Understanding College Student Satisfaction*

Oct 15

posted by Dr. Suri Weisfeld-Spolter in Consumer Behavior | 28 Comments

Colleges and universities are facing greater competition for students and other resources from a variety of areas, and one of the responses to this increased competition has been a greater appreciation of marketing concepts by colleges and universities, with a special focus on customer satisfaction. Many of us are familiar with some of the benefits of satisfied customers, including repeat purchases, higher spending, positive word of mouth and customer loyalty.  Similarly, in the educational setting, satisfied students should be more likely to remain at the institution and help increase retention rates and may also equate to students being more inspired and motivated to more actively participate in the educational process. While there has been some debate as to whether students are in fact the customers of higher education, given that students make a variety of consumerist decisions in the higher education setting, researchers have generally concluded that students are in fact customers. Students also often perceive themselves as ‘customers’ of higher education, and in marketing, we know that perception is reality. Assuming that students are in fact customers of higher education, it is important to better understand their role in the university setting and examine how this affects their overall satisfaction. We will do this by extending key service and marketing concepts that relate to regular customer satisfaction in a retail or service purchase and apply them to the higher education context.

It has been suggested that in higher education, students’ active participation is required for success. Meaning, it is not enough for them to simply ‘show up to class.’  In the retail and service environment, the result of co-participation of the customer and organization in the production process is referred to as co-production.   In a college setting, co-production occurs when students become partners in the educational experience. They may participate in a variety of areas including curriculum development, teaching a class, conducting research with a professor or mentoring other students.  Co-producing activities often lead to feelings of involvement, which is usually a good thing in marketing.  On the other hand, students' active roles in the educational process can also lead some students to feelings of entitlement, leading some students to expect special treatment, and think that they are special and deserve certain things.  Many a professor, including the author of this blog can provide tales of student’s requesting higher grades because of the time and effort they have put in or because of the consequences of lower grades.  If we view today’s college students as customers that are co-producing in the education process, it is reasonable to expect that this may result in feelings of entitlement which in turn, may affect their satisfaction. 

Understanding the relationship between co-production, entitlement, and satisfaction can help to provide guidance to relevant college and university stakeholders. For example, many colleges and universities currently offer new student orientation programs.  Care should be taken to make sure that the orientation programs place emphasis on the student’s role in the co-production process and sets clear expectations.  Colleges and universities should also offer training to those individuals participating in the educational process (i.e., instructors, support staff) to better understand the role of the student.

What do you think? Does the link between co-production, entitlement and satisfaction seem reasonable?  What other factors could affect student satisfaction?  Is student entitlement a good thing or bad thing? How do you feel about students co-producing?  What else can colleges and universities do to facilitate customer satisfaction in a way that preserves the integrity of the institution?

*This blog is based on a doctoral dissertation by Deborah Sisson entitled ‘Role of student entitlement and co-production on satisfaction.’ Her committee consists of Dr. Suri Weisfeld-Spolter (chair), Dr. John Riggs (reader) and Dr. Yuliya Yurova (methodologist).

Student Satisfaction Survey (Developed by Clayton State University).

Sara Weisfeld-Spolter, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Marketing, H. Wayne Huizenga College of Business and Entrepreneurship, Nova Southeastern University. Dr. Weisfield-Spolter can be reached at sw887@nova.edu; http://www.business.nova.edu/faculty.cfm/sw887

This entry was posted on October 15, 2015 at 10:02 AM and has received 9181 views. There are currently 28 comments. Print this entry. Download attachment.

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• #1 by Ashley Nichols on 10/15/15 - 12:23 PM

  

  I think that student entitlement is an awful thing. When it comes to education I've always been taught that you get out of it what you put in. Professors don't "give" you grades you earn them. The idea that just because you pay for your education you should pass...that's ridiculous. Co-producing, on the other hand, is genius. This gives students the satisfaction they're looking for on an educational and personal level. Being actively involved in anything gives people purpose and probably makes them more likely to strive to do better. One thing universities can do to improve satisfaction is something that used to be a commodity: set students up with jobs for after they graduate, or put more effort into doing so. One of students biggest fears is that they'll graduate and have nowhere to go. Even just putting in the effort to help students locate and secure a job would improve satisfaction dramatically.

• #2 by Sami Sheikh on 10/15/15 - 2:26 PM

  

  Great read! Looking forward to more posts!

• #3 by Morayma on 10/15/15 - 2:47 PM

  

  This is very interesting, but also sooooo true. Colleges and universities have become so competitive that it's very important to market them to attract students. Also, to make sure that you are attracting the right ones that will make the institution enhance and proud to have them.

