Monday, November 24, 2008

20 Minute Workshop on Retention and A Result


The 20 Minute workshop sponsored by The Administrators Bookshelf is over. It seemed to go well. Over 43 schools signed up for it in a matter of two days. There were public, private and career colleges from the US, Canada, England and France on the call as well as everyone from presidents and trustees all the way up to faculty and staff. I am honored by your interest.

I was able to provide 5 how-tos to improve retention over Thanksgiving; a troublesome attrition time as discussed here. They included using a pre-holiday survey, personal calls to students, automated call, a postcard and a formal engraved thank you and how to use each. All designed to increase contact, AROI and EROI and of course, retention. The engraved card thank you was to go to employees as well. They are key to any retention program and deserve recognition and all our thanks. The workshop ended at 2:30 with the Q+A session. By just after 4:00 is received the following from Judy Beal, Vice President for Enrollment Management. & Student Services at Lincoln Memorial University in TN.

Neal, I found your 20 minute retention presentation very informative. The Director of Student Success and Retention sent an e-mail to all our students (Lincoln Memorial University) and within 10 minutes he had ten responses. It was decided amongst my staff who heard your presentation to send Christmas cards with an insert containing 10 reasons why you should return to LMU. The entire Enrollment Mgmt & Student Services staff is now compiling individual lists from which, the best reasons will be used on the insert. The list will be presented as David Letterman does from #10 to #1. Thanks for making us think !

Actually, thanks to you and all the others who listened in on the workshop. I hope you have great success too. If you missed the workshop but would like to obtain a free audio version or just want an audio copy, just let me know by clicking here. Just enter workshop audio in the subject line.

Just one more thing with your indulgence

Ever since the article on some people at colleges being overly pugnacious about their students, An Article Maybe not to Write: Flaming Anti-Student Bullies,I have been receiving emails from someone who has finally been identified from one of his comments. These have been rather nasty and scurrilous but I hope by publishing this one, the author will finally feel a bit ashamed and stop.

We have a policy to not publish anonymous comments, or ones that are just plain nasty or too complimentary. Sometimes, someone in the office slips I guess but this one is not a slip.

Jack, if you read this I hope see you can see how this attitude, approach and tone can cause you problems with colleagues and students. For you own benefit, I urge you to think about how you communicate and act toward others before it causes you problems and your school retention and student issues.

Jack Maney said...
Wow, free slides! How generous of you. Until this point, the only media from any of your alleged presentations that I've been able to find have been audio files. And these audio files were on sale for a ridiculous price--somewhere in the neighborhood of $250, if memory recalls!

So, would you care to answer any of the multitude of questions that I've asked you throughout the past couple of weeks? Here's another: why do you not post my comments? Is it cowardice?
No Jack, it is because I do not publish anonymous comments nor normally publish ones that are signed but unhelpful and self-destructive. This time I have hoping you might see that you might realize these sorts of comments and flaming are unhelpful. They serve you nor the recipient well. I also felt others could gain by seeing how not to write to colleagues and certainly not students.
And Jack, if your next comment is again not on the topic of the article, a scurrilous attack or just nasty, don't bother. It will not be published. Everyone else, sorry for this but I needed to get the message out and this may have been the only way.

“We had hoped we’d improve our retention by 3% but with the help of Dr. Raisman, we increased it by 5%.” Rachel Albert, Provost, University of Maine-Farmington

“Neal led a retreat that initiated customer service and retention as a real focus for us and gave us a clear plan. Then he followed up with presentations and workshops that kicked us all into high gear. We recommend with no reservations; just success.” Susan Mesheau, Executive Director U First: Integrated Recruitment & Retention University of New Brunswick

“Thank you so much for the wonderful workshop at Lincoln Technical Institute. It served to re-center ideas in a great way. I perceived it to be a morale booster, breath of fresh air, and a burst of passion.” Shelly S, Lincoln Technical Institute


AcademicMAPS has been providing customer service, retention, enrollment and research training and solutions to colleges, universities and career colleges in the US, Canada, and Europe as well as to businesses that seek to work with them since 1999. Clients range from small rural schools to major urban universities and corporations. Its services range from campus customer service audits, workshops, training, presentations, institutional studies and surveys to research on customer service and retention. AcademicMAPS prides itself on its record of success for its clients and students who are aided through the firm’s services. CALL OR EMAIL TODAY TO SEE HOW WE CAN HELP INCREASE YOUR SCHOOL'S RETENTION
www.GreatServiceMatters.com
info@GreatServiceMatters.com
413.219.6939

Friday, November 21, 2008

Slides for Free Retention Audio Seminar






These slides are to accompany the Monday Nov. 24 2:00 EST on-line audio seminar 20 Complimentary Minutes to Increase Retention over Thanksgiving. The audio seminar is sponsored by The Administrators Bookshelf to provider a service and of course let people find out about them and my new book The Power of Retention: More Customer Service for Higher Education.

