PresentedforCALEM/EducationDynamicsApril6,2017

• 28yearsinEnrollment/StudentServices• EmployedbyColumbiaUniversity,TheUniversityofChicago,NorthwesternUniversity,WheatonCollege(IL)

• Developedandgrewenrollment/retentionateachinstitutionserved

• Authorof“RoadMapforGraduateStudy:AGuideforProspectiveGraduateStudents”

• AuthorofInternationalStudentSupplementto“RoadMap”

“Anorganizationmayspreaditselfoverthewholeworld– mayemploythousandsofmenandwomen...yettheaveragepersonwillformher/hisjudgmentoftheorganizationthroughher/hiscontactwithoneindividual. Ifthispersonisrudeorinefficient,itwill

requirealotofcourtesyandefficiencytoovercomethebadimpression.Everymemberofanorganization,who

inanywaycomesincontactwiththepublic,isasalesperson...Theimpressionhe/shemakesisan

advertisement,goodorbad.”

PhoneDirectory

Of132 full-timeemployees:– 76 (57%)areinoneofthreegroups:1) donothaveanextensionnumber2) haveanextensionnumberthatisinvalid3) donothaveapersonalizedmessage

– 31 donothavethemostappealingpersonalizedmessage

– 19 haveagoodpersonalizedmessage– 6haveanoutstandingpersonalizedmessage

FromAcademicImpressions(AI)Report,“ImprovingCustomerServiceinHigherEducation”

(September2014)

• InNovember2012,AcademicImpressionssurveyedprofessionalsfrom79institutionsofhighereducation,askingthemtogradetheirinstitution’slevelofcustomerservice.

• 29respondentsratedtheirinstitutionwitha“B”lettergradeforlevelofserviceoffered,and31wouldassigna“C” grade(togetheraccountingforthree-quartersofthetotalresponses).Onlysixwouldassignan“A.”

NealRaisman:“EmbracingtheOxymoron–CustomerServiceinHigherEducation(2002)

• Thereisadirectcorrelationbetweengoodcustomerserviceandenrollmentsuccess.Simplyput,institutionsthatarestudent- centeredandtreatstudentsaswelcomedandrespectedcustomers,whilemakingsuretheygetagreateducation,willhaveenrollmentandretentionsuccess.

• Customerserviceissimplyfulfillingtherealexpectationsofstudents– “expectations.” Notwants.Notdesires,but“expectations.”

“TheDifferenceReallyisCustomerService!”ByAlanC.Brawn,BrawnConsulting

(January4,2016)• Ultimatelyyouwillbejudgedbywhatyoudo,notwhatyousay.Customerserviceisaboutsatisfiedcustomerswhonotonlycomebacktodobusinesswithyou,butoftengoforthand“preachthegospel”ofhowgoodyouaretoworkwith.Thebestandmosteffectiveadvertisingiswordofmouth.

• Toreally“do” customerserviceright,youhavetobuildacustomerservicecultureinsidetheorganization.Itallstartswiththemission,withaclearvisionthatisembracedfromthetopdownandalso,asimportantlyfromthebottomup.

--Onedaycampuswidetrainingworkshop

--Foradministration,facultyandstaff

--Includesapre-workshopsurvey/research

www.gradschoolroadmap.com

InternationalSupplementAvailable