The Importance of Selecting the Right Higher Education Partner
Selecting the right higher education consulting firm is one of the most critical strategic decisions that leaders will make. The right higher ed partner doesn’t just implement technology – it strengthens your institution’s ability to serve students, streamline operations, and sustain long-term success. Yet with dozens of higher education consulting firms promising expertise – from global management consultancies to specialized Banner and Degree Works consultants – it’s challenging to distinguish genuine institutional impact from compelling marketing.
At David Kent Consulting, we’ve guided more than 100 colleges and universities – public, private, large, medium, and small – through complex transformation projects involving ERP modernization, student information systems, and enterprise cloud transitions. From those engagements, a clear pattern has emerged: great outcomes depend less on software choice and more on who’s guiding the process.
According to Gartner, more than 70% of ERP implementations will fail to meet the business goals by 2027. In this environment, failed technology projects aren’t just costly – they’re existential risks. That’s why choosing experienced higher education consultants who understand both technology and institutional culture is paramount.
Here are five lessons we’ve learned from working alongside some of the nation’s most forward-thinking campuses.
Key Takeaways: 5 Critical Factors for Selecting Your Higher Education Consulting Partner
Factor | Why It Matters | What to Look For |
Experience Over Experimentation | Consultants learning on your campus waste time and budget | Decade+ higher ed experience; no rookies on your project |
Operational Transformation Focus | Technology alone doesn’t drive change | Process redesign, staff empowerment, culture alignment |
Transparency & Accountability | Avoid cost overruns and scope creep | Transparent billing, clear deliverables, outcome alignment |
Higher Ed Culture Fluency | Shared governance and academic calendars are unique | Consultants who understand decentralized decision-making |
Proven Impact, Not Promises | Many firms talk transformation; few deliver | 100+ campus engagements, measurable outcomes |
1. Choose Higher Education Experience, Not Experimentation
In higher education, there’s no substitute for experience. Too often, institutions discover mid-project that their consultants are learning on the job – turning your Banner Student implementation or Degree Works rollout into an expensive training exercise.
That’s why David Kent Consulting enforces a No-Rookie Guarantee where every consultant on your project brings a decade or more of direct higher education experience. Our clients value that every conversation, every configuration, and every recommendation comes from professionals who have lived through the same challenges and know what truly works in a university setting.
What This Means in Practice
This means our Ellucian Banner Student consultants have implemented Banner at multiple campuses. Our Degree Works specialists have configured hundreds of degree audits across diverse academic programs. Our Oracle Cloud architects have migrated dozens of institutions from on-premises to Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI) or AWS. When you ask a question, you’re talking to someone who’s already solved that problem – not someone Googling the answer.
Look for these experience indicators:
- Minimum 10 years in higher education roles (not just consulting)
- Specific product expertise (Banner 9, Degree Works 5.x, Oracle 19c)
- Client references from institutions similar to yours
- Direct experience with your modules and use cases
- Case studies like our Samford University Degree Works or UNCG Banner Migration success stories
2. Look Beyond Technology. Focus on Operational Transformation
Technology is only one piece of the equation. The real differentiator lies in how well your higher education consulting company helps you rethink processes, break down silos, and empower staff. At David Kent Consulting, we call this Operational Innovation – helping each business unit change not just what they do, but how they do it and why.
Many campus employees have followed the same procedures for years without understanding the purpose behind them. We engage those teams in rediscovering the ‘why,’ turning routine workflows into opportunities for creativity and continuous innovation.
What Operational Innovation Means in Practice
It means questioning whether your Banner Financial Aid processes could be streamlined by 40% if you eliminated manual workarounds. It means asking why your Degree Works audit exceptions require seven approval steps when three would suffice. It means working with Registrars, Financial Aid Directors, and CFOs to redesign workflows – not just digitize broken processes.
Key questions to ask your higher education consulting firm:
- “How do you approach process redesign beyond system configuration?”
- “Can you share examples of operational improvements from past clients?”
- “What’s your change management methodology?”
- “How do you ensure staff buy-in and adoption?”
