PS&L Blog

Customer Service is an important part of the interaction between both prospective and current students and the college. From admissions to registrar to business affairs to dining services, all of these offices have direct interaction with students and parents. In the competitive world of college admissions, offering good customer service is an opportunity to differentiate your school, build loyalty and even retain more students.

I hear all the time that customer service is a topic of continuous conversation on campuses. But what do we do about it? Just talking about it is not the answer. What is really important is for everyone to understand how the day-to-day activities of employees impact service. The result of this “service” to students in turn impacts outcomes, reputation and enrollment.

One of the challenges in improving customer service is that your staff is too close to the situation. They are familiar with their jobs, terminology, and personalities. Too many times, they accept the way things are without considering other possibilities. They become accustomed to the personalities of their peers, long-standing policies that are no longer relevant, a process that has become part of the campus culture, or a comfort level with how they perform their job. In all of these cases, we hear, “that’s just the way it is.”

So ask yourself, are there areas on your campus that could provide better service?
Examining your policies, process, and even how you value your students can go a long way in increasing and maintaining enrollment. The key is in changing a mindset and creating a culture where the student (customer) is your first priority.