Your Alumni are all the students who have passed out from any course of your institute.  By any course, we mean any full time or part time core or non-core course that you as an institute have offered to the public.  A simple internet search would lead you to numerous training programs on networking skills. You may also find in the curriculum of many management institutes that ‘business networking’ is an elective for those who wish to ‘crack super deals’ with high-profile clients.  As a management institute, you need to be in touch with all your stakeholders as well. And your alumni association is an important part of this group of stakeholders.  Why do you think you should bother with connecting with your alumni at all?  They have of course taken their inputs and passed out from their courses and your duty as a management institute has been done.  So, why then invest in reconnecting with your ‘ex-students’?

The reason being what we call in marketing parlance as ‘voice of customer.’  Yes, these alumni are your customers and very important ones.  To put it simply, voice of customer refers to the feedback that is taken from the customers regarding your product/service.  They can share their recommendations, experiences and grievances.  In this competitive age where almost every company is at par with their product offering, staying connected to the customer and really listening to them pays.  Similarly, the students who have passed out from your institute still form your customer base.  They have been there and done that and hence can tell you points about your institute from an insider’s perspective.  If you have been in business for long, you may tend to get a bit complacent or content with the position that you hold in the market.  Your students can tell you how to add value to your course so that you may improve your ratings and brand image.

These alumni are the ones who would be your word of mouth campaigners who would talk to their personal networks and prospective students about the ups and downs of getting a degree from your management institute.  They would talk about your institute in their blogs and social networking posts.  Also, when these students of yours act as responsible managers in their respective organizations, the corporate form an understanding of your institute’s capability in imparting a good management education.  By resting on their laurels, you can invite their corporate bosses to come for campus placements.

In this digital age, where technology no longer gives anyone an excuse to stay aloof or disconnected, alumni portal are your best bet to stay connected with your customers, your alumni.