Hi Amy,
Excellent comments - your three points certainly constitute a good foundation to student-first customer service!
Jay Hollowell
It is important to address complaints or concerns in a timely fashion as it shows we take the student seriously and are respecting them. In any venue, if we do not address people or issues in a timely fashion, people feel as if they are being ignored or neglected. In an educational atmosphere, it is not any different. Students have options and choices as to where to attend...if as an educational entity we do not show our students that they are important to us, they will just go somewhere else where they do not feel they are lost in the crowd or insignificant.
It is important to address student complaints and concerns in a timely fashion for several reasons. 1) It shows that we care about the student and take their education and their feelings seriously, 2) it reinforces the fact that they are our priority and our reason for being in this profession, and 3) it is always best to difuse a situation as soon as possible. Putting someone off or making them wait a long time for resolution just gives them more time to be upset and possibly get even angrier.
There are multiple reasons to address concerns/complaints right away. As administrations, at times it can be difficult to filter a valid concern from a student that just wants to have their voice head even if what they are saying is not valid. We (Administrators) can become numb to these statements and therefore possibly miss the validity of some concerns. It is this reason that we must take them all seriously. Often times a true and valid concern can be disused in an unwise or unprofessional delivery. I think this is where the first coaching opportunity can happen with students. We need to allow them to express their thoughts, yet guide them to communicate professionally so that the message does not get lost or ignored.
In the end, we avoid missing the areas of opportunity to improve and any bad marketing concerns/complaints could be a catalyst for.
Kelley,
We know from experience that if you ask students about their experience with your college in a timely manner, that they would prefer to just tell you.
BUT if you don’t ask, they WILL go to social networks and review sites – so why not get in there first?
One of the stumbling blocks for educational institutions in tackling this problem is that student dissatisfaction happens offline first, often without the college's knowledge.
Cindy Bryant
We try to avoid the outcome of student complaints by being proactive. We care about our students and strive to work together to provide the best educational experience. When we have a student that is upset or has concerns, we immediately discuss their concerns and find a solution. Sometimes with the student and sometimes with faculty and administration. The outcome is actively listening and respecting their concerns with answers. The potential of ignoring students concerns would be a student that would not refer our school and the possibility of filing a complaint with the BBB.
By addressing student complaints and concerns in a timely fashion the school system is able to validate the students concerns and it builds trust with the student. The student is able recognize that the school truly cares about the student and the students success at the college. By ignoring the students concerns, the student may feel that he or she does not matter and the animosity will build and the student may not believe in the schools mission and the schools ability to provide a successful educational experience for the student.
It is important to address students concerns immediately because we want to ensure that the issue is resolved immediately to avoid it affecting other students.
Getting back to students in a timely fashion is one of the biggest ways to build student rapport and trust. Even letting them know that you are working on the issue and seeking a solution is key to promoting good communication. Not addressing their concerns or ignoring them will lead to distrust of not just your area but the school as a whole. Many times a student is unhappy with the entire process due to one person who has not stopped to help them.
I think that if you address students complaints and concerns in timely fashion, it makes the student seem as if you care about them and what's wrong. Also, waiting unitl a later time to address issues could cause issues in classrooms and student moral.
Because it shows that we are invested in their futures and that their concerns are our concerns and we care.
Tim,
Hi! Welcome to the forum. Your position on handling complaints is "spot on." Thank you for sharing.
Cindy Bryant
It is very important to address student complaints in a timely fashion because the reality is that the student is our customer. For every ignored complaints, or concern, there is a potential result of either a satisfied, or unsatisfied customer. My desire is for a satisfied customer. Timeliness shows that you care,that you are trustworthy and that you have high standards regarding your attention to your customers. It sends the message that they are important. You may not always tell them what they want to hear; but, you are showing them that their complaint/concern matters. This, in turn, builds a foundation for an ongoing relationship with the "customer" and by building this credible relationship you know have helped forge a reputation for yourself and the school.
On the other hand, if you delay in a response to an issue, or never respond, it will most likely result in an unsatisfied, disenchanted customer. Customer service statistics show that unsatisfied customers tell 11 other people (on average) about their dissatisfaction and the circumstances behind it. Then, those 11 people will tell others and so on, and so on. This could plant a seed of dissatisfaction that could root and grow. It's pretty safe to say that no organization wants that type of reputation. Dissatisfaction can spread throughout the campus and throughout the community and lead to reduced enrollments/re-enrollments. We must do everything in our power to keep our students/customers happy in order for our organizations to thrive.
It is important to respond in a timely manner for many reasons:
1) By creating a dialog we may learn about the cause for the concerns, and, especially in the case where some member of the organization is contributing to the problem, we can initiate corrections that prevent future issues. In short, nip it in the bud.
2) When a current student has an issue, he or she inevitably shares the concern with others. This can breed a negative atmosphere that will impact everyone (student or professional) at the organization.
3) Participants who have left the program (with or without completing the requirments) can influence our standing with the community. It is better to deal with an issue openly before the consequences grow!!!
The consequences range from lost enthusiasm within the program (this may lead to some particpants failure to complete), to negative image within the community (this could curtail enrollmentand placement, and ultimately to consequences with the state and regulatory agencies in the case where a greivance is filed. Ultimate failure to address vallid complaints could lead to loss of funding, accrediation or licencing.
Anna,
The benefit of addressing complaints swiftly far outweighs the damage an unhappy student is capable of doing. The best way to avoid complaints is to follow the policies set forth in the catalog and to provide the student with the appropriate chain of command.
Cindy Bryant
Robert,
Thank you for providing such an eloquent explanation for student complaints.
Cindy Bryant
It is important to address student complaints and concerns in a timely fashion because students, as our customers, have a right for a prompt response. It also helps to pin-point previously unknown or newly developed problems, most of which, when addressed early, cause much lesser damage than if left unnoticed for a longer time. Ignoring student's concerns will not only further jeopardize their trust, but can cause student's withdrawal and negative publicity for the institution.
Student complaints represents a degree of doubt brought about by some confusion or perceived inconstancy is the way we are delivering on our educational promise. The more time the seeds of doubt are allowed to grow the great the effort needed to remove the confusion. Much like a weeds growing in a garden. Left unattended they take over completely leaving the landscape (your initial educational promises) in disarray.
As others have stated, not responding to complaints and concerns in a timely fashion is paramount to not caring. Not caring will result in low Standards and lost Trust. In the end if you don't care why should the student. Our students are our embassadors. Recent surveys suggest consumers tell twice as many people about a negative experience versus a positive one. The potential outcomes to ignoring student concerns have far reaching consequences; such as a bad reputation to the outright closing of the school.
As much as we may try to prevent complaints, it is inevitable that they will arise. By addressing a student’s concerns quickly it not only shows students that we as faculty care, it also prevents the problem from snowballing into something bigger than it needed to be. If handled correctly and quickly a complaint can be an opportunity to build the trust of our students and or grow as an organization.