Thanksgiving is a period during which many students complete their decision to stay or leave your school. Most powerfully, if they are not sure they fit or that the college cares, the comfort of gathering with family and friends will exacerbate any questions of do I want to go back next semester? They are among family and friends where any discomfort, apprehension or concern about your school can be magnified. They compare their feelings to those of friends who say they love their college. Too often, you lose.



Too often, you lose.

But there are some easy, quick and compelling how-to’s Dr. Raisman will share that can help you and your school make students come back from Thanksgiving feeling valued and re-assured they made the right enrollment choice.


Presenter: Dr. Neal A. Raisman, President of AcademicMAPS and author of The Power of Retention, recognized internationally as the leader in retention and customer service research and training.


Recommended for anyone interested in retention and students including presidents, chancellors, campus directors, provosts, budget directors, student service, enrollment management, admissions, start directors, student life, and others who may be affected by reductions in budgets due to attrition.

Q+A: Following the 20 minute presentation there will be an open-ended Q+A session to address issues from the presentation and any other retention or academic customer service issues you may have.


At the end of the presentation, there will be information on obtaining a discount copy of Dr. Raisman’s new best seller The Power of Retention.


Additional slides that can ad to the general understanding of academic customer service are available on my LinkedIn page. Please click here and join my network and the Administrators Bookshelf group.

“We had hoped we’d improve our retention by 3% but with the help of Dr. Raisman, we increased it by 5%.” Rachel Albert, Provost, University of Maine-Farmington

“Neal led a retreat that initiated customer service and retention as a real focus for us and gave us a clear plan. Then he followed up with presentations and workshops that kicked us all into high gear. We recommend with no reservations; just success.” Susan Mesheau, Executive Director U First: Integrated Recruitment & Retention University of New Brunswick

“Thank you so much for the wonderful workshop at Lincoln Technical Institute. It served to re-center ideas in a great way. I perceived it to be a morale booster, breath of fresh air, and a burst of passion.” Shelly S, Lincoln Technical Institute


AcademicMAPS has been providing customer service, retention, enrollment and research training and solutions to colleges, universities and career colleges in the US, Canada, and Europe as well as to businesses that seek to work with them since 1999. Clients range from small rural schools to major urban universities and corporations. Its services range from campus customer service audits, workshops, training, presentations, institutional studies and surveys to research on customer service and retention. AcademicMAPS prides itself on its record of success for its clients and students who are aided through the firm’s services. CALL OR EMAIL TODAY TO SEE HOW WE CAN HELP INCREASE YOUR SCHOOL'S RETENTION
www.GreatServiceMatters.com
info@GreatServiceMatters.com
413.219.6939




Thursday, November 13, 2008

Overcome the Academic Caste System for Better Retention


Schools are missing a massive amount of valuable information as a result of its traditional professions caste system. That’s the one that looks very much like the one in India as described by Vikas Kamat . I will annotate a bit to help us make the transition from the spiritual world of Indian philosophy to the practical one of academia. The caste layers according to Kamat are:

  • · The Brahmins -- those engaged in sacrifices, and priestly functions Senior Administrators, vice-presidents, trustees
  • · The Kshtriyas -- Rulers and warriors Full-time Faculty
  • · The Vaishyas -- Merchants, farmers, and tradesmen Deans, Directors,
  • · The Shudras -- Laborers, craftsmen, service professions - Managers
  • · The Dalits –so unworthy as to be casteless Clerical, maintenance, adjuncts (but only part time)…

In academia, we look to the Brahmins and Kshtriyas to make most of the policy decisions, create procedures, determine final budgets, formulate policy and decide what is important. Okay, that’s what they do. The Vaishyas then interpret the pronouncements of the Brahmins and Kshtriyas so the statements can be implemented within various constituencies on campus and in their sphere of influences, And that’s the Vaisyas job on campus so fine. The Shudras, as skilled service professionals, are then given the job of implementing whatever it is and the Dalits are there to take direction and assist the Shudras and all those above them by actually doing much of the work

But the Dalits, being casteless, have no say or input into any decisions and are not supposed to question (out loud). They are there to do the jobs that others think are below them and make sure things actually move along. The society, economy or life could not move forward at all if it were not for the Dalits in India nor academia. They do much of the real work where the jota hits the road. They are sources of a great deal of information and wisdom about how things really work that is usually not tapped. They are invisible after all.

