It is important to address student complaints and concerns in a timely fashion to ensure that the school’s standards are being met, to model to students a professional environment and to help students to have a positive educational experience.
Student complaints come in many forms. Students who approach an instructor or administrator directly should have their concerns addressed immediately. First, a determination must be made as to the legitimacy of the complaint. Even if the school personnel disagree with the premise of the complaint, the student should be treated with respect and the situation should be discussed to the student’s satisfaction. When a student exposes possible misconduct on the part of an employee or fellow student a thorough investigation should be conducted.
Student complaints may come in the form of a response to a student survey. Often students do not put their names on the survey so the complaint must be handled in a more general way. If there is a complaint about the way an instructor conducts a class or about the course materials, additional training or a review of course materials may be appropriate. In this case, students will look for improvement in these areas in their next term.
Although grievance policies request that students first work with an institution before escalating their complaint to the state or accrediting agency, occasionally a student may go directly to one of these agencies without informing the school of the problem. In this case, the school must not only address the student but must provide the agency with a report of action taken. In addition to addressing the specific issue, the school should investigate why students do not feel comfortable coming directly to an instructor or administrator with their complaints. Does the school treat students respectfully? Is there a true open door policy? Do administrators visit the classrooms and establish relationships with the students?
Student concerns will not go away because the school ignores them. Students will become angry or feel betrayed. They will tell others about their feelings and may instigate unrest on the campus. They may broadcast their displeasure on social media sites or go to state or accrediting agencies with their complaints. Finally, they may withdraw from the school. In addition to lost trust and bad publicity, schools that ignore student concerns are missing the opportunity to improve their programs, their faculty training and their student relations.
I agree with most of the responses already posted in this thread. In the case of my school, it is particularly important to address student interaction in a timely fashion, since all of our programs are taught online. Students feel particularly vulnerable in an environment in which they cannot interact face to face with the institution. A timely response makes the difference to show that there is actually a whole institution at the other side of the website
Jane,
You are right, students are your greatest asset and the better you meet their expectations the higher your retention rate will be. Meeting their expectations is not providing them with everything they ask for but delivering what was agreed upon.
Cindy Bryant
It is important to address student complaints and concerns in a timely fashion because it shows that we are truly invested in their future and that we care about them -- that they are our "customers". We should use the Golden Rule and treat them like we would like to be treated. Respect goes two ways.
In this day and age ignoring complaints and concerns can motivate students to give your school a bad rap and possibly lead to the lose of potential students.
Ben,
Hi welcome to the forum. Great response. Thank you for providing so much detail regarding addressing student complaints.
Cindy Bryant
It's important to address all student complaints in a timely manner for several reasons:
1) You have a responsibility to ensure that any potential institutional problems are acknowledged and addressed quickly in order to protect the school's operating license, accreditation and/or Title IV participation.
2) Students need to be considered a type of "protected class" and, as such, you as a school official have a responsibility to ensure their welfare. If the complaint is valid, it's critical to address quickly and effectively in order to provide the best education environment for the student. A student's commitment to enroll and graduate from a college is one of the most important life decisions they will ever make. By not addressing their complaint, you are marginalizing their importance to your institution.
3)Complaints not addressed promptly can quickly turn into much larger problems. Students who don't feel like their problem is being properly addressed have a plethora of ways to voice their displeasure in today's social media environment. Once negative information like that is posted on the internet is almost impossible to get rid of it.
Brittany,
Hi. You have make an excellent point. Unresolved complaints may lead to damaging a school's reputation through word of mouth, social media or formal complaints. The best approach is to address student concerns as soon as possible.
Cindy Bryant
If a student's complaint is not taken seriously, trust will be broken. As trust begins to suffer, the student's overall opinion of the school suffers, and this can be projected onto other students.
Priscilla,
I believe everyone would agree with you. Schools have a Complaint Resolution Process so that students have an accessible, straightforward avenue to seek resolution of a complaint about the service they received from school. The process also enables the school to:
-investigate and resolve problems within the school initially
-identify problems that cannot be addressed at the campus level
Cindy Bryant
Joy,
Thank you for your thorough response to the forum question. Another factor is that students expect their complaints to be heard and resolved, as a consumer they have a right to an expeditious response.
Cindy Bryant
I believe that it is important to address every students complaints and concerns about your instituition as asoon as possible because no matter what it is, it will help make yur school a better place for future students. If a students concerns are ignored then there is a possibility that your school will get a bad reputation around the community and once that happens it's hard to recover from.
The advantage for immediately addressing, investigating and resolving student complaints is twofold. First and foremost quick resolutions are going to quell dissenting gossip amoung students and promote customer loyalty. The quicker the resolution, the more satisfied the student. The majoriity of complaints generally encompass students wanting someone, anyone to listen to their view. However, in the event the complaint is valid and does warrant action to be taken, an expeditious resolution to the complaint reflects on the integrity and primciples by which the school conducts business. Secondly, quick resolutions will minimize students going to a higher authority such as the state agencies, accrediting bodies or the USDOE. Additionally, avoiding escalattion due unresolved issues will save unnecessary expeditures for the school.
It is important to address student complaints and concerns in a timely fashion because the student is our customer. They are paying to receive an education. If they do not feel as though the institution cares about them or their concerns they will lose faith or trust in the school and that will devalue their education. Disgruntled students do not refer their friends and families to the institution, they may go to the Attorney General, local television station, radio station, or newspaper to make complaints. These complaints can lead to negative publicity, decreased enrollment and possible closure. The ramifications of not taking care of student complaints and concerns can be intense.
Linda,
I agree, addressing student complaints efficiently indicates that you have respect for your students concerns.
Cindy Bryant
Addressing students complaints and concerns in a timely fashion, shows the student that we care, and it allows us the opportunity to build trust with the student.
Potential outcomes to ingnoring students concerns include some of the following:
1. loss of the student and other students the individual has contact with.
2. loss of potential students
3. claim filed against the school
Jennifer,
Thank you for sharing your perspective on treating students as customers. If schools take this approach they will definitely work harder to understand the issues that create barriers to education. The next step is having to address the issues and remove the barriers. If this can be accomplished retention will rise.
Cindy Bryant
All students have the right to prompt answers/resolutions to complaints or concerns if for no other reason then the fact that they are our customers first.
There are of course regulations that explain the students' rights to complaint resolution, but even if those never existed, our students are our customers and therefore maintain the right to always have our best efforts and services presented to them in a timely manner. Whether an institution succeeds or fails in the long run can mostly be attributed to student success and customer satisfaction.
Judy,
Thank you for sharing your opinion on addressing complaints in a timely matter with the group.
Cindy Bryant
Because it shows that they are important and that we care. If student's think that we don't care they will eventually become problem student.
Nilaja,
Another factor to consider is the fact that most of our students use social media as a way of getting their point across. Recently I read an article that stated that consumers have higher expectations for customer service on social media than other, more traditional channels, a new report finds.
In fact, one-fourth of respondents who complain via Facebook or Twitter expect a reply within 60 minutes -- and 6% expect a response within 10 minutes, according to the study by Lightspeed Research and the Internet Advertising Bureau UK. Yet if consumers notify a company of a problem using its Web site, 50% are happy to wait up to a day for a reply and 27% are content to wait for up to three days, the report said.
Students more than likely fall into this role as well whether it is through social media or on ground.
http://www.informationweek.com/smb/ebusiness/social-media-users-expect-rapid-response/229000566
Cindy Bryant
