVID has affected everyone including the ScholarNet team. However, we used this as an opportunity to give our team members the ability to safely work safely from home while continuing to provide high-quality service. In doing so, the team rose to the occasion and have provided the ultimate customer service experience. Phones have been routed appropriately, home offices are working properly, and ScholarNet processing has not skipped a beat.
What sorts of enhancements do we have planned based on user feedback we’ve received in the last year?
MM: ScholarNet is next on the enhancement list. Customer and borrower feedback is vital to the enhancements we plan for our products and this will be no different. Sometimes those suggestions are little things we can change easily and sometimes there are bigger suggestions that require more planning to implement. Those ideas and suggestions were crucial in the FastChoice experience and we will certainly use them in our upcoming ScholarNet enhancements.
Do we have plans to provide any additional training soon?
MM: We offer Features and Functionality training for both ScholarNet and FastChoice. This can be useful for current users looking to streamline their processing to help train new staff. We are also going to offer up some professional development sessions at state and regional conferences. Even though the conferences might be virtual this year, we are welcoming the opportunity to get in front of our school friends and share our expertise.
Have questions? Reach out to your rep with questions or to get started with ScholarNet or FastChoice for faster, smarter processing of private student loans. You can also get to know more about Mike or the other members of the ScholarNet team.