Top 6 strategies for delivering an outstanding experience during university Clearing

06/03/25 Wavenet

Top 6 strategies for delivering an outstanding experience during university Clearing placeholder thumbnail

Universities across the UK are already preparing for the crucial Clearing period - a time to connect with prospective students and ensure every remaining course place is filled. For students, it’s a vital second chance to achieve their ambitions, and for universities, it’s a key opportunity to showcase their strengths.

We are trusted by more than 150 higher education institutions and provide future-ready cloud contact centre solutions to make your Clearing process smooth, efficient, and stress-free. With 99.9% uptime and a dedicated education team, we enable you to focus on what matters most - your students. Here’s how we can help your Clearing process stand out.

1. Deliver a frictionless student experience

From the initial application to graduation, universities need to ensure a smooth journey for students. Our cloud contact centre solutions help to make this possible by integrating with CRM systems such as Microsoft Teams, and other business tools. Personalised, consistent communication is key to standing out.

2. Stay ahead on results day

Slow response times or long waits in queues could drive students to look elsewhere. A seamless, responsive process is essential. Our solutions ensure universities are equipped to handle the pressure, with real-time support and guaranteed uptime to keep operations running smoothly.

3. Guarantee inclusive access to student services

Ensure all students can easily access learning and welfare services. Whether they’re seeking advice, academic support, or well-being resources, an inclusive and responsive system is essential to meet their needs. Our cloud communications platforms ensure seamless accessibility across all communication channels.

4. Simplify training for call handlers

Empower your team to handle queries effectively with tools like the 8x8 Agent Workspace. This intuitive platform provides a single view of all communication channels, so agents have everything they need at their fingertips - no more jumping between systems. With our dedicated education team guiding implementation, universities can ensure their call handlers are fully prepared for peak periods.

5. Offer personalised self-service experiences

Students appreciate autonomy. AI-powered self-service tools allow them to explore options, access FAQs, and even gather details about qualifications or course requirements - all without waiting to speak to an agent. We ensure these tools are integrated seamlessly into your solution, providing a stress-free, tailored experience for students.

6. Provide scalability for changing demands

Clearing is just one peak period in the academic year. With our cloud-based universities can scale their communications effortlessly to manage seasonal fluctuations. Whether it’s Clearing or another busy time, you’ll always be ready to meet demand.

Graduate to smarter communications with a secure and agile environment

Building trust starts with protecting student data, and the 8x8 platform, supported by us, ensures top-tier security and compliance for sensitive information. Our solution provides effortless scalability to handle high demand during peak times like Clearing, ensuring seamless operations without disruption. By streamlining communication across phone, chat, email, and social media, universities can deliver a unified experience that keeps both students and staff connected. Real-time CRM integration with tools like Salesforce and Microsoft Dynamics speeds up course matching, improving efficiency and responsiveness when it matters most. With real-time insights from 8x8 Analytics, universities can refine processes year-round, adapting to trends and driving continuous improvement. Clearing isn’t just a process—it’s a chance to leave a lasting impression. Our 99.9% uptime and dedicated education team ensure a smooth Clearing process, so you can focus on supporting your faculty and students.

If you would like to talk about how Wavenet can help address your challenges or achieve your wider education institutions' goals, visit here https://www.wavenet.co.uk/further-education and get in touch today - 0344 863 3000 or email us at enquiries@wavenet.co.uk

Contact Centre, Education, 8x8, Clearing

Latest blogs

See all posts

Placeholder thumbnail

Boardroom vs breach: 20 questions every IT leader should be asking about cyber security

