Focusing on Customer Service: Higher Education and the “Degree Mill” Debate

By Becky Takeda-Tinker - EvoLLLution. 1. Why is the customer service mentality important for today’s higher education leaders?
We see customer service as key … for student engagement, retention and completion leading to graduation. Regarding engagement, we see today that higher education enrolment is down across the nation. We know from the Gallup poll from the summer of 2013 that 50 percent of Americans did not believe college was worth the investment [according to USAToday]. … With the slower [enrollment] growth and increased skepticism regarding the value of higher education, we really believe institutions need to do more to attract and retain students. On the flip side, we’re seeing an increase in non-degree education and, so, we also see that with increased customer service, you can meet the needs of potential customers that can provide institutions with new students they may not otherwise be able to attain. More...