Graduway Reviews

I love our Graduway platform. It has brought our alumni relations platform into the 21st century

Comments: An engaged and re-invigorated former pupil platform that attracts alumni on a global scale and encourages them to interact and respond.

Pros:

Our Graduway platform is engaging and sticky and encourages users to interact on the site. They post photos and message each other independently.

Cons:

The UK searching fields by location are ridiculous - there are thousands of towns on there listed that I've never heard of - too many to make it of any use... It would also be useful to have the 'work' filter in the invite and message function too.

Highly recommend!

Comments: The customer service experience with Graduway is top-notch. Our account manager,[SENSITIVE CONTENT], is friendly, accessible, and knowledgeable. I appreciate that he keeps reoccurring appointment on the rotation of his calendar to meet with me, review new product enhancements, and to discuss my school's success on the platform. Additionally, there are always opportunities for professional development to learn how to make the most out of the platform. This is something that sets the company a part from others - they truly take the time and work hard to build relationships and ensure the happiness of their clients.

Pros:

The platform is a "one-stop shop" for all your alumni management needs. The functionality with social media makes registration for users a breeze, and it is extremely user-friendly. The company is also always making improvements and enhancements, and their support team is extremely responsive, efficient, and professional.

Cons:

Integration was a breeze and there are many different ways to pull data from the system, although sometimes the reports (in the form of excel) are a bit overwhelming to review and analyze.

Alternatives Considered: Almabase

Reasons for Switching to Graduway: The availability of professional development and learning tools available, customer support, and the technological advancement / overall capabilities of the product

Easy platform for pushing information to alumni. Could be more customized but otherwise good.

Comments: Alumni are able to engage with one another and get more information from the school all in one email.

Pros:

The weekly digest is a great way to aggregate info and send it to all alumni. The job posting feature is fantastic and provides a great way for alumni to share job opportunities, as well. The updates section is a nice feature but lacks the ability to sort into categories. The events page is a great place for the school to update alumni about events without sending another email to their inbox.

Cons:

The software isn't as customizable as other softwares that I've used. For example, in the posting section, there isn't a way to create categories for posting. It would be great if alumni could tag the post with a category (mentoring question, general question, etc.). Plus, when people reply to the post, it doesn't ping you or let you know a reply was received. You have to rely on logging in to see if you got a reply. The reply doesn't show up on the next news digest, which would be helpful if it did.

A platform I'm proud to provide to my network

Comments: Where to begin? The customer service is top notch! I don't think of Graduway as a vendor, I think of them as a partner in my work. Not only have they ensured that what I'm presenting to my network is beautiful and user friendly but they are always innovating and sharing best practices so that our users can get the most out of this product.

Pros:

It is beautiful and intuitive to use (as an administrator and as a user). Every time I share the platform with someone new they say, "wow" and get what we're trying to do immediately.

Cons:

This is tough to say because as soon as I come up with something new that I want the platform to have, the team tells me it is already in progress and within months, we have it.

Alternatives Considered: Switchboard and Almabase

Reasons for Switching to Graduway: The company had so much more to offer by way of innovation. It was clear that they were building momentum and not only keeping up, but leading the way on virtual community management.

Implement this platform immediately

Comments: Excellent, fantastic, and superb.

Pros:

If I have to limit my response it would be the support of the Graduway staff. They are super responsive and extremely knowledgeable about their product. Another pro, is they always seem to be improving the product by adding functionality and I believe they really understand their user and their needs. This product really has everything that we need and would want to virtually engage our constituents. They also prepare marketing to help us reach our audience. They want us to be successful.

Cons:

2 things: first I wish that there was some functionality that would allow our users to post on Graduway and then instantly post that same thing on LinkedIn or another social platform.

Alternatives Considered: Almabase

Reasons for Switching to Graduway: Connect syncing with Raisers Edge. Plus additional functionality and ease of use. I can't remember specifically what those other functions were but it made a difference.

One of the alternatives considered as my Alumni platform

Comments: When we went to implement the new platform of our Alumni, this was one of the 4 main alternatives considered, along with AlumnForce, AlmaShines and Hivebrite. However, it was not chosen, because although it is a good platform, it has less functionality than the competitors and has a relatively high cost.

Pros:

It has a very beautiful aesthetic, it is quite easy to use, for both administrators and users. Very low usage learning curve. Its use is pleasant. Excellent technical assistance. Good deployment cost. The [SENSITIVE CONTENT HIDDEN] of the company that owns the product has a great vision on Alumni, and his book is the basis for the implementation of a successful Alumni.