3. Expect Transparency and Accountability
The best higher consulting firms should operate as an extension of your institution – not as a black box. David Kent Consulting maintains transparent billing practices, charging only for actual productive time, not downtime or administrative overhead. Our clients always know who’s doing the work, what’s being delivered, and how progress aligns with outcomes. That clarity builds trust – and trust drives performance.
Billing Transparency
Many top higher education consulting firms bill for “project management” at premium rates, pad hours with junior staff, or include vague line items like “administrative overhead.”
When evaluating proposals, demand specificity:
- Itemized hourly rates by consultant level
- Clear deliverables with acceptance criteria
- Weekly status reports with hours worked by task
- No hidden fees for project management, travel, or coordination
Red flags:
- Vague staffing language (“we’ll assign appropriate resources”)
- Bundled pricing with no hourly breakdown
- Offshore resources on time-sensitive campus projects
- Proposals missing specific consultant names and backgrounds
4. Demand a Partner Who Understands the Culture of Higher Education
Higher education is not like any other industry. Shared governance, accreditation cycles, academic calendars, registration periods, faculty senate approval processes, and decentralized decision-making all create unique dynamics. Effective higher education strategy consulting requires sensitivity to this environment.
David Kent Consulting’s team combines deep technical acumen with an understanding of academic culture – bridging functional and technical worlds in a way that respects institutional values while driving measurable change. Our consultants have worked as CIOs, Registrars, Financial Aid Directors, and IT leaders on actual campuses. They understand that an Ellucian Banner upgrade can’t go live during finals week, that Degree Works changes require faculty curriculum committee approval, and that communication with 12 stakeholder groups isn’t optional – it’s essential.
Cultural Competencies That Matter
- Shared governance: Understanding that IT can’t unilaterally change academic policies embedded in Banner Student or Degree Works
- Academic calendar constraints: Knowing that system changes during registration, drop/add, or grading periods are high-risk
- Decentralized authority: Respecting that Deans, Department Chairs, and Faculty Senate have influence over implementation decisions
- Accreditation sensitivity: Recognizing that compliance with SACSCOC, HLC, or ABET requirements isn’t negotiable
Ask potential higher ed technology consultants:
- “Have you worked directly in higher education, or only consulted to it?”
- “Can you describe challenges unique to academic calendar management in Banner?”
- “How do you navigate shared governance during ERP projects?”
5. Look for Proven Impact, Not Promises
Many firms talk about transformation. David Kent Consulting demonstrates it. With more than 100 successful campus engagements, we’ve modernized enterprise systems, streamlined student and finance operations, and supported institutions through their most complex transitions – including on-premises to cloud and Banner migrations.
Our approach blends strategy, execution, and knowledge transfer so your internal teams emerge stronger, more capable, and ready for what’s next. This includes Banner 9 SaaS migrations, Degree Works implementations serving 500,000+ students, and cloud infrastructure projects supporting institutions from 2,000 to 40,000 enrollment.
What Proven Impact Looks Like
- Measurable outcomes: Not “we improved processes,” but “we reduced Financial Aid packaging time by 35% and eliminated 14 manual touchpoints”
- Client retention: Institutions that return for additional projects year after year
- Reference-ready clients: Partners willing to speak candidly about their experience
- Public case studies: Documented successes with real institution names and quantified results
- Industry recognition: Speaking engagements at Cohesion, EDUCAUSE and other higher education conferences
With Ellucian Banner serving over 1,000 institutions globally, expertise in this enterprise ecosystem is critical. Look for higher ed consultants who can demonstrate not just project completion, but transformation: faster processes, empowered staff, better student experiences, and sustainable operations.
Your Higher Education Consulting Firm Evaluation Checklist: 10 Must-Ask Questions
Before you sign a contract, ensure your prospective higher education consulting partner passes these essential tests:
- ☐ Can they provide 3+ references from institutions similar in size/type to yours?
- ☐ Do they guarantee senior-level consultants (10+ years higher ed) on your project?
- ☐ Will they show transparent, itemized billing with no hidden administrative fees?
- ☐ Can they demonstrate Ellucian Banner/Degree Works/[your ERP] expertise with specific campus examples?
- ☐ Do they understand your institution’s shared governance and academic calendar constraints?
