If students are customers...
And the customer is always right...
Shouldn't they all be getting 4.0s?
In all seriousness, the money is often a subject of conversation for students who are upset with a class, or their performance, or an instructor. "What am I paying for?" or worse "What a waste of money!".
The opposite is also true... I see students, especially young ones right out of high school, who spend a lot of money to come to school, and then treat it like high school. They perform poorly or fail without ever trying to do well.
The pendulum swings both ways, and handling students as customers and showing them the value of what they're paying for is good customer service!
Robert,
If they are all getting 4.0s, something is out of alignment. The customer is not always right, but the customer is always the customer and should be treated with respect, even when they mess up.
Jeffrey Schillinger
Robert,
We must handle our student complaints quickly and effectively. It is interesting that education is the one thing we pay for that we are willing to accept less that the full value of.
Jeffrey Schillinger
Listening to concerns and adressing them expediently--students can become very angry if you do not do this and it skips the chain of command--goes to corporate headquarters--not good for the institution--not fair to the student.
Virginia,
Good point. We need to handle things for students at the lowest level possible to make it more personal and effective. As a VP at a corporate office, I try to redirect complaints from those who skip the chain back to the campus whenever possible.
Jeffrey Schillinger
I agree that student complaints should be handled quickly. When an Instuctor knows about a student issue and turns a blind eye or doesn't do the follow thru needed, it isn't good customer service. Most of my student population comes from a generation where there is no stucture and rules. In the end they need to know that it matters to someone that they aren't happy.
The Student/Customer pays for an education. By giving 4.0's to everyone when they do not deserve it, is not an education. If I got an 4.0 just because as a customer and customers are always right, then I would never study never go to school and never better my self.
I do not and have ever believed a customer is always right. I believe listening, hearing, solving the problem and giving the respect the customer deserves is good customer service.
Beth,
Giving away unearned grades may be one of the worst things a career college can do. Eventually, the reputation of the school will suffer as graduates will be unable to perform as expected in the work place.
Jeffrey Schillinger
I believe that the key to good customer service in a college setting is to provide excellent customer service by being the best teacher that you can be.
I agree that students are customers, just like in the same way that our patients are customers and that we should do well by them, but I agree that they are most certainly not always right. I agree with giving everything to our students, but what do you do with the student who simply wants to take and never give back?
Thanks, Peggy. What are some things you do to be the best teacher you can be?
Jeffrey Schillinger
Kiona,
We owe our students a great education. That cannot happen unless we hold them accountable and make them earn what they get.
Jeffrey Schillinger
Most importantly, to be the best teacher possible, BE PREPARED for the course as well as each class. Also, keep current on your field through outside sources such as Excellence in Education, local chapters, journals, blogs, etc. I do try to listen to my students and find out ways to make my teaching methods better. Listening is a great form of communication. :-)
Thanks for your helpfulness.
Absolutely! I find that no matter what we do as instructors, we have to hold our students accountable. No matter what. The trick is encouraging students and being there for them even when you are holding them accountable. I have found that they are quick to anger when you tell them that what they are turning in is unacceptable. I'm learning to build them up with constructive advice.
Kiona,
Good points. I have found it is far more effective when schools focus on the behaviors they want rather than on the behaviors they do not want. It is the difference between inspiration and cooersion.
Jeffrey Schillinger
I never said to give away grades!I was responding to someone saying a customer is always right and if so then they should just give them a 4.0. Everyone agrees all students need to work for their grades, whether they paid or someone else pays for the education.
Thanks,
Beth
Beth,
I did not think you were saying that. I was agreeing with you that it is wrong to do so.
Jeffrey Schillinger
We all know that, yes, the student is a customer, but no, they are not always right. When your task is to teach someone a trade, you should hold them to the standard required to do the job correctly. This helps with the reputation of the school, which helps draw more students to the school.
James,
The customer is not always right, but they are always the customer ansd thus we have to treat them with a great deal of respect and caring, even when times call for discipline. We can have high standards and be nice simultaneously.
Jeffrey Schillinger