Recaste the System for Success

In his book The Difference: How the Power of Diversity Creates Better Groups, Firms, Schools and Societies S.E. Page discusses his diversity trumps ability theorem which states that a randomly selected collection of problem solvers outperforms a collection of the best individual problem solvers. That is, when we bring together diverse points of view, experience and knowledge of the subject or issue for decision-making, the result is better than when a smaller, more homogeneous group thinks things through.

Brahmins will think as Brahmins and their decisions will come from their rather harmonized viewpoints for example. Yes they may have greater experience in some areas such as administration but it will be limited by their current position, common experience as a team of decision-makers and the need for political unity. They will think as senior administrators and what they see as best for the school and themselves. The same will be true of the Kshtriyas who will have a worldview that is focused more on the classroom, research, academia, the faculty and the senior administrators who might have some say on their lives and work. These are their points of reference after all. Each group looks to what is in it (or out of it) for me and what I care about. They also have most concern to the group or groups above it since they make changes and decisions that can affect them.

An interesting thing does occur though as we travel down the academic caste system. As each next lower group looks at those above it, it gains more diverse understanding of the higher caste groups; how they work and think. They may not have inside knowledge but they see how one group’s actions cause reactions through all the groups above and their own. In a sense, they gain greater, more diverse understanding.

In academia this is particularly true when it comes to how the system relates to students. A decision by the Kshtriyas for example has direct effect on the students and their lives. A decision by the Vaishyas (deans, directors, office managers) on how they will implement a policy that affects students from the Brahmins has direct impact on those lower castes who have t implement it. And when the Shudras and Dalits put it all into action, they are the ones who have the most immediate and direct interactions with the students. They are then the ones who have the real knowledge of how something t is affecting students. Yet, since they are either lowest caste or even no caste at all, they are not ones to listen to or involve in any decision-making.

Carrying the diversity trumps ability theorem concept forward a bit, higher level castes should increase the diversity of their thinking and processes. Yes, there is some involvement of Brahmins, Kshtriyas, Vaishyas and even sometimes Shudras together on committees as a recognition that a wide band of knowledge and experience is needed or is good (at least for show) on some committees or task forces. The diversity can lead to much better recommendations, actions reports, etc when these groups come together to share ideas, experience and understanding

But, Dalits!!! Oh no. After all, what could clerical and other staff bring to the table? How about direct contact with students on almost all the actions, decisions and policies the recognized cast groups make. Howe about honest and earned practical knowledge of how something has or will affect their ability to help students. How about real understanding of cause and effect throughout the whole college as well as sincere knowledge of how the place really works. How about diversity that WILL make your decisions, actions, policies, procedures better and help students more.

Involve the Dalits, staff, clerical and otherwise as well as even, heaven forbid the most untouchable of all, adjuncts in committees, task forces, and other think groups on campus. They have a great deal to offer and given an honest opportunity, will add diversity that will make the college better.

BUT DO NOT JUST TURN TO THEM AND MAKE THEM SECRETARIES FOR THE COMMITTEE! THEY AND YOU ARE MUCH MORE THAN THAT ONCE WE LOOK PAST CASTE AND EMBRACE DIVERSITY


GET A COPY OF MY NEW BOOK THE POWER OF RETENTION: MORE CUSTOMER SERVICE IN HIGHER EDUCATION by clicking here.

“We had hoped we’d improve our retention by 3% but with the help of Dr. Raisman, we increased it by 5%.” Rachel Albert, Provost, University of Maine-Farmington

“Neal led a retreat that initiated customer service and retention as a real focus for us and gave us a clear plan. Then he followed up with presentations and workshops that kicked us all into high gear. We recommend with no reservations; just success.” Susan Mesheau, Executive Director U First: Integrated Recruitment & Retention University of New Brunswick

“Thank you so much for the wonderful workshop at Lincoln Technical Institute. It served to re-center ideas in a great way. I perceived it to be a morale booster, breath of fresh air, and a burst of passion.” Shelly S, Lincoln Technical Institute


AcademicMAPS has been providing customer service, retention, enrollment and research training and solutions to colleges, universities and career colleges in the US, Canada, and Europe as well as to businesses that seek to work with them since 1999. Clients range from small rural schools to major urban universities and corporations. Its services range from campus customer service audits, workshops, training, presentations, institutional studies and surveys to research on customer service and retention. AcademicMAPS prides itself on its record of success for its clients and students who are aided through the firm’s services. CALL OR EMAIL TODAY TO SEE HOW WE CAN HELP INCREASE YOUR SCHOOL'S RETENTION
www.GreatServiceMatters.com
info@GreatServiceMatters.com
413.219.6939



Monday, November 10, 2008

Customer Service in Financial Aid


A new book disproves that you get what you pay for. Tom Rebstock and his group of colleagues at TG (Texas Guaranteed Student Loan Program) have put the results of their important research on financial aid customer service into a very good FREE booklet Customer Service in Financial Aid: Strategies to Engage Students and Make a Difference. It is a booklet that all financial aid departments should read and conduct training around.