Cyber threats are evolving faster than most organisations can keep up. Between new attack techniques, expanding digital estates, and the cyber skills shortage, even well-equipped IT teams are struggling to stay ahead. It’s no longer enough to tick compliance boxes or to simply deploy the latest tools. Real security starts with asking the right questions and acting on the answers. That’s why we’ve created Boardroom vs Breach, a 20-question self-assessment designed to help IT leaders and those responsible for cyber-security take a clear-eyed look at your current security posture, highlight blind spots, and spark critical conversations at board level. Why this matters The cost of a cyber breach isn’t just downtime – it’s trust, reputation, compliance fines, and lost revenue. Yet many companies don’t know if their defences are actually up to the task – do you? These 20 questions aren’t about theory; they reflect real-world weak points that we see every day. If you can’t answer them confidently, we can help. The 20 questions you need to answer Visibility & monitoring Do you have complete visibility of your IT assets? What visibility do you have into incidents and events across your infrastructure? How do you manage your security tooling? How many different tools are you running — and are they working together? Are your systems and endpoints patched regularly? Our advice: Gaining complete visibility starts with consolidating event data, automating alerts, and ensuring continuous oversight across your entire estate. Take a look at: Security Information and Event Management Vulnerability Management Managed Detection and Response Threat detection & response What happens if an incident occurs after hours? How do you find out? Who responds? When was your last penetration test? How regularly do you conduct them? What protections are in place for endpoints, email, and networks? What level of visibility do you have into potential breaches? Do you work with a partner that offers 24/7/365 response and real-world support? Our advice: Improve threat visibility and reduce response times by combining real-time monitoring with expert-led incident analysis and containment. Take a look at: 24/7/365 Managed Detection and Response Incident Response Retainers Penetration Testing and Red Teaming Cloud & modern IT risk Do you use public cloud services? Are you confident in how they’re secured? How do you manage and secure user devices remotely? What vendors are you currently relying on — and are they right for your risk profile? How do you secure your network beyond the firewall? Our advice: Extend visibility beyond the traditional perimeter by applying cloud-native monitoring, endpoint telemetry, and policy-based access control. Take a look at: Cloud Security Assessments Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) People, process & planning How are your users trained to detect attacks such as phishing? Do you have access to expert help in a crisis? What cyber expertise exists in-house — is there a dedicated security leader? How do you create a positive security culture, not just rules? What threats are most relevant to your industry? Are you meeting required regulations and compliance standards? Our advice: Build better situational awareness by aligning people and processes with continuous monitoring and clearly defined escalation paths. Take a look at: Security Awareness Training Virtual CISO Services Compliance and Risk Consulting And a bonus question, with potentially the most worrying answer of all… What would a breach cost your business — financially and operationally? Putting it all together While individual solutions can address specific security challenges, working with a trusted managed services and security partner ensures cohesive, round-the-clock support across every aspect of your cyber security posture — delivering greater efficiency, resilience, and long-term value. We work with IT and security leaders across all sectors to assess risk, build resilient cyber strategies, and deliver comprehensive protection that scales with your business. From real-world penetration testing to 24/7/365 threat detection, cloud security, and expert consultancy, we’re your trusted partner in securing the ‘now’ — and preparing for what’s next.

Placeholder thumbnail

Migrating legacy on-premises PBX to the cloud: The tide has turned [whitepaper]

Cloud is the clear choice for business communications Industry watchers and pundits all agree that in the cloud-versus-premises PBX debate, the cloud has won. Cloud-based “as a service” solutions are taking off as companies look to the cloud for their unified communications (UC), collaboration, and contact centre needs.

Placeholder thumbnail

7 benefits of moving from an on-premises PBX to the cloud [whitepaper]

Tipping points: Factors typically driving the transition from a legacy PBX to cloud VoIP Essential business apps are now born in the cloud. Whether you have a CRM solution, something for HR, or simple file storage, it’s probably in the cloud. But for any number of reasons – not the least of which is the relatively large investment required for a new PBX – many businesses have delayed upgrading their PBX and moving it to the cloud. Consequently, you may be living with a communications system that lacks the capabilities and flexibility to support rapid growth or business agility. Or you may be dealing with the worry that you are literally one ageing component away from complete failure of your company’s business communications... Whatever your current situation, this paper provides useful insight, including understanding the factors typically driving the transition from a legacy PBX to cloud VoIP and factors to consider when selecting a communications provider before drilling down into each of the 7 key advantages of moving to a cloud communications system…

Placeholder thumbnail

Microsoft 365 by Wavenet - video

Microsoft 365 is a comprehensive cloud-based subscription service that integrates collaboration, communication, and productivity tools for enterprises, supported by various management and compliance services. Microsoft 365 brings together best-in class productivity apps with powerful cloud services, device management, and advanced security in one, connected experience. Once used to its full potential, Microsoft 365 can speed up processes, reduce costs, save time and make compliance easier. But its constant updates and complexity often get in the way. That’s where we help — with nine practical ways to get more value from Microsoft 365, from buying and configuring it to improving security, collaboration and everyday use. Watch our 3 minute video below, to find out how…

Close up of a server stack with flashing lights

3 reasons why reliable network infrastructure is the backbone of digital transformation

Reliable network infrastructure is the foundation of any successful digital transformation. In this short video, Tom Harris explains how strong connectivity supports secure operations, enables remote work, and gives businesses the flexibility to scale and innovate. From improved data protection to cloud readiness, learn why getting your network right is essential for long-term growth.

Top 3 cyber practices every business should adopt

Top 3 cyber practices every business should adopt

Cyber security threats are evolving, but so can your defences. In this short video, Tom Harris shares three essential practices every business should adopt to protect sensitive data and reduce risk: implementing strong access controls, delivering regular security training to employees, and keeping software up to date. These simple, proactive steps can make a big difference in strengthening your organisation’s security posture.