Cons:

In the short term, the company provides a low cost of implementation, but in the long term, the platform's annual fee is high. It is a well-built product, but it lacks many features that already exist in competitors. The cost-effectiveness of competitors is much better.

Alternatives Considered: Hivebrite and Almashines

It has made a huge difference to our alumni engagement efforts by allowing members connect anywhere

Comments: Easier alumni engagement and member data managment

Pros:

Online access for all members worldwide Ease of management and updating of member data Customizable newsletter

Cons:

Inability of members to advertise or market their products or services on the platform Homepage is too crowded Information provided on members not enough

Easy and Intuitive Platform for Alumni Engagement

Pros:

My favorite feature of the Graduway platform is the Directory. It makes it so easy for our alumni to find former classmates or find people who can help them with their next career steps. It also is great for our Alumni Relations team to reach out to relevant alumni for career or networking events!

Cons:

Currently we're unable to change user profiles ourselves if alumni sign up using incorrect information - but I believe this is changing soon.

We had some difficulty with the customization however now all is well.

Pros:

The features and functions are very good. It really serves the needs for developing a community among alumni. Our current contact person really changed our experience with Graduway, she is knowledgeable and effective as well as ready to help gladly for any issue we have.

Cons:

There are small issues as a user. For example we still cant invite alumni via gmail, this should easily be possible. When you click like for a post you see a number indicating the number of likes. But right next is the unlike command. So at first glance it seems x number of unlikes.

Very pleased with the functionality and response received from our alumni base

Pros:

It is very easy to create the news stories and newsletters. You do not have to put in a significant amount of time to maintain

Cons:

The home page can get cluttered and busy if you have a lot of stories to share . I have heard of a few people having difficulty resetting thier password.

Graduway alumni platform

Comments: We've been using our Graduway platform for about 18 months now and are really pleased that we chose them to supply our platform. What I like the most about them is how great their customer service is, for our alumni when they're having issues, but more importantly for us as admins. Our account manager has taken the time to get to know our business and our needs and the entire team (from CEO down!) are invested in helping us meet those needs. They take on board client feedback in a very productive way, and are very responsive to ideas. In fact, there have been a number of new features added which are a result of client feedback. We were able to take time in building the platform and had full control over when it launched. We got help from them at launch with promotion, and receive continuous tips and pointers on steps we can take as an organisation to grow the platform. The platform itself is pretty easy to use and intuitive. The social sign on makes it even easier for our alumni. We have a completely international alumni base so some functions may be lost in translation, but overall alumni tell us they love it. They message each other, love the album and we have seen steady growth in sign ups. As admins it's not too time intensive to manage any more we can see basic statistics and manage what users see on the site. The news widgets are a useful way to share content from our main website. Mentoring is the one area that is more challenging for us, and does need more admin work/effort to make it successful, unless you already have a proper mentoring programme set up. There are areas for improvement, but Graduway know this and are working on it. Overall, it's a great supplier, with a very good product.

Pros:

Bright, attractive, inviting interface. Easy to use. Regular new developments released.

Cons:

Search functionality. Homepage could do with restructuring.

SVSUConnect

Comments: In my 37 years in Higher Education, I have not had a platform that truly can impact our brand (stories) to enhance our reputation and engage our alumni like Graduway has in a short period of time. Everything they have promised they have delivered and more. They are incredibly responsive to our suggestions and their customer service is outstanding. The campus wide community has embraced this tool, understanding its value to the long-term success of our university. Weekly we have generated new ideas and strategies due to the opportunities this platform provides that had not existed in the past. SVSUConnect is now playing an essential role in our university strategic plan. I would highly encourage you to have a demo to see first hand with key players in your university the possibilities this platform could provide your university - you will not be disappointed!

Pros:

It provides our alumni and students significant career navigation, mentoring and networking opportunities. Enhancing our reputation and brand through stories. Providing prospective students and their parent's value (outcomes ) to our degree. Mentoring opportunities for our alumni to mentor our students. This tool can also have a big impact on meeting enrollment and retention goals

Cons:

It takes time to navigate the university academic side of the house to create win/win scenarios -- one needs to be patient but no doubt the effort will pay off in the long run . Need to create champions through out the university to maximize what the effectiveness of the platform.

Graduway was the clear choice

Comments: The entire process has been delightful. Our Professional Service Manager was available whenever I needed her during the set up process and our Account Manager has answered all my questions promptly and they are always interested in our feedback and needs. They are always looking to improve the platform for their users. We like the ease of registration for our alumni. You need to make it easy for them. As an Admin of the account I have very much enjoyed the free webinars Graduway offers along with recording of many topics on their Graduway TV. Hearing best practices and meeting other Admins has been extremely beneficial.