• #4 by Jon Salazar on 10/15/15 - 3:18 PM

  

  I really like this concept of coproduction. I see that one of the challenges for this campus is to get students involved in the first place. Perhaps, making these ideas of coproduction more available and visible to the students will greater increase our retention and standing with students/customers.

• #5 by Ashley Allahand on 10/15/15 - 3:36 PM

  

  This article was really informative! I never really viewed students as customers to colleges and universities. I never really considered students 'customers' of higher education, but when put in perspective and thought about it makes complete sense. I think Nova really aids students in the overall process and life of college careers. I had issues with financial aid and classes available and Nova's financial aid department and advising office was fast and got the situation taken care of. They adhere to the needs of students and provide great overall satisfaction.

• #6 by Cindy on 10/15/15 - 4:20 PM

  

  I like the idea of co-producing in the classroom. As a professor, sometimes I feel like my students are not as engaged in the process as I am.

• #7 by Roger Rodriguez on 10/15/15 - 5:49 PM

  

  Looking at students as customers is a great way to help retaining efforts. Realistically, students are paying customers and should be satisfied, within limits, and be heard when a problem arises. The new student orientation programs are a great idea and are only going to be as good as the people behind them. Meaning that the students, faculty or staff that are running the programs, they should be as informed about the university as possible. They are essentially the salesperson and their job is to sale the new students on the their product (the university) and all the extra amenities they will have at their disposal so they could be loyal customer and stick with the university from undergraduate to graduate school. In theory, it is a great is idea to co-produce so by starting the selling process early, it should be easier to have them stay to further their education in-house.

• #8 by Zuleika El Hage on 10/15/15 - 9:25 PM

  

  Wow, this is a great blog! I agree that students are customers, and should be treated as such. In my experience at NSU, there have been times where co-production increased my satisfaction. I believe co-producing is something every student should at least try out. Something that could also increase satisfaction is fun activities; they make the students feel valued. Like we are worth NSU spending money to bring over food trucks, or a masseuse when there are midterms etc. This increases satisfaction, and over time increases performance. I believe student entitlement can be a good thing. Of course too much of anything can be bad.

• #9 by Estee Tilis on 10/16/15 - 8:10 AM

  

  What an interesting blog! I never really thought of students as customers or consumers, but indeed they are and their satisfaction is extremely important for many reasons. The more satisfied they are, the more likely they will remain at the same college or university to continue their education and earn higher degrees, which benefits both the student, the institution and hopefully, the economy. I also completely agree that students’ active participation is integral for success and like the idea of co-production.

• #10 by Katey CoDyre on 10/16/15 - 9:14 AM

  

  I really like the concept of treating students as "customers". Then again I may be biased because as a student, "the customer is always right" sounds like an easy way to pass a class.
  The entitlement issue you discussed is absolutely an issue in today's education system. However I do not think that's the fault of the faculty for having more interaction with their students, but rather the immaturity of the students expecting special treatment everywhere they go. Rather than accepting the treatment as actually being "special". Perhaps we should bring back grade 13, or simply let students who feel entitled to learn lessons "the hard way" (within reason). But we should definitely continue to give students the opportunity to gain higher satisfaction through interaction and involvement. It is the responsibility of teachers to provide students with the most effective learning environment, and it is the responsibility of students to be respectful and appreciative of higher education.

• #11 by Weldy Lopez on 10/16/15 - 8:45 PM

  

  The loink between co-production, entitlement, and satisfaction are reasonable. It is a good way of measuring consumer satisfaction. More so, from a "education consumer perspective" I get the most satisfaction from bieng in a class that is highly involved, with professors who find a fun way to make the class enter intellectual debates on subjects. Not only is it satisfying in learning others perspective, but it makes me feel like I am getting full value from class rooms of that style. Further more, another good way to reach out to consumers might be to highlight areas in wihich the sñecific school specializes in networking and connecting students to future enployess, as it is such a big worry for current students who went through the current "great recession".

• #12 by Narissa Eve on 10/16/15 - 9:34 PM

  

  Loved the article. It is so true and important for universities to satisfy their customers (students), especially with the amount of competition. I think some universities and in some cases, professors overlook it. It is also important for professors to be knowledgeable and engaging. I think that the more a student participates the more interest he/she gains.

• #13 by Robert E on 10/17/15 - 12:05 AM

  

  I think that there is a link between co-production ans satifaction that leads one (student) to feel a sense of entitlement to receiving a better grade. I think this is an exception to the rule where a student should earn what he/she receives. Maybe an alternative would be allowing extra credit but not a handout. Students deserved to be respected as humans that are in pursuit of fulfiilng their dream and should get good instructions from the professors and not be pushed aside like they are an inconvenience. this was an interesting read.

