Integrating Technology-Based and Human-Based CRM in Islamic Higher Education: Student Willingness to Churn

Abstract

Student retention is a challenge in managing higher education, including Muhammadiyah and Aisyiyah Higher Education (PTMA) which is based on Islamic values. From an Islamic education management perspective, the sustainability of the relationship between institutions and students not only depends on the effectiveness of services, but also the quality of human relations and the use of technology. This research aims to analyze the influence of Technology-Based Customer Relationship Management (T-CRM) and Human-Based Customer Relationship Management (H-CRM) on student willingness to churn in PTMA students in Indonesia partially and simultaneously. The research uses a cross-sectional quantitative approach. Primary data was obtained from 120 active PTMA students through a 28-item questionnaire with a Likert scale of five answer choices. Secondary data comes from literature and previous research. The sample was selected using systematic random sampling. Data were analyzed through descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation, classical assumption tests and multiple linear regression using IBM SPSS 26. The validity of the instrument was tested through expert review, Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA), and Cronbach's alpha reliability. The Cronbach's alpha values ​​(T-CRM: α = 0.87; H-CRM: α = 0.84; Churn: α = 0.82). The results show that T-CRM has a negative and significant effect on student willingness to churn (β = −0.24; p < 0.001), while H-CRM has a negative and significant effect with a stronger effect (β = −0.32; p < 0.001). Simultaneously, both explained 52.4% of the variation in students' propensity to leave the institution (R² = 0.524; p < 0.001). These findings indicate that the management of Islamic education at PTMA needs to combine the use of technology with interpersonal relationships that are service-oriented and caring for students. Thus, CRM in the context of Islamic education not only functions as a student retention strategy, but can also be part of educational management practices that integrate technological efficiency with the relational dimensions and values ​​of Islamic education. The study's limitations lie in its cross-sectional design which limits causal inference. The originality of the research lies in the integration of T-CRM and H-CRM in the context of PTMA Islamic higher education in Indonesia.