The EHL Hospitality Business School, based in Switzerland since 1893, is internationally recognized for its high-quality teaching. It has been ranked No.1 hotel management university in the world by the QS World University Rankings since 2019. The school attracts students of over 120 nationalities. Its aim is to train the future leaders of the hotel industry and, more generally, the service industries.
The school organizes "Open Days" on its 3 campuses, Lausanne, Passugg and Singapore, to recruit future students. The management of these events and registrations was fragmented between different systems: EventBrite, Zapier, HubSpot, the EHL website and an internal platform.
To simplify their process, the solution EHL sought had to enable them to efficiently manage an event via their CRM tool.
We wanted to combine the features of event platforms with those of HubSpot to get the best of both worlds. This was essential to transform physical and online events into a real business asset for EHL.
Two custom objects were created within the CRM platform. One, called "Event", groups together properties related to the event itself, the other, named "Registration", concerns details relating to the registration. Via a webhook:
With quality information in their HubSpot CRM, it's easier for EHL members to analyze event ROI.
We implemented 16 workflows to create a single registration process accompanying participants every step of the way. Among them, 11 generic workflows have been developed, as well as 5 specific to each type of event. These workflows manage registrant information and send personalized e-mails.
.Using a template developed by the Make the Grade team, the EHL recruiter creates an event via a HubSpot form. He then works with the agency to design the registration landing page. This template will be used for each occurrence of this type of event.
All event data is automatically recorded in the CRM thanks to HubSpot forms.
A lead submits a form and chooses the session they wish to attend.
As the number of places per session is limited, an external webhook calculates the remaining places with each new registration. This information is displayed directly on the form. Registrations are blocked once the limit has been reached to avoid disappointment.
A QR code unique to each registrant is generated using an API and saved in a Registration "QR Code" property.
An automatic mail is sent to the registrant with a dedicated QR code that will allow him/her to access the event on the day.
The QR code is scanned by the EHL team on the day of the event.
If the participant shows up, the registration is annotated "Attended" within the CRM. Scanning the QR code triggers a webhook that will come and set the status of this visitor's registration to "Attended".
If the attendee doesn't show up, the registration is annotated "Attended" within the CRM.
If the attendee doesn't show up, their registration is annotated "No-Show".
It was necessary to repatriate all this data to HubSpot, so that all 8 EHL teams could access it simply. Workflows guide participants through each step of the registration process, providing an efficient and effective experience.
The HubSpot system is now available to all EHL teams.
As EHL operates with QR codes at its events, we used 2 bespoke APIs to facilitate information feedback.
An API used to create webhooks for:
A HubSpot API for:
Thanks to the data available in CRM, EHL can personalize its communication to enhance the attendee experience. In addition, the integration of QR Codes enables EHL to measure the success of the event.
Every step of the way, EHL is committed to offering its students the most enriching experience possible. The same applies to future students wishing to join the school.
EHL has observed a general satisfaction among participants. This is thanks in particular to the QR Codes and personalized emails that make the course simpler and more intuitive.
With a more comprehensive system, the school can now pilot the entire process from its CRM. From the creation of the event to the arrival of future students on the big day.
They now have an ROI vision that will enable them to make more informed decisions for future events. Here are some statistics from the latest Lausanne Open Day managed by the HubSpot system:
The story between EHL and Make the Grade is not over. Our teams continue to collaborate to work on other types of events. The eventual idea is to integrate all their events on HubSpot CRM.