Pros:

We needed a platform that would allow our alumni to connect with each other more organically and the Graduway platform allows this to happen. Their platform offered the most extensive package with the mentoring piece being something we were very excited about. We were also delighted that an app version was available! All these features would thrill our alumni while allowing us to capture the information we didn't have.

Cons:

The only issue I have is that the great add ons are quite expensive especially to K-12 schools. We don't have the budgets that large universities do.

Graduway for Alumni Management

Comments: We are really really happy using the Graduway solution. They are a true solution ‘partner’ for our alumni engagement & fundraising needs. They really make it a focus to help us take full advantage of their feature rich solution. Graduways software has enabled us to boost our Alumni Services to a place we are proud of, and with all the tools available to us, integrated into our CRM and critical base platform

Pros:

Graduway offers a comprehensive integrated solution to make most of alumni management & engagement. Their platform is feature rich and they are always working to add new features. They have outstanding customer service.

Cons:

I cannot really think of things I do not like about this software. It’s a league above the other platforms in this space.

Excellent tool to connect students and alumni

Comments: We have had an excellent experience with Graduway. The customer service is amazing, they are always making improvements and changes to meet the needs of their clients and they take great pride in their product - all wonderful qualities of a great partner!

Pros:

The Graduway product offered an excellent solution to our community by providing a user-friendly and dynamic directory, which was the main feature we were looking for in new software. In addition to the directory, we have been able to engage students and alumni through mentoring and group connections as well as promote our events through the system. The digest feature is one of the best tools on the platform and really promotes interaction and user engagement. We are very pleased with the product!

Cons:

If Graduway had a simple integration with BBCRM that would be ideal for our campus.

This Software made the Launch of our Alumni Portal so easy!

Comments: Connecting our Alumni, our students with our Alumni and also being able to reach out to our Alumni. The Feedback we have received was good and withMBS Connect we have found an easy (and sexy) way of keeping our Alumni up to date.

Pros:

I really like the Usability and some of its Features (Newsletter function, Job Portal, Events, News items). The Graduway Team was always really helpful and supportive. They seem to be very open to their customers' Feedback and work on continuously improving the Software. I also appreciated the Alumni related articles sent out, as well as the quarterly Reports and updates.

Cons:

Even though the Features are Overall really good, there are sometimes some restrictions to them which makes working with them a Little bit challenging or less convenient (e.g. Newsletter text a bit too short, no possibility to Highlight info (bold, italic)). But These were just Little things

Good for the end user, bad for the institution with little options for reporting or customization.

Comments: It was actually a pretty significant step down in terms of functionality from IntroMaps, which was our product of choice before its purchase by Graduway.

Pros:

Ease of identifying and contacting potential mentors and volunteers. Easy to sign up and create a profile. The search function (not the filters) in the Directory is surprisingly flexible.

Cons:

Everyone gets every thing, so folks in Boston get notices about events in Los Angeles. Directory is based on city name rather than zip code or radius, which is incredibly inconvenient. Map and nearby are only available on mobile. The reporting is beyond bare bones - we don't even get open rates on newsletters. Every time we talk to customer service, we get a "no we can't do that" or "I'll have to talk to IT"...and then we never hear back. Support staff are in too-distant time zones, so we have to wait too long for a response. When something we want or need is available, it's usually a significant extra cost - so we get nickel and dimed for everything.

Great customer support and easy to use platform

Comments: Graduway's personalised customer service is excellent - Sarah guided us through the whole process with patience and a sense of humour that made it entirely painless. The best tip I can give is to be clear about what Graduway can and can't do, and how best to use it alongside your existing channels and platforms. Support and buy-in from colleagues makes the world of difference, so take the time to communicate the benefits (to them) and explain the purpose, to manage their expectations before you launch. The administration area is simple to use and we're very excited about the planned expansion to functionality in mailing features, Groups and site content - which are all a direct response to customer input. It's nice to feel listened to as a customer, and even better to see improvements as a result.
Some features, currently missing, would make me more inclined to rate everything as 5/5, but it's a great start and we're hugely optimistic about the impact this platform will have on our overall Alumni Engagement Strategy following a wider launch to students, with Graduway's support.

Pros:

The ability to filter and target user groups for effective communications, the easy admin area and the interactive elements built-in to encourage networking among alumni and students.

Cons:

The built-in invitation/message/newsletter functions are good, but lacking in reporting features that would make this much more useful. Having no ability to view bounce backs, unsubscribes, open/read rates means that we have to use Mailchimp for this activity, which is disappointing when our expectation was a single platform to manage our communications with alumni.

