Conversely, what is lesser-known is what the CX holistically looks like for higher education administrators to understand where to improve the experience strategically. For this reason, having a comprehensive understanding of the voice of the customer (VOC) is paramount as it provides invaluable insights into their needs and satisfaction with any part of the product, which could include course design, curriculum, textbooks, faculty, technology, etc. There are various ways to capture VOC, and most likely, colleges and universities have tons of student data on hand. The problem usually is that they are data-rich and information-poor. To deeply understand the VOC is to deeply dig into the data and interpret it correctly while understanding its narrative. In other words, data analysis, in this case, is more than just quantitative. It is also qualitative and intuitive. It is asking the right questions at the right time and ensuring action is getting taken as a direct result of the VOC data.
How your university can transform its CX
- First, caucus your talented faculty and staff for data heroes and form a cross-functional customer experience team.
- Use the rich data you have already to create an informed picture of the university’s performance regarding student satisfaction metrics.
- Then conduct pilot projects in the form of engagement surveys related to the student (customer) experience.
- Be transparent about the results of listening to the students and delivering satisfaction.
Ultimately, institutions should find ways to ensure their students are successful, satisfied, and keep coming back for their higher education needs for life. The most important thing to remember in creating a good customer experience for your students is that their journey begins as soon as you attract their attention as a possible learning partner for life. By creating a student-first environment and involving them in the journey by asking the right questions at the right time about their experience may prove fruitful. Making improvements based on their feedback will likely lead to increased customer satisfaction and happy students that recommend their university to friends, family, and colleagues.
This was an opinion piece published by Future Talent Council Member Christina Dumeng.