• #14 by Jeevana Pakanati on 10/18/15 - 12:40 PM

  

  I agree with everything written in this blog. It is so true that colleges only keep getting harder, especially medical school. First off, with the MCAT format changing so it is a harder test to prepare for. Students need more selling points from medical schools and hospitals that going into medicine is worth it, and going to a specific school will make their experience better than going to another school. Education is changing and students are evolving accordingly.

• #15 by Blake Singleton on 10/18/15 - 5:47 PM

  

  Great topic! I feel like all schools should treat their students as customers.

• #16 by derick on 10/18/15 - 7:23 PM

  

  Interesting article. I don't think people normally perceive educational institutions as a brand or company. But just as stores, and brand name products, universities have to produce sales for the service their giving. Universities focusing on how to attract future students (consumers) and bringing value to them will ultimately help them become successful universities. I think co-producing is great for both the university and the student. Co-producing allows students to get the most they can out of their education experience by learning more than what books can teach and forming everlasting relationships.

• #17 by Sanjay Arikupurathu on 10/18/15 - 7:48 PM

  

  This was a great read professor! For me, this put a new spin on the relationship between a student and the university. I thought it was interesting to think of the student as a customer, especially in terms of success by coproduction. By using tips for a customer and business, the student-university relationship can grow immensely, with both sides benefiting.

• #18 by Mariely Acevedo on 10/18/15 - 10:56 PM

  

  What do you think? Does the link between co-production, entitlement and satisfaction seem reasonable? What other factors could affect student satisfaction? Is student entitlement a good thing or bad thing? How do you feel about students co-producing? What else can colleges and universities do to facilitate customer satisfaction in a way that preserves the integrity of the institution?
  The link between co-production, entitlement, and satisfaction does seem reasonable, in my opinion. It's logically that students who are given the opportunity to assist in such programs feel that they should receive special treatment given they've put more time and effort into giving to the University than other students have. When a student’s grades begin to get affected by the extra-curricular activities they are performing, someone should remind them of the fact that they need to learn how to maintain a balance between the activities their doing and their academics. If a student is being overwhelmed by an activity they should inform someone, someone should be monitoring their performance or at least asking them constantly how things are coming along for them. It’s just like a customer, when you call them back to see if they’re satisfied with a product or service, you’re following up to assure that they still love what they got; that makes them feel important and appreciated. A factor that will always affect a student’s satisfaction is tuition and whether or not they’re receiving their money’s worth. I would say that student entitlement is a bad thing, student’s should feel honor to be participating in such things as mentoring and teaching a class; they should do it for fulfillment and satisfaction for one’s self, not to help them receive a better grade or special treatment. I believe co-producing sounds beneficial, especially for students who enjoy teaching others or helping others learn. I believe that by involving students in more activities and hosting more events as a University (even if it’s just for awareness or fun) it allows students to feel more relaxed and a part of something unity.

• #19 by Sarah Shareef on 10/18/15 - 11:49 PM

  

  This is an interesting read that puts school in a business perspective! It makes a lot sense to think of the student as the customer at the institution of school that is trying to sell its brand. And co-production helps the customer, or student in this case, get the most out of what they paid for.

• #20 by Regina Gonzalez on 10/19/15 - 9:29 AM

  

  I think it's an undeniable truth that students are considered customers when it comes to higher education. The cost of a graduate degree and furthering your education is high and a huge investment. I don't think students should co-produce, but I think their feedback on a class and what they would like to see more of should be taken into account. The university should have its own curriculum in place, but at the same time be open to change based on student's suggestions. If higher education were free then I can understand not having any say at all, because you are not paying for it. Once you make a payment transaction there is a sense of ownership and the thought process of "is it worth it?" So if universities want to maintain their competitive edge, besides going with the social media marketing trends, they need to accept the fact that happy students make great referrals and make the university money.

• #21 by Dr. Suri Weisfeld-Spolter on 10/20/15 - 9:00 PM

  

  Thank you all for your sharing your thoughts on this topic. I am glad that it generated so much discussion and that both students and faculty were able to relate to the content and offer insightful comments. The main purpose of the blog was to extend key service and marketing concepts to the higher education context to help in understanding student customer satisfaction. Based on the comments, it seems that there is agreement that more emphasis should be placed on helping students understand their role in the educational process, and that more co-producing opportunities should be made available to them. Also, since students are a vital part of the production process, they must be “trained” to be good co-producers. It is important that both educators and students understand the role that entitlement plays in this process as well. Stay tuned for future blogs on other issues that can affect student satisfaction and entitlement.