Great front end but back end could be better...

Pros:

Really easy for alumni to use, looks great, and does what it says it does! Help desk has always been super helpful - esp Dalia :)

Cons:

As an administrator, I wish there was more functionality or slightly better search tools. Back end just seems like a place to see stats (which are awesome) and upload lists of alumni... I wish I could search by ID number. Or reset passwords on behalf of our alumni. We've had a couple of people who've moved jobs and because their accounts were registered with their former business email addresses they've been unable to login - password reset email goes to the old email... so we've had to delete their accounts so they can create a new one. Would have been smoother to have the power to reset them on their behalf.

Great Platform for Alumni

Comments: We've been very pleased with the Graduway alumni platform. Their customer support/success team made sure we knew exactly what steps to take as we prepared to launch. It is very easy for the user to connect and it is also easy to manage from the administrative side. You can pull complete Google analytics for the product. The customer success manager can set this up for you. While the platform is designed for peer-to-peer/student connections, we've also worked with our individual schools to ensure a more vibrant networking experience for our alumni who have indicated a willingness to help and our students. Several of our schools have a mentoring program in place and we have connected them to their alumni from the platform who have indicated a willingness to help. Lots of good synergy happening from those connections and new mentors identified which helps them expand their mentoring program.

Pros:

Easy of use for users and administrative personnel.

Cons:

Pulling the more detailed reports when we need them. However, we do get a very detailed quarterly report from Graduway.

The Graduway alumni platform gives our alumni an easy to use networking and engagement tool.

Comments: It's a great way to connect with our alumni and, more importantly, for our alumni to connect with each other.

Pros:

The platform nicely balances a way to communicate with alumni, with networking features, and engagement tools. It allows our alumni department to identify alumni who are willing to be involved and at what level from the point of sign in. The integrated e-newsletter feature that reaches participants and prospects is also a great way to regularly communicate with alumni for information and action.

Cons:

There is very little I don't like. As with anything social, users should expect to invest time on keeping the platform updated and fresh, so participants have a reason to return and be active and engaged.

The Must-Have Alumni Engagement Software

Comments: Graduway is a superior product from start to finish. The product, the team, the constant improvements ensure Graduway is heads and tails above the competition.

Pros:

It provides a one-stop-shop for all things alumni relations related. Furthermore, the team at Graduway is always looking for innovative and intelligent ways to make the work of Alumni Relations professionals easier, more impactful and always value-add. The product is sophisticated and dynamic which is important when attempting to get buy-in from graduates.

Cons:

There are no cons! Whenever we have encountered an issue, Graduway has quickly stepped up to resolve the issue and or provide a workaround.

Graduway makes our alumni relations programme more efficient

Comments: MGS launched the MGS Global Connect 15 months ago. During that time almost 3000 alumni have joined the platform including many new faces that have had little or no contact with the school for years. MGS have taken the credit for Graduway's work; our alumni feel that it is 'our' site and they are proud of it. The mentoring and job features have been particularly well received by our younger members. Interestingly, the most active users on the platform have been the over 65s. The most valuable aspect of the platform has been linked to the efficiency of our alumni relation and fundraising programmes. Members of the platform offer themselves as 'being willing to help' - they are declaring their support and love for our institution. This alone is a great metric of affinity and one that has enhanced our fundraising function. I thoroughly recommend the platform without hesitation and I am willing to talk to any prospective customer about my experience with Graduway.

Very pleased with this software - looking forward to the launch of the next version later this year

Pros:

This software is very easy to use and presents an attractive platform for all of our users. The features, from job posts to the directory to the mentoring function, are all very helpful to our community. The news stories can all be hyperlinked to a different website, which makes the platform more dynamic and creates a link back to the College.

Cons:

There are certain features that can't be customised to date or just need to be fleshed out more (my understanding is that the next version coming out this year will resolve a number of these issues): the newsletter only allows a feature article and then just pulls data (not news pieces) from the platform; there's no way to see the content of messages that have been sent; the available stats are minimal.

Stellar Alumni Relations and Communications Community Builder

Comments: The University of Toronto has been a client of Graduway's since 2013. Graduway's service and product has changed the entire theory of U of T Engineering's young alumni relations approach for the better, and empowered our entire stakeholder group to access and utilize the power of their collective network. Consistently evolving and listening to their clients, Graduway has exceeded expectations.

Pros:

The ease signing up, the advanced search directory and automated newsletter features. Statistics and instant membership data downloads are fantastically useful.

Cons:

The lack of tailored report crafting.