The growth operating system
for vocational schools.
Zerde pairs AI agents with a dedicated human team to capture every lead, book every tour, and answer every student question — so your admissions team can focus on what matters.
Why schools choose Zerde
Most growth options leave something crucial on the table. Zerde is the only one that brings everything together.
Software alone
- You configure everything yourself
- No ongoing strategy or optimization
- Breaks when you don't have time to maintain it
- Support is a ticket queue
Humans without scale
- Slow response times — leads go cold
- Can't scale to 500 conversations simultaneously
- High cost per conversation
- No real-time visibility into performance
AI agents + human partners
- AI responds in seconds, 24/7
- Human specialists optimize every week
- Built for vocational schools specifically
- Real-time dashboard with full visibility
Three agents. One mission.
Each agent has a focused role in your enrollment funnel — from first contact to enrolled student.
Never miss a lead
Instantly responds to every inquiry — web forms, missed calls, DMs. Qualifies leads in real-time so your team spends time with the right people.
- Instant SMS + voice response
- Lead scoring and qualification
- Works after-hours and weekends
- CRM integration
Book tours automatically
Guides warm leads to schedule campus tours and info sessions. Handles rescheduling, reminders, and no-show follow-ups without your staff lifting a finger.
- AI-driven appointment booking
- Automated reminder sequences
- No-show recovery flows
- Calendar sync (Cal.com, Google)
Nurture until enrolled
Keeps long-cycle prospects warm over weeks and months. Answers financial aid questions, shares program updates, and nudges undecided students toward commitment.
- Long-cycle nurture sequences
- Financial aid FAQ handling
- Re-engagement of cold leads
- Handoff to admissions at peak intent
All agents work across SMS and Voice — meeting students where they already are.
More than agents.
The revenue agents are the foundation. Built alongside them is a broader platform of tools that grows with your school — from content workflows to deep analytics.
Content Tools
AI-assisted content workflows built for enrollment marketing — from program descriptions to follow-up copy.
Analytics
Real-time funnel metrics. See exactly where leads convert or fall off.
Curriculum
Structured knowledge base for your agents to reference.
Integrations
Connect your CRM, calendar, and workflows.
Human Handoff
When a conversation needs a human touch, it escalates instantly to your team with full context — no copy-pasting conversation history.
How we work together
Zerde is a partnership, not a product you figure out alone. Here's how we go from first call to full operation.
We learn your funnel
Our team spends the first two weeks with you. We map your lead sources, understand your programs, study your ideal student profile, and configure each AI agent around your real enrollment process — not a generic template.
- Enrollment funnel audit
- Lead source mapping
- Agent configuration + tone calibration
- Integration setup (CRM, calendar, phone)
We run AI + human ops every week
Once live, Zerde runs your enrollment engine. AI handles the volume; our human operators catch edge cases, review conversations weekly, and push improvements — you get a partner who's invested in your numbers, not just your subscription.
- AI responds to leads 24/7
- Weekly human review of conversations
- Escalation to your admissions team when needed
- Monthly performance report
We optimize with you
Every quarter we sit down with you to review the data, celebrate the wins, and co-design improvements. We're your growth partners — not a set-it-and-forget-it vendor.
- Quarterly growth reviews
- New playbook rollouts
- Benchmarks vs. similar schools
- Access to new platform features first
The numbers speak.
Across our active partner schools, here's what Zerde delivers.
Aggregated across active partner schools. Numbers reflect trailing 12 months.
Built for hands-on schools.
Zerde works best where students are learning a craft — and where every enrolled student represents real, tangible impact on a life and a career.
You're not buying software.
You're gaining a team.
Every Zerde engagement includes a dedicated team of human specialists who know your school, your programs, and your students — working alongside the AI every single week.
Your human specialists review every conversation weekly and push improvements proactively.
Reach your team directly. Not a ticket queue. Real people who know your school.
We're not selling you a seat count. Our team is compensated to deliver enrollment outcomes.
Simple, transparent pricing.
All plans include your AI agents and your human team. No hidden setup fees. Quarterly agreements — no annual lock-in on Starter.
For single-location schools getting started with AI lead engagement.
- Capture + Conversion agents
- Up to 500 leads/mo
- 1 human specialist
- Bi-weekly check-ins
- Dashboard + reporting
For growing schools with active multi-program enrollment pipelines.
- All three agents (Capture / Conversion / Growth)
- Unlimited leads
- 2 human specialists
- Weekly strategy call
- CRM integration + custom reporting
- Multi-location support
For school groups, franchises, and organizations with custom requirements.
- Everything in Pro
- Custom agent training + knowledge base
- Dedicated account executive
- Custom SLA + compliance review
- API access + custom integrations
All plans start with a discovery call. No self-serve sign-up — services are subject to a signed agreement. Prices shown are placeholders.
Frequently asked
Everything schools ask us before signing. If yours isn't here, just email us.
Do I need technical skills to use Zerde?
No technical skills are required. Zerde is a fully managed service — our team handles all the setup, configuration, and ongoing optimization. You just provide your school's information and we handle the rest.
How long does onboarding take?
Most schools are fully operational within 2 weeks. The first week covers learning your funnel, configuring your agents, and integrating with your existing tools. Week two is a supervised live run before we hand off the controls.
Is Zerde a tool or a service?
Both. Zerde is a software platform with AI agents, but it's sold as a managed service — meaning our team of human specialists works alongside the AI every week to make sure it's performing well. You get the speed of software with the accountability of an agency.
What channels do the agents work on?
Zerde agents communicate via SMS and voice. SMS is the primary channel for lead nurture and appointment follow-up. Voice support covers inbound inquiry handling. More channels coming soon.
Can you integrate with my existing CRM?
Yes. Zerde integrates with HubSpot, Airtable, and custom webhooks out of the box. If you use a different CRM, we'll evaluate it during onboarding — most systems with an API can be connected.
How do you handle TCPA compliance?
Zerde is built with TCPA compliance at its core. We require explicit opt-in consent (unchecked by default on all forms), honor STOP/HELP/CANCEL keywords immediately, and maintain consent records for every contact. We do not send messages to contacts who have not opted in.
Can you work with non-vocational schools?
Our primary focus is vocational, trade, and beauty schools — that's where our playbooks and AI training are strongest. That said, community colleges, bootcamps, and continuing education programs are a natural fit. Reach out and we'll let you know if we're a match.
What happens when a student is ready to book a tour?
The AI agent detects booking intent and offers available time slots directly in the SMS conversation. The student picks a time, the appointment is confirmed automatically, and a reminder sequence begins. Your admissions team gets a notification and sees the booking in the dashboard.
Ready to stop losing leads?
Book 15 minutes with our team. We'll show you exactly how Zerde would work for your school — no pressure, no pitch deck.
Book 15 min — free discovery callOr email us directly at info@zerde.io