• #22 by Luis Noguera on 11/2/15 - 8:17 PM

  

  Great articule Prof. Suri Weisfeld-Spolter, I am familiar with the vision of seeing students as customers in high education. In fact, I wrote an article for my business writing class about how the infrastructure (buildings, classrooms, library, cafeteria) influence prospect students to apply to an university.
  
  I agree, students may feel different by being constantly involved in the university, and colleges should require or give incentive students to participate in different activities not only showing up for classes. I am sure this would benefit both parties, by giving students more satisfaction and creating a better environment for the school.

• #23 by Aj Franklin on 11/5/15 - 11:44 AM

  

  Great article about student satisfaction. I think that if a institution is student centered then less students would contribute to a schools retention rate. Often times schools lose focus on whats most important which is the students. Without them, the school would be nothing. When it comes to the portion of students asking for higher grades at the end of the semester is all on the student part of "co-producing." Yes you pay for the class, but doesn't mean that you ca pay for a grade. Students need institutions and institutions need students. Satisfaction comes from hard work; you get out what you put in. This concept applies to both students and institutions.

• #24 by Max Feige on 11/8/15 - 5:00 PM

  

  I do think that students are entitled to what they pay for. Students need to put in the work but we are not there for the teachers and professors need to accept that they are there for us. Co-producing is a good concept but again, it is the Professor's duty to teach the class and provide structure not the students.

• #25 by Julie Vinci on 11/13/15 - 10:54 AM

  

  Dr. Weisfeld-Spolter thank you for this interesting post which allows us to think about student and university roles in a new way!
  As an Academic Advisor here at HCBE and student in the Family Therapy doctoral program, I feel that my most satisfied students are invited to engage with our college as often as possible, whether it is co-producing a part of a class, participating in the GBSA and other organizations related to his or her program of study, and remaining connected with me after graduation. My students visit me for everything related to their degree program planning and maintaining academic, personal and social life balance. They feel part of the NSU family and are able to share their career successes with me. I don't believe that my most satisfied students feel entitled, but they they are grateful to have had an amazing NSU experience, excellent professors who care about their academic successes and are gainfully employed in their area of interest post graduation. I do agree with other contributors, that the students who put the most effort into their studies, networking, and maintaining balance, get the most out of their experience and are very satisfied.

• #26 by Lance Singleton on 11/25/15 - 8:32 AM

  

  Should we think of colleges as a business? I personally don't like to think of college as a business because the relationship is much stronger than a business to customer relation in my opinion. Think of how a non-profit organization relates to their clients. Usually it's based more on helping their client reach a common goal in a more intimate relationship, which is the relationship I think colleges should have to their students.

• #27 by Beshoy Abdalla on 1/15/16 - 11:34 PM

  

  One thing that caught my attention is that you presented both the positive and negative consequences of co-production but one thing that I, as a student at a university, is that co-production depends on its perception of why it occurs. To clarify, when students willingly become partners in their educational experience, then it could very well be a good thing due to the feeling of involvement. However, more commonly, the University requires/ forces the students to become partners in their educational experience which may be counter intuitive and cause resentment. One way that schools avoid this forced feeling is where they don't require it but due to the competiveness of the environment students are required to partake in these activities in order to proceed and succeed in their educational careers.
  An additional factor is that since co-production has become normality, as a student, the involvement of other students in my education may also cause dissatisfaction. For example, sometimes students are paired with other students for an assignment where one of the partners in the group fails to participate and is carried by the rest of their group. Additionally, when students participate in others education by working as a Lab/teachers assistant, those who work these positions are more likely to answer questions incorrectly and lead the students in the wrong direction. When this happens, the co-production of other students may affect someone else's satisfaction. These are the two points that came to my mind when reading this post. Do you believe that these two issues may affect a student's satisfaction with their higher education? Are there other effects of co-production not listed, and what are they?

• #28 by Mario EM on 7/22/16 - 4:38 AM

  

  I think that student entitlement is an awful thing. When it comes to education I've always been taught that you get out of it what you put in. Professors don't "give" you grades you earn them. The idea that just because you pay for your education you should pass...that's ridiculous. Co-producing, on the other hand, is genius. This gives students the satisfaction they're looking for on an educational and personal level. Being actively involved in anything gives people purpose and probably makes them more likely to strive to do better. One thing universities can do to improve satisfaction is something that used to be a commodity: set students up with jobs for after they graduate, or put more effort into doing so. One of students biggest fears is that they'll graduate and have nowhere to go. Even just putting in the effort to help students locate and secure a job would improve satisfaction dramatically.