- ☐ Have they successfully completed cloud migrations or SaaS implementations (if applicable)?
- ☐ Do they offer post-implementation support and knowledge transfer plans?
- ☐ Can they explain their change management and staff training methodology?
- ☐ Will they assign a dedicated project manager with higher education experience?
- ☐ Do they have documented success with operational transformation (not just technical implementation)?
Score: 8-10 = Strong partner | 5-7 = Proceed with caution | Below 5 = Keep looking
Frequently Asked Questions: Choosing the Right Higher Education Consulting Firm
How do I verify a consultant’s actual higher education experience?
Ask for specific campus examples, client references from similar institutions, and detail about their direct involvement (not just firm portfolio). Request LinkedIn profiles showing 10+ years in higher ed roles – not just consulting careers.
Should I choose a consulting firm that also implements the software we’re buying (like Ellucian or Oracle)?
Vendor-affiliated consultants have product expertise, but independent firms bring objectivity, multi-product experience, and the freedom to challenge vendor recommendations. For complex ERP decisions, independence is valuable.
How long should a Banner or Degree Works implementation take with the right consultant?
Timeline depends on scope, but expect 8-18 months for full Banner Student/Finance implementations, 4-6 months for Ellucian Degree Works. Experienced consultants accelerate timelines by 20-40% through proven methodologies and avoiding common pitfalls.
What red flags should I watch for when evaluating consulting proposals?
Beware of vague staffing plans (“we’ll assign appropriate resources”), lack of higher ed client references, no defined deliverables, or proposals that under-scope training and change management. Ask: “Who exactly will be on my project, and what’s their background?”
Can a consultant help us decide whether to stay on-premises or move to SaaS/cloud?
Absolutely. Cloud migration decisions require analyzing TCO, staffing impact, customization dependencies, and integration requirements. Independent consultants provide unbiased assessments – especially valuable when vendors push cloud-only solutions.
How do I ensure knowledge transfer so we’re not dependent on consultants forever?
Choose firms with documented knowledge transfer plans. Look for training deliverables, procedure documentation, and “teach-your-team” approaches. At David Kent Consulting, we build your internal capability through hands-on training and comprehensive documentation.
What’s the difference between ERP consulting and strategic consulting in higher education?
ERP consulting focuses on technology implementation (Banner, Workday, Oracle). Strategic consulting addresses institutional challenges like enrollment, program portfolio, or financial sustainability. The best partners bridge both – delivering operational innovation through technology enablement.
Conclusion
Choosing a higher education consulting firm is ultimately about trust – trust that your consultants understand your world, your systems, and your mission. The right partner brings not just technical skills, but insight, transparency, and the courage to challenge old habits.
At David Kent Consulting, we’ve built our reputation on delivering this partnership. Our senior-only team, transparent practices, and proven track record across Banner ERP, Degree Works, Oracle Cloud, and enterprise system modernization uniquely position us to help your institution achieve transformational outcomes. Our depth of talent, No-Rookie Guarantee, and commitment to operational innovation make us uniquely positioned to help institutions achieve a new dimension of performance.
Services Overview: David Kent Consulting specializes in Ellucian Banner consulting (Student, Finance, HR, Financial Aid), Degree Works implementation and optimization, Oracle Cloud migrations (OCI), system administration and managed services, business analytics and reporting, and strategic technology consulting for higher education institutions.
Ready to discuss your campus technology challenges? Contact us for a no-obligation discovery call at (872) 529-5368 or visit davidkentconsulting.com/contact
About David Kent Consulting
David Kent Consulting is a specialized higher education technology consulting firm serving 100+ colleges and universities across North America. Founded by David Kent, our team of senior higher education consultants brings decades of combined experience in Ellucian Banner, Degree Works, Oracle Cloud, and enterprise system modernization. Unlike large consultancies that staff projects with junior resources, we maintain a strict “No-Rookie Guarantee”. Every consultant on your campus brings 10+ years of direct higher education experience.
Our services include Banner ERP consulting, Degree Works implementation and optimization, cloud migration strategy, Oracle database administration, system integration, and business analytics. We specialize in operational transformation that goes beyond technology deployment to reshape how institutions serve students and manage operations.
