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Influencer Strategy

In today’s fast-paced environment in higher education, the need for accuracy and efficiency in financial aid has become a focus point to meet student needs and effectively manage staff workloads. Implementing automation within the Banner system for financial aid shows us an opportunity to streamline processes, reduce manual errors, and free up time for staff to focus on other projects or tasks.  This strategy paves the way in showing critical behaviors and support structures that are needed to successfully implement automation along with the influence model that will guide staff through this change (Grenny et al, 2013). In using key influencers and targeting behavioral shifts, it aims to promote a culture of innovation and improvement within the financial aid department which can be beneficial for staff and students (Saldaña et al, 2021).

What Results Do I Want To Achieve

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Enhance efficiency within the financial aid department by automating repetitive tasks in Banner.  Key topics include:

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  • Reduced time in processes: Automation can reduce the time required to complete processes by at least 30%.

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  • Improved accuracy: Minimizing manual errors and ensuring compliance across all student records.

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  • Increased Staff Satisfaction: Freeing up time from repetitive tasks allows for focus on other projects and student service.

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  • Increased Student Satisfaction: Faster turnaround to provide students with faster responses and processing times.

How Will I Measure Results?

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To track progress and verify the achievements of goals, the following methods will be used:

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  • Processing time criteria: Compare before and after automation time metrics for major financial aid processing tasks.

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  • Error Rate Analysis: Keep track of manual entry errors before and after implementing automation in Banner.

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  • Feedback and Engagement surveys: Conduct surveys every term for the Fall, Spring, and Summer semesters to measure employee satisfaction and determine the impact of staff workloads.

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  • Student Satisfaction Surveys: Gather feedback from students about the responses to financial aid processing times.

Vital Behaviors to Change

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  • ​Adopting New Processes: Staff should begin to adapt to only using automated features rather than manual processes.​

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  • Participating in Training: Staff should engage in training sessions to understand and become efficient with automation tools.

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  • Providing Feedback: Staff should provide feedback on their experiences with automation to be able to focus on key topics to improve the process.​​

Key Influencers

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  • ​Department Leads: Department Heads (Dean of Financial Aid, Financial Aid Systems and Operations Director, Financial Aid Campus Supervisors.), understand the importance of these changes and set the example by adopting and encouraging new methods.

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  • Tech Leads: Banner Systems Team, Development Team, and staff members who are comfortable with new technology and can teach others and be initial adopters of automation.

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  • Outside Sponsors: Leaders who express the importance of change that includes automation and provide resources that can be beneficial to the team.​​

SIX SOURCES OF INFLUENCES

Motivation

Ability

Personal

Communicate the benefits of automation to staff highlighting on less repetitive work and freeing up time to work on other projects that can benefit the department. Recognize staff who show enthusiasm and quickly adapt to using the new system.

Offer training sessions to build confidence and skills in using automation features in Banner. Encourage self-instructed learning options and provide access to resources and Banner support.

Social

Create a buddy system where experienced staff members pair up with other staff members who are less well-versed in automation.

Establish a support group within the department to share tips, solve challenges, and support each other through this transition.

Structural

Introduce performance-based incentives, such as recognizing team members for improving processing time and accuracy which can motivate staff to adapt to automation.

Provide necessary resources – such as training manuals, training videos, and tech support, and ensure that they are in place.  Allow staff to access Banner help desk for any troubleshooting with automation-related issues.

This strategy provides a structured approach to implementing the initiative for automation in Banner for financial aid. Focusing on major results, successes, and changing behaviors, this plan positions itself intending to promote efficiency within the department.  Using the Six Sources of Influence reinforces the behaviors that aim to create change that enhances experiences for staff and students.

References

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Grenny, J., Patterson, K., Maxfield, D., McMillan, R., & Switzler, A. (2013). Influencer: The
new science of leading change. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill.

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Saldaña, C. M., Welner, K. G., Malcolm, S., & Tisch, E. (2021). Teachers as market influencers: Towards a policy framework for teacher brand ambassador programs in K-12 schools. Education Policy Analysis Archives, 29(109). https://doi.org/10.14507/epaa.29.5654

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