Focusing on Student Success: A Conversation about Quality

1. Focusing on Student Success: A Conversation about Quality August 21, 2012 Southern Utah University Charles Schroeder Consultant

2. Presentation overview • Why quality service… Why now? Changes and challenges facing Southern Utah University (SUU). • Responding to our imperative: Creating a culture of quality and service excellence throughout the University • Exploring and defining service excellence. • Next steps

3. Some observations on quality service in higher education • Colleges and universities have traditionally not been very “student-centered”. • Colleges and universities tend to be inflexible and bureaucratic with a “silo” service system mentality. • Staff are the “backbone” of the institution and they often have more interaction with students than any one else on campus; hence, staff make a tremendous difference in the quality of interactions with students.

4. Challenges facing Southern Utah U. • Shifting economic agendas…scarce resources • Affordability and loan indebtedness • Need to reduce costs, increase net revenues, root out waste and become more efficient and effective • Unacceptable retention, time to degree and grad rates • Accountability: “ Utah`s Mission Based Funding” • Specialization, fragmentation, compartmentalization • Higher expectations for comprehensive quality service …pay more, expect more.

5. Exploring Quality Service: The good, the bad and the ugly… • Delta airlines • Residence Life “Guarantee” • The “ultimate burger” How did these “service providers” behave? If you were their customer, how would you feel?

6. Service Excellence: Nurturing & sustaining a supportive environment Service excellence can best be described as a measure of how consistently a service is delivered when matched with students` and other stakeholder's expectations. It is “student-centered” and continually communicates that “You matter to us”.

7. Our Aim: Student –Centered Systems “High friendliness” systems never subordinate student convenience and needs in favor of the convenience and needs of the people who work within the system or the institution itself.

8. High Friendliness ? “What part of NO don't you understand?” Sign posted in a college's financial aid office.

9. High Friendliness? Financial Aid Office Closed to Students Monday-Wednesday-Friday 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.

10. Nurturing ? Sign in College Library “To err is human, to forgive is not library policy”

11. Student-Centered? All faculty and staff may move directly to the front of the line. Sign at a college cafeteria

12. Where's the mercy??? Sign on the wall of a Baltimore Church: “Trespassers will be prosecuted to the full extent of the law.” Signed, The Sisters of Mercy

13. Magic Touch Service Legends • Miss Rita… Wofford College • Sandy …Admin. Asst. University of Missouri • T Lady…Mercer University • Vickie…American Airlines

14. The Magic Touch (What Really Counts With Students) • Personalized attention –being treated like an individual with very personal needs and a unique situation. • Positive behavior –respect, consideration, concern, appreciation …in general, some “TLC”. • Being understood –their feelings, their point of view, and the facts in the situation. • Helpfulness –results!

15. Service excellence is first and foremost about …. VALUES !!! • Caring • Stewardship • Learning • Continuous improvement • Responsibility and accountability • And…shifting the paradigm You gotta believe

16. The Student-Centered Philosophy. Do you believe….. • Because SUU students have a need, we have a job. • Because SUU students have a choice, we must be the best option. • Because SUU students care, we must be considerate. • Because we value SUU student's time, we must be quick. • Because SUU students are unique, we must be flexible. • Because SUU students have high expectations, we must excel. • Because SUU students have influence, we have the hope of more students. • Because of SUU students, we exist.

17. Critical components of service excellence • Student-centered service excellence philosophy ALIGNED with a • Student-centered service excellence pledge Question: What`s it like to get a drivers` license?

18. A Sample Service Strategy Service to our students and other customers will be fast, friendly, simple , effective and flexible. If SUU adopted this strategy, how would it affect the way you and other units would interact with students, faculty and other customers?

19. Benefits of a “service pledge” • The pledge serves as a clear aim that focuses our efforts on what matters in every transaction … fast, friendly, etc. • The pledge demonstrates our commitment to one another and our customers. • The pledge provides common ground for teamwork and “collective effort”. • The pledge provides the platform for continuous improvement based upon clear and measurable service standards.

20. The Power of One … Quality Service Starts with You! • Quality service is a “front of the bus “ activity ! • If not you, who?

21. Appendix : Helpful resources • Key assumptions, perspectives and opportunities for enhancing service excellence at Southern Utah University.

22. Do you believe that the student is... … the most important person on the campus. Without students, there would be no need for the University. … not a cold enrollment statistic but a flesh and blood human being with feelings and emotions like our own. … not someone to be tolerated so that we can do our thing. Students are our thing. … not dependent on us. Rather, we are dependent on them. … not an interruption of our work, but the purpose of it. We are not doing them a favor by serving them. They are doing us a favor by giving us the opportunity to do so.

23. You Can Be A Service Champion by: • Being student-centered all of the time • Being positive and enthusiastic • Giving students your undivided attention • Explaining policies and procedures • Suggesting ways to make the system more student-friendly • Solving problems quickly and fairly • Adopting a “whatever it takes” attitude • Showing you care • The “Golden Rule of Service”---Treating everyone as you would like to be treated!

24. How do you and your unit….. • View SUU students, as well as other internal and external customers, and their needs? • Feel empowered to make changes that will improve the quality of SUU students` experience? If not, why not? • Characterized by respect for one another, teamwork and shared responsibility for student success? • Know if you are making a difference and enough of a difference? • Exhibit an unwavering commitment to continuous improvement?

25. Holds on accounts Course availability Campus runaround Residence hall maintenance Quality of the food Financial aid disbursements Telephone system Registration issues Parking problems Security and safety Too much standing in line (i.e. Bookstore; Registrar) Variability in advising Poor communication and ineffective handoffs Targets of opportunity: Typical dysfunctional system practices

26. Elements of Quality Service • Knowing what students (and other customers) want. • Exceeding students` expectations. • Ensuring student satisfaction wherever / whenever possible. • Attention to detail. • Absence of frustration. • Getting it right the first time. • Service-oriented attitude on the part of the person providing the service.

27. Key indicators of a service culture In a service culture, members share the philosophy that serving both external and internal customers is of prime importance. A campus with a service culture strives for outstanding service and uses that outstanding service as a method of achieving success. Most importantly, quality service is a shared, collective responsibility!

28. Key indicators of service excellence: • People take responsibility • There are few barriers to communication and action • People are responsive to the needs of internal and external customers • Front-line staff frequently ask if they can be of service • People smile and look like they enjoy their work • People continuously look for ways to improve • Staff feel empowered to act

29. Key indicators of service excellence: • People receive positive feedback from colleagues • Customers are pleased after their interaction with staff • Administrators help staff work to improve service • Everyone works to identify and prevent problems • People work to develop customer-oriented systems, policies, and procedures • Staff anticipate the needs of their internal and external customers.

30. You Can Be A Service Champion by: • Being student-centered all of the time • Being positive and enthusiastic • Giving students your undivided attention • Explaining policies and procedures • Suggesting ways to make the system more student-friendly • Solving problems quickly and fairly • Adopting a “whatever it takes” attitude • Showing you care • The “Golden Rule of Service”---Treating everyone as you would like to be treated!

31. Presenter's contact information Charles C. Schroeder 706-216-7457 charles-schroeder@noellevitz.com