How do you define great service? Expectations of what defines great service have evolved over time, reflecting changes in the marketplace, advancements in technology, and new ways of delivering service. Consumers are used to demanding high quality service in many aspects of their lives, and graduate education is no longer immune from those demands. Graduate students are more focused than ever on ensuring their graduate education helps them reach their academic and professional goals, and rely on the work of higher education professionals to help them navigate the process. As Graduate Admissions professionals, providing great service to our students is more important than ever, not only in how we deal with them personally, but also guiding them through the process of becoming a student in our institution. This session will focus on providing examples of strategies that have been utilized to offer great service using technology, quality service techniques and a common sense approach. Presented by Brett DiMarzo from Suffolk University in Boston, MA.

1. Graduate Student Service in
the Modern World
Brett DiMarzo
Associate Director
Office of Graduate Admission

2. Agenda
• Background
• Importance of Service in Today’s Society
• Why it is important for admissions
professionals
• Best practices in delivering great student
service
• Questions??

3. Background
• Customer Service Experience
– Retail, family owned business
• Student Service Experience
– Residential Life
– Athletic Department
– Financial Aid
– Admissions

4. School Profiles
• Suffolk University
– Mid-sized university in downtown Boston
(approx. 9,000 total students)
– Business, arts & sciences, law
– 100+ year history
– Professional and career oriented education
• MGH Institute of Health Professions
– Small, health professions grad school

5. Importance of Service in Today’s
Society
“…if someone satisfies customers better
than you, no matter what type of business,
you suffer by comparison.”
- taken from Inside the Magic Kingdom
by Tom Connellan (1996).

6. Importance of Service in Today’s
Society
• Customer service
oriented nation
• Shaping views
• The vast capability
of technology
• Online resources,
customer service
agencies

7. Importance of Service in Today’s
Society
• Managing
expectations
• Strategies to
deliver high
quality service
• All types of
businesses and
professions

8. Why it is important for
Admissions Professionals
• Prospective student’s
(and their family’s)
emphasis on service
• Return on investment,
especially at the
graduate level
• Meeting expectations
vs. resources at your
disposal

9. Service Excellence
• In any industry, great service……
– makes people feel important
– improves communication between the
person and the organization
– creates a sense of mutual respect
– addresses problems immediately and can
present alternative solutions

10. Service Pitfalls
• In any industry, a lack of great service…
– creates confusion
– can make the organization seem
unresponsive
– can cause frustration and delay
– can lead to additional problems instead of
offering solutions

11. Best Practices for Excellent
Student Service
• Initial greeting can have lasting
impression
– Phone etiquette
– Walk-ins
– Emails
– Appearance
– Attitude

12. Best Practices for Excellent
Student Service
• Listen
– Decision card
– Follow up with
non-registered
students
– DNE survey
– Online feedback

13. Best Practices for Excellent
Student Service
• Acknowledge and
empathize
– Application
processing
– Non-traditional
student population
– Understanding the
nuances of the
student population

14. Best Practices for Excellent
Student Service
• Quality
Communication
(External)
– Email
communication
– Online portal
communication
– 3rd party marketing
system
– Website

15. Best Practices for Excellent
Student Service
• Quality
Communication
(Internal)
– admissions
process for
program faculty
– communication
with admissions
committee
– Open channels
between offices

16. Best Practices for Excellent
Student Service
• Patience
– Recognize weight
of decision to go to
graduate school
– Take the time
– Open door

17. Best Practices for Excellent
Student Service
• Constant
assessment
– Meet regularly
– Pay attention to the
details
– Yearly review
(retreat)
– Data collection and
analysis

18. Best Practices for Excellent
Student Service
• Eliminate hassles
– Online application
tools
– Frequently Asked
Questions lists
– Resource materials
– Opportunities to
offer feedback

19. Best Practices for Excellent
Student Service
• Communicate the heart and soul of your
organization
• Every organization is unique in what it
does and what it offers
• Find your school’s soul and share with
potential students
• What you are and what you are not

20. Questions??