Thursday, November 30, 2006

Article on Parking in University Business

Just heard that University Business will be publishing a piece on parking and customer service as soon as this coming Monday, 12.04.06. The article on one of the perennial customer service/student complaint topics will appear on their website. www.universitybusiness.com. May well be worth going to the site read it. By the way, if you don't yet subscribe to UBDaily or the UB monthly, it is well worth the free subscription. It would even be worth paying money to read!

In every study and survey we have done and others have conducted, parking is always in the top 10 - even for non-commuter schools. Many a student is lost somewhere between C lot, way out there in the fields with its signs ONLY FOR STUDENTS WITH OFFICIAL STICKERS. OTHERS MAY BE TOWED!!!!!!!!! and the classroom. Especially in inclement weather or during the initial potential enrollment visit.

I am always amazed at how schools do not make sure the reserved spots for potential enrollees either exist in appropriate number or are not filled by staff or current students.

I have seen the piece (actually, I wrote it) and thus I believe it has some value for everyone who may be concerned with retaining students. But the again, the piece comes out of my and my team's experiences turning retention and enrollment around for schools. And, well, keep in mind that legs have become vestigial for many students - faculty, staff and administrators too.

Look forward to hearing comments on the University Business piece. By the way, my 4 year old grandaughter took the picture with the piece. Let me hear from you at nealr@GreatServiceMatters.com And, oh yes, Emma is available to photograph tea parties, gatherings of dolls and gradparents.

Monday, November 27, 2006

Three Last Minute Solutions to Retain Students

This is the time of year when attrition is one of the most important issues. How many will drop out between now and the start of next session? The answer to this question will have major impact on the budget, purchases, hirings, firings and anything else that has budgetary implications. i.e. EVERYTHING. If more drop or step out than expected (which is the case for most schools as I am hearing) then there is a tough year ahead.

What I am hearing from schools in the past few days is “Is there anything we can do now to try and save some of the drops?”


Well, starting to care about this issue back in June would have been a good idea. But YES there are some potential solutions. Here are three quick and effective solutions.

Final exam good luck card

The first thing to do is for the president of the school to send a good luck in final exams card to every student. A simple card signed by the president can do wonders in helping a student feel valued during the “decision period.” Keep in mind that Customer Service Principle 1 is a powerful one. (For free copy of the 15 Principles of Good Customer Service in Higher Education, just click here)


The card needs to be mailed to the student personally. Send it right to the dorm room or home. None of this Dear Occupant or an open email to everyone. How personal!? We are talking a personal wish from the president and signed in real ink!

Presidents serve the students

If you want to take an additional step, invite students to a free late night, say midnight, coffee and cookies/pastry/ice cream…..event the night before the first final exams. The president should be there to help hand out the coffee and food. Little says we like you to students than free food handed to them by the president.


You may not get every student that night but the word will spread and you might get to them all over a period of nights. And do not be afraid to say Good luck and looking forward to welcoming you back next semester/term. If a student does not respond with “Yuh.. See you then,” that is a student who may be thinking or even planning to leave. This is the time for the president to ask if there is a problem. Listen to it. Try to solce the situation. At least get some response to that student ASAP.


Immediate help

If the issue is a problem in a class, have some faculty tutors around that night who can help the student right then and there. After all, though poor grades is not the major reason why students leave if they fail courses, they may have to drop. Besides our goal is knowledge and skills through learning even on the night before finals.


This will not save every student who might be tottering, but students will find these such positive statements they will tilt be some students into the positive zone. And that can help tilt revenue into a more positive zone too.


If there are any particular issues you are facing, please call me. I will be pleased to give you a solution to the issue or refer you to someone who can. I recall well the anxiety of this time of year, so if I can help anyone, feel free. 413.219.6939 nealr@greatservicematters.com.

Thursday, November 02, 2006

Give a Name-Get a Name - A Core Issue for Success

Last week I did a workshop at the ECPI Technical College group’s conference. To their great credit ECPI, a 14 campus group of career colleges in Virginia and the Carolinas was focusing on increasing student learning – a topic most every school should be looking at. They had read my article Learn and Earn; not Churn and Burn and my book Embrace the Oxymoron. So they asked me to address the conference. I was providing information on the value of customer service in the teaching/learning process and how it adds to student accomplishment, the enjoyment of teaching, as well as the school’s retention and thus revenue.

