How Radboud University reaches thousands of national and international students
Discover how Radboud University in Nijmegen efficiently handles incoming questions via WhatsApp and live chat.
Photos taken at Radboud University are the property of Radboud Universiteit / Dick van Aalst
Radboud University uses various communication tools to answer questions from prospective students. For example, there’s a Central Student Desk where new students can go, as well as a dedicated email address and phone number for questions.
Over eight years ago, Radboud University decided to use WhatsApp functionality in Spotler for prospective students, supplementing email and phone contact options. Since November 1, 2024, the university has also been using Spotler’s Live Chat functionality.
Why Spotler?
Reasons for Radboud University to use WhatsApp and Live Chat via Spotler include the ability to allow multiple people to answer questions simultaneously from a single dashboard and the ease of retrieving a prospective student’s question history.
Additionally, it’s possible to add tags to questions, so Radboud University knows which questions are asked most frequently. Live chat in Spotler is also a more affordable option than the chat application the university used before Spotler.
But the most important consideration was ease of use: with both WhatsApp and Live Chat, users receive relatively quick answers to their questions, thanks in part to the large team of employees working with WhatsApp and Live Chat daily and the user-friendliness of those features in Spotler. WhatsApp is also the most widely used messaging platform in the Netherlands, with millions of users. A few years ago, it was a logical decision for Radboud University to adopt WhatsApp as a communication channel.
WhatsApp and Live chat setup
What does the WhatsApp and Live Chat setup look like for Radboud University?
One WhatsApp number, but two streams in Spotler
Radboud University has a single, centralised WhatsApp number for questions from prospective students. However, questions are segmented behind the scenes in Spotler. Since Radboud is an international university, the university has configured Spotler to have a separate stream for questions from Dutch prospective students and a separate stream for international students.
This way, questions are immediately directed to the appropriate Study Information desk. The relevant streams are also only accessible to Study Information staff, not to administrators of other Spotler accounts.
Ensure sufficient staffing
Radboud University points out that if you’re considering using WhatsApp and Live Chat, you should ensure sufficient staffing levels. It’s not user-friendly to suggest that visitors can ask questions via WhatsApp and/or chat, and then leave those unanswered, or only respond after a long time. For this reason, the Student Information team is heavily staffed.
Number of incoming questions
Over the years, the number of questions received via WhatsApp has grown significantly. From over 3,600 questions for WhatsApp NL and almost 2,300 questions for WhatsApp International in 2018, to almost 9,500 questions for WhatsApp NL and over 10,800 questions for WhatsApp International in 2024.
WhatsApp International receives relatively more inquiries than WhatsApp NL. The university has been using live chat in Spotler since November 1, 2024. More than 2,500 conversations have been handled there through May 31, 2025.
Response time
On average, 77% of questions on WhatsApp NL are answered within 2 hours. For WhatsApp International, that average is 51%. The average response time for Live Chat is 7.5 minutes for both the Netherlands and International versions.
Response times depend on the workload at different times of the year. For example, during Open Days or during grant application deadlines, the volume of inquiries increases, and despite the high staffing levels of the Study Information team, it generally takes a little longer to receive a response.
Frequently Asked Questions
Because Radboud University tags messages, it gains insight into the most frequently asked questions. This information can then be used to adjust the information provided on the website. For example, by prominently featuring the Open Day on the homepage (temporarily). WhatsApp NL primarily receives questions about Open Days; WhatsApp International primarily receives questions about scholarships and admission requirements.
“The ability to tag questions provides us with valuable insights. These insights not only tell us which questions prospective students are asking, but also help us refine the information provided on our website.”
– Patrick Struijker Boudier
Data Analyst, Marketing & Communications at Radboud Universiteit
Impact
Given the high volume of inquiries via WhatsApp, Radboud University has seen the adoption of this messaging channel as a positive step. The university has also seen a shift in usage towards WhatsApp over other communication tools. For example, nearly 20% fewer email have been sent by prospective students in recent years. Phone call volume has remained the same and even increased slightly.
Conclusion
As long as there are enough staff members to answer incoming WhatsApp and chat messages, Spotler’s software can quickly answer a large number of questions. Radboud University reaches thousands of prospective students, both national and international, in this way. These new students receive quick and efficient answers to their questions. With the app and chat capabilities, Radboud University creates a great first impression among a new generation of students.
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