CONSHOHOCKEN, Pa., Oct. 12, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Student recruiting firm TargetX has announced a dramatic series of enhancements to its CRM tool for college admissions.  The Student Recruitment Manager (SRM), first introduced in 2008, now makes it possible to connect with prospective students like never before, according to TargetX CEO Brian Wm. Niles.

"The SRM provides integration with the social networks that students use most," said Niles, "so schools now have the ability to combine personal data about their prospects with the conversations that are taking place on Facebook and Twitter.  Admissions people are always saying they want everything about a prospective student in one place, and now they can have it -- including what students are saying and thinking."

Many of the enhancements to the SRM, including the ability to track social interaction, coincide with the latest release of the world's leading CRM platform from Salesforce.com.  The SRM is built on the Force.com platform, which means TargetX can pass along to clients any of the improvements that Salesforce makes to its cloud-based CRM system.

"This is a great example of the benefits of our connection with Salesforce," said Niles.  "We're delivering an environment that provides automatic upgrades to our clients whether the developments come from us or from Salesforce."

This latest group of enhancements from Salesforce -- called the Winter '12 release -- reflects an emphasis on social engagement.  The company is pioneering the shift to what it calls the "social enterprise," which encourages organizations to embrace the social web and use it to connect with customers and prospects.

While TargetX is using this release of enhancements to take the lead in social CRM in higher education, the list of new developments for its Student Recruitment Manager goes beyond social engagement.  Included in the new version are:

• The ability to easily import lists from the most popular sources of college-bound students:  SAT, ACT, GRE, GMAT, NRCCUA, CAPPEX, TOEFL, the Common App, Recruitment PLUS and the Student Search Service.

• Social Contacts, a new capability from Salesforce that will allow TargetX clients to create a "social profile" of prospective students, combining personal information like SAT scores with social web activity.

• A more powerful and user-friendly event management tool.

• A new Admissions Travel component that will enable recruiters to create and track travel plans like high school visits and college fairs, and to communicate with students based on their schedule.

• Improvements in speed and capacity to what is already the most popular email broadcasting tool in higher education.

• Greater flexibility for schools in setting up their online applications.

"We are constantly working to enhance the Student Recruitment Manager," said Niles.  "But this release is especially gratifying because of the major improvements and add-ons.  We believe it further establishes the SRM as the leading CRM tool for college admissions."

About TargetX

TargetX is a unique student recruiting company that offers both technology tools and consulting services designed to help colleges recruit today's more sophisticated, web-savvy students.

Founded in 1998 on the belief that colleges need to change the way they communicate with prospects and their families, TargetX has been a forward-thinking leader in managing change in higher education and embracing the concept of the experience in higher-ed marketing.  More recently, TargetX launched an Education & Training Center (ETC) where admissions professionals can collaborate and brainstorm with colleagues and thought leaders through coursework and office retreats.

To learn more, visit www.targetx.com

SOURCE TargetX