One of the techniques I was teaching is called “Give a name; Get a name." This is a technique that should be used in all customer service situations. It is especially useful when confronting an angry student or client. Give a name-Get a name is just what is says. The service provider creates a “community of two” by entering the interaction by giving his or her first name to the student. The surname name can be given but only as a reinforcement of the first name. And after a pause so the first name takes precedence and primacy in the listener's mind.
Last names are for business interactions or to place yourself in a power relationship to the student. Like what we do in classrooms. "Refer to me as Mr. or Dr. Somebody while I demean you by using only your diminutive first name."

“Hi. I’m Neal.............. Neal Raisman. VP of Somethingorother.”
Then the person asks for the student’s name

“And you are….?”

If the student is angry he or she will often respond with “Pissed off.

"Okay, Pissed. What can I help you solve?” (More on why this response in another blog but need to stay on topic here.)

Once first names have been exchanged, a small, maybe tentative, yet real community of two is formed. If nothing else, it is much more difficult for an angry student to retain a full level of anger when you have exchanged first names. You are no longer just a nameless representative of the anonymous school. The YOU or U, if you will. You are a person with a name a first name. You could even be a friend when I have your first name. The exchange of first names is the initial step in creating a friendly relationship. Just picture a bar or social gathering where you wish to get to know someone. What do you do after checking your breath as you walk over to the person? "Hi, my name is ......"

It is much harder to be angry with a real person with a name than an entity, a thing that has no feelings to hurt and no heart to break. So, giving and getting a name can defuse anger and allow you to provide better customer service, actually solve a problem and not get yelled at and insulted as the nameless representative of the school.

I knew that this worked with people but I found out from a faculty member at one of the ECPI branches that it also works with machines! Check out the posting “Freddy is Having a Bad Day.”

Community-cating With Angry Students - A Technique

Last week I did a workshop at the ECPI Technical College group’s conference. To their great credit ECPI, a 14 campus group of career colleges in Virginia and the Carolinas was focusing on increasing student learning – a topic most every school should be looking at. They had read my article Learn and Earn; not Churn and Burn and Embrace the Oxymoron. So they asked me to address the conference. I was providing information on the value of customer service in the teaching/learning process and how it adds to student accomplishment, the increased enjoyment of teaching, as well as the school’s retention and thus revenue.

One of the techniques I was teaching is called “Give a name; Get a name." This is a technique that should always be used and is especially useful when confronting an angry student or client. It is just what is says. The service provider creates a “community of two” by entering the interaction by giving his or her first name to the student. The second name can be given but only after a solid pause to provide the first name precedence and primacy in the strudent's mind. The second can then be used as a reinforcement to the first name.

“Hi. I’m Neal............ (PAUSE) Neal Raisman. VP of Somethingorother.”
Then the person asks for the student’s name

“And you are….?”

If the student is angry he or she will often respond with “Pissed off."

"Okay Pissed What can I help you solve?” (More on why this response in another blog but need to stay on topic here.)

Once first names have been exchanged, a small, maybe tentative, but real community of two is formed. If nothing else, it is much more difficult for an angry student to retain the full level of anger when you have exchanged first names. You are no longer just a nameless representative of the anonymous school. The YOU or U, if you will. You are a person with a name who could be a friend. Think about it. The first step in forming a relationship is almost always the first name exchage. Picture a bar, a party or any social occassion. There is someone you wish to meet. You check your breath to see if you need a mint. Walk over and introduce yorself by starting with your first name. Not the last unless you wish to create some formal distance like in a business relationship. And here, with students, the goal is a freindly, more social interaction.

It is much harder to be angry with a real person with a name than an entity, a thing that has no feelings to hurt and no heart to break. So, giving and getting a name can defuse anger and allow you to provide better customer service, actually solve a problem and not get yelled at and inslated as the representative of the school.

I knew that this worked with people but I found out from a faculty member at one of the ECPI branches that it also works with machines! Check out the posting “Howie is Having a Bad Day.”