You didn’t always have a choice. That’s why we built Slate.

In the competitive market of higher education admissions, the technology you choose matters.

Admissions systems go by many names, as varied as the functions they perform and the business process requirements they fulfill. Brochures and demos only tell part of the story. There are several key factors to consider when evaluating an investment in a relationship with a technology vendor.

The platform matters.
	Many other admissions systems are based upon third-party platforms, including Salesforce, Microsoft Sharepoint, Microsoft Dynamics CRM, and Zoho CRM. These admissions vendors take generic CRM platforms and build customizations on top of them. Their development capabilities, if any, are wholly based upon the platforms' capabilities and third-party product roadmap. When you invest in a system like this, consideration must be paid not only to the company that's customizing the product, but also to the company providing the underlying technology. All new development requests require the coordinated participation of both parties. Should either exit the market or change directions, the system falters. Absolutely every aspect of Slate was built in-house at Technolutions. We rely upon no third-party systems for e-mail communications, document conversion, media hosting, digital imaging, online reading, and many of the other functions that are routinely outsourced. This independence grants us the ability to innovate and customize according to our clients' schedules and needs, without the traditional delays of corporate gridlock.

The platform matters.

Many other admissions systems are based upon third-party platforms, including Salesforce, Microsoft Sharepoint, Microsoft Dynamics CRM, and Zoho CRM. These admissions vendors take generic CRM platforms and build customizations on top of them. Their development capabilities, if any, are wholly based upon the platforms' capabilities and third-party product roadmap. When you invest in a system like this, consideration must be paid not only to the company that's customizing the product, but also to the company providing the underlying technology. All new development requests require the coordinated participation of both parties. Should either exit the market or change directions, the system falters.

Absolutely every aspect of Slate was built in-house at Technolutions. We rely upon no third-party systems for e-mail communications, document conversion, media hosting, digital imaging, online reading, and many of the other functions that are routinely outsourced. This independence grants us the ability to innovate and customize according to our clients' schedules and needs, without the traditional delays of corporate gridlock.

The licensing and support agreement matters.
	A Slate agreement is simple and predictable, keeping your total cost of ownership low. There are no per-application, per-user, per-gigabyte, per-support-hour, per-development-hour, or other transactional costs. There are no additional features to license or pay for, and there's no reduced functionality. Other vendors often charge for individual modules, support hours per month, and for each individual application received. In contrast, a Slate subscription affords all of the resources you need to perfect your admissions process, including personal support from our program managers.

The licensing and support agreement matters.

A Slate agreement is simple and predictable, keeping your total cost of ownership low. There are no per-application, per-user, per-gigabyte, per-support-hour, per-development-hour, or other transactional costs. There are no additional features to license or pay for, and there's no reduced functionality. Other vendors often charge for individual modules, support hours per month, and for each individual application received. In contrast, a Slate subscription affords all of the resources you need to perfect your admissions process, including personal support from our program managers.

Integration matters.
	We built Slate from the ground up, not through acquisition or partnership with existing vendors. Slate was designed specifically for higher education admissions, and we've worked closely with our admissions clients over the years to create technology that truly reflects their processes. Other vendors often do not share this approach, opting instead to acquire or partner with companies that provide pieces of the CRM puzzle. When products grow through acquisition and partnership, clients are invariably left working with multiple systems with plumbing erected between them to feign the appearance of integration. Hodge-podge architecture is not conducive to new development, detailed customization, or innovation.

Integration matters.

We built Slate from the ground up, not through acquisition or partnership with existing vendors. Slate was designed specifically for higher education admissions, and we've worked closely with our admissions clients over the years to create technology that truly reflects their processes. Other vendors often do not share this approach, opting instead to acquire or partner with companies that provide pieces of the CRM puzzle. When products grow through acquisition and partnership, clients are invariably left working with multiple systems with plumbing erected between them to feign the appearance of integration. Hodge-podge architecture is not conducive to new development, detailed customization, or innovation.

The growth strategy matters.
	The products of all too many companies suffer when they grow for the sake of growing. This overreaching leads to product stagnation and subpar support for both their existing clients and their future ones. By contrast, we have opted to grow Slate organically, refining and retooling Slate along the way to ensure that it remains versatile enough to meet the needs of an increasingly diverse client base. We employ no sales staff, and we reinvest those savings into product development. Our commitment to organic growth ensures that all of our clients, both present and future, are guaranteed the same comprehensive support and development resources that have made Slate a highly successful and sought-after admissions solution.

The growth strategy matters.

The products of all too many companies suffer when they grow for the sake of growing. This overreaching leads to product stagnation and subpar support for both their existing clients and their future ones. By contrast, we have opted to grow Slate organically, refining and retooling Slate along the way to ensure that it remains versatile enough to meet the needs of an increasingly diverse client base. We employ no sales staff, and we reinvest those savings into product development. Our commitment to organic growth ensures that all of our clients, both present and future, are guaranteed the same comprehensive support and development resources that have made Slate a highly successful and sought-after admissions solution.

The exit strategy matters.
	Technolutions has never accepted venture capital funding, and that's not in our plans. We've been fiscally strong from the beginning, and we operate an efficient company that's dedicated to producing innovative products and delivering unparalleled service. By contrast, many vendors are trying to cash in on the higher education technology craze—just look at the number of new companies that have entered the market in the last 5 years. Getting funding, growing as fast as possible, and then selling off the company is not a sound strategy to produce a good CRM system: it is a scheme which maximizes profit for the few in charge, leaving their clients to pick up the pieces. At Technolutions, we've found something we love doing and we're sticking with it. Just like our admissions office clients, we're in it for the long run.

The exit strategy matters.

Technolutions has never accepted venture capital funding, and that's not in our plans. We've been fiscally strong from the beginning, and we operate an efficient company that's dedicated to producing innovative products and delivering unparalleled service. By contrast, many vendors are trying to cash in on the higher education technology craze—just look at the number of new companies that have entered the market in the last 5 years. Getting funding, growing as fast as possible, and then selling off the company is not a sound strategy to produce a good CRM system: it is a scheme which maximizes profit for the few in charge, leaving their clients to pick up the pieces. At Technolutions, we've found something we love doing and we're sticking with it. Just like our admissions office clients, we're in it for the long run.

Innovation matters.
	Technolutions has a rich history of being first-to-market with innovative, transformative new features that keep our clients on the cutting edge. We continue to pioneer new technologies on an ongoing basis, while other vendors struggle to catch up to technologies we introduced for our clients years ago. In the competitive marketplace of higher education, working with a superior toolset will get you to where you want to go.

Innovation matters.

Technolutions has a rich history of being first-to-market with innovative, transformative new features that keep our clients on the cutting edge. We continue to pioneer new technologies on an ongoing basis, while other vendors struggle to catch up to technologies we introduced for our clients years ago. In the competitive marketplace of higher education, working with a superior toolset will get you to where you want to go.