Campaign Type
Professional relations
Campaign Title
Transforming an IT supplier into an education partner
Brief
Blackboard is a global leader in e-learning in higher education (HE). Say’s brief was to boost Blackboard’s professional relationships by emphasising its commitment to long term organisational change within universities.
Solution
The strategy was to exploit Blackboard’s international customer base to influence HE policy in the UK in favour of innovative technology applications in education.
Say recommended that Blackboard develop a partnership with one of the leading UK research and policy bodies - the Higher Education Policy Unit (HEPi).
Say organised with HEPi an executive seminar for vice-chancellors and other senior executives to discuss Blackboard’s research paper on critical challenges for higher education. Subsequently Blackboard co–sponsored HEPi’s annual lecture on ‘The Future of Higher Education’ and a series of parliamentary seminars which resonated well with Blackboard’s development strategy.
Result
Consequently, Blackboard has gained access to senior HE executives, supporting the company’s sales drive and its programme of customer retention.
Client verdict
“Thanks to Say’s involvement in developing effective partnerships in HE, Blackboard is now much more involved with senior HE executives and welcomed as an education partner.” Blackboard