Blind Spot #3: The Intelligence Void
Institutions are collecting mountains of payment data, but for most, that information sits idle. Without the ability to connect payment behavior to student outcomes, valuable insights remain invisible—and opportunities to improve both revenue and student support are lost.
The Scope of the Problem
98% of institutions can’t comprehensively correlate payment behaviors with student outcomes and a majority of institutions lack unified data. Among those surveyed:
- 29% can connect limited data points
- 20% are working on developing the capability
- Just 2% have a unified system that makes these connections automatically
Why It Matters
This intelligence gap limits leaders’ ability to:
- Spot at-risk students based on missed or abandoned payments
- Optimize payment timing and methods for different populations
- Detect fraud, chargebacks, or routing inefficiencies
- Make data-driven budget allocation decisions
The Hidden Cost
When asked about their analytical capability, nearly half of institutions (46%) described it as limited—with (22%) unsure of their capabilities altogether.
Other challenges include:
- 44% struggle to identify fraud reduction opportunities
- 42% find it difficult to see payment timing patterns to improve cashflow
- 42% struggle with payment plan optimization approaches
- 34% cannot identify lower-cost routing options
What Leaders Are Saying
Institutions recognize the value of closing this gap. 85% say complete visibility would improve student communication strategies, while more than half believe it would enhance payment methods and payment plan structures. 46% believe it would help budgeting and financial planning.
The intelligence gap: 98% of institutions can't see the link between payments and student success.
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