The Net Generation as Consumers
The Net Generation expects good customer service. To many in higher education, using the term customer or consumer in the same sentence as student is akin to blasphemy (Wagner, 2005). Even though universities rely heavily on customer service and how the consumer views the product, they would never refer to the concepts in those terms. Instead universities prefer the term Student Satisfaction. Students today expect the level of customer service from their respective universities to be similar to the customer service provided on the Web, fast and knowledgeable. Historical practices within advising services have little place in a technologically driven, customer service oriented environment in which face to face services may be replaced with computer screens and voice mail (Junco, & Cotton, 2011). The contemporary delivery of student services should be less restrained by office hours and staff availability. Technological and consumer influenced changes call for modification in both the forms and functions of student services delivery.
Unfortunately, most higher education institutions are lagging behind in regard to their use of technology and social media, making the process for some services slow and outdated (Wagner, 2005). Students are required to make face to face advising appointments for even the smallest of questions, and are asked to snail mail in official copies of information. As the student population grows, the number of advisors typically does not grow consistently as resources continue to shrink. If we factor in other problems such as student work schedules, limited advisor appointment availability, and the value students place on the need for individual advising, today’s student service providers are challenged to reach out to students through the virtual world in which they spend so much time (Multari, 2010).
Unfortunately, most higher education institutions are lagging behind in regard to their use of technology and social media, making the process for some services slow and outdated (Wagner, 2005). Students are required to make face to face advising appointments for even the smallest of questions, and are asked to snail mail in official copies of information. As the student population grows, the number of advisors typically does not grow consistently as resources continue to shrink. If we factor in other problems such as student work schedules, limited advisor appointment availability, and the value students place on the need for individual advising, today’s student service providers are challenged to reach out to students through the virtual world in which they spend so much time (Multari, 2010).