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The Guarantor of Choice SM |
Creating Consistency in Educational Finance: A Training Curriculum
Module 3: Campus Administrators
Customer service skills
- Keys to customer service
- Customer service is good business
- Practicing proper telephone etiquette
- Exercising effective listening skills
- Learning how to properly ask questions
Campus administrators who practice good customer service skills will be increasingly successful in reaching out to college students and having an impact on how well students learn to manage their educational debts. Students come into contact with various offices on campus every day, giving campus administrators an opportunity to exchange information about proper debt management. If customer service skills are applied correctly, campus administrators can have a significant impact on students' understanding of their debt obligations. Whether communicating in-person or by telephone, it is important to be mindful of the manner in which administrators communicate with students.
The following are key principles that campus administrators can employ when communicating with students. Applying these techniques in all communications with the student can facilitate meaningful conversations with the student regarding his or her educational debts.
Keys to customer service
- Go above and beyond as an advocate for each student. If you do not know the answer to a question, find someone else who can help.
- Listen actively and empathize with genuine concern. Discussing financial matters can be difficult for many students, therefore avoid embarrassing or scolding students for bad decisions.
- Deliver accurate and complete information. If you are not directly involved with student financial aid, take the initiative to learn more about the services offered so that you, too, can help students with good information.
- Maintain a positive, service-oriented attitude. The student should never be an inconvenience. Students should be treated with respect and taken seriously.
- Serve with a unified voice. Be a team player and refrain from blaming others on campus for misinformation.
Customer service is good business
Numerous resources on customer service exist for businesses and corporations. And keeping college students satisfied with services at the institution is just as important as providing good customer service in a business. Many of the customer service principles in business are applicable to institutions of higher education. Without students, campuses would not exist. Furthermore, students unhappy with a campus environment can have a significant impact on enrollment, retention, and graduation rates. In turn, this can mean fewer students on campus, which translates into less revenue for the institution. Taking it even further, fewer students graduating means fewer alumni contributions to the institution. Therefore, it is important for campus administrators to treat students with courtesy and respect in all communications.
Practicing proper telephone etiquette
Communicating with students over the telephone is not always easy. Several techniques that should be followed when communicating with students over the telephone include the following:
- Avoid background noise, including radios, newspapers and other distractions.
- Speak warmly and with a pleasant tone.
- Be sure not to use jargon, interoffice codes, and abbreviations when speaking with the student. A good rule to follow is that if someone you know outside the office wouldn't understand it, don't use it with a student.
- Always be sure to ask the student if it's alright to place him or her on hold, and don't leave the student on hold for an extended period of time. Be sure to check back and provide a progress report every 30-40 seconds.
- When transferring a student, explain the reason for the transfer and let them know who you will be transferring them to. Make sure you know the transfer instructions for the telephone system you are using so you don't disconnect the student.
- Keep your voicemail message professional and up-to-date. A student may call during hours you are not in the office. Your outgoing message should provide the student with pertinent information before he or she is prompted to leave a message.
- Be patient, stay cool and collected under pressure, or when facing an irate student. Your ability to stay calm reflects positively on the institution.
- When receiving calls for someone else who isn't available, be sure to offer assistance. However, avoid making commitments for others. Say, "I'll give him your message when he returns," rather than, "He will call you as soon as he returns."
- Take accurate and detailed messages. Be sure they are legible and include the date, time, and the best time to reach the student.
- When documenting information, be sure to obtain the correct information from the student. This includes the caller's name and spelling. Also be sure to repeat the information you are receiving back to the student to assure accuracy.
Exercising effective listening skills
Developing effective listening skills helps you be more productive and efficient. It shows students that you are serious about helping them, and it fulfills their need to be heard. Additional tips for effective listening are provided below:
- Try not to formulate questions or remarks while listening to a student, as this will distract you.
- Be sure to listen to what the student is saying, rather than listening for what you want to hear.
- Try to think like the student. His/her needs are important. Limit your own talking and concentrate on what he or she is saying.
- Don't interrupt, and do take notes during the conversation. This will help you remember important points.
- Ask the student questions if you feel you have missed important information. Be sure to react to ideas, rather than to the person you are speaking with. Ask focusing questions.
- Recognize when you are not using effective listening skills. For example, you may find yourself doing unrelated projects while talking to a student, making assumptions about the problem, and tuning out, or daydreaming while he or she is speaking.
Learning how to properly ask questions
In some cases, the student may not know how exactly to ask a question. Always keep this in mind, and help the student ask what he or she really wants to know by using the following probing techniques:
- Use both open- and closed-ended questions. Open-ended questions usually start with words like how or what. They are used to get a person to give more information.
- Avoid using questions that start with why because it may put the student on the defensive.
- Closed-ended questions can be answered with yes, no, or a short answer. They are used to get specific information and often start with words such as when.
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