TG conducted 56 workshops in 12 states at 4 and 2-year colleges wisely including career colleges. The TG team also led workshops at the NASFAA annual conferences from 2004-2007. They were seeking out “the keys” to financial aid customer service. They wanted to see how financial aid offices were working with students and how they could improve their customer services TG collected over 100 “keys” which were then honed down to a list of 10 principles that are discussed in the bopoklet

Granted, most of the schools were in TG’s primary area of interest – Texas – but the study did include schools in Ohio and Florida. So some research purist might say there could be a bit of regional bias but I have found similar results all over the country, Canada and Europe. The 10 principles they established are also applicable in other areas of student assistance across a campus. They are:

1 – Provide accurate and complete information

2 – Know all policies and regulations – the whole process

3 – Listen, listen, listen

4 – Respond and act promptly

5 – Follow through and follow up

6 - Be accessible and flexible

7 – Exceed their expectations

8 – Project a positive, customer-oriented attitude

9 – Personalize the service

10 – Work as a team.

These are all good and important points that need to be stressed in financial aid. Financial aid is going to remain one of the most important points of student concern. As discussed in the Hierarchy of Student Decisions in the Power of Retention: More Customer Service in Higher Education, the second strongest factor in an attendance decision is Can I Afford It? If customer-oriented service in financial aid does not help answer that question while making the potential student feel good about how he or she were treated, your school has lost a new student.


Financial aid is also going to be the key to 9-13% of attrition in the future as the economy retracts taking student loans and aid with it. If FA does not continue excellent service with early financial aid re-packaging for continuing students, students will leave.


But as The Texas Guaranteed Student Loan Corporation realized without personalized and considerate person-to-person customer service all the backroom efficiency in the world (or Texas) will not do the full trick.


What Tom Rebstock et al have left out from the book is the need for the entire campus to also realize what took me a while to learn. Financial aid officers have a very difficult and challenging job. Not only is the work tough and demanding, the clients and state and Federal regulations are too!


Students and families are not always great at completing financial aid forms on time or even accurately. They may not even know they are APPLYING for financial aid as much as believing it is a right of attendance. I go to school. I GET financial aid whether I am qualified or not. Whether I file on time or not. Whether I supply all the required forms or not, I am entitled to MY MONEY.

And where the hell is it? I filed my papers last week and need MY money for books today. Where is it? What did YOU do with MY money?

At one time, I thought that most financial aid people had been let go by the Bureau of Motor Vehicles for being even too indifferent or mean even for them. They seemed to snap at everyone, even college presidents trying to assist a student.


I was wrong. I was wrong. I was wrong!


Financial aid people are one of the most stressed, maligned and under-appreciated people on campus. They work very hard to help students and parents who can be very difficult, demanding and depressed clients. Not a good combination. These students and families often are embarrassed to have to, as they see it, beg for their money It is a humbling and anxiety-producing experience to realize how deep in debt one has to go just to go to school. This group of FA applicants frequently expresses its feelings through frustration anger and may take it out on the financial aid person who had no role in setting tuition and fees.


Or the clients see financial aid as a right of attendance and act overly challenging and taxing. Their belief is that financial aid is coming to them. They may also believe that they are due the total possible amount available so if they are denied or given less than they believe they should receive; it’s the FA person’s fault. Thus they think it is okay to treat the aid officer as a verbal bunch bag, an F-word drop zone and someone whose very character is open not to question but attack.


Certainly there are nice and calm clients. But they are not the ones who turn good, dedicated people into frazzled and wounded employees. Since there is no way to necessarily know if the next client is a nice person or an ogre, financial aid people build up a suit of armor against potential attacks. It’s no fun trying one’s best just to be sucker punched and left dazed. The best armor they find is indifference and depersonalizing encounters.

And we don’t help. Administrators tend to react to the stream of students who come into their offices to complain about the financial aid person who screwed up my money, won’t give me my money, lost my paperwork or lied to me about how much I would get. We get upset by the same attitudes and attacks from the students and turn around and blame FA too often since that is an easy target. Besides, it’s easier to blame them than argue with the student standing in front of you.


Wrong, wrong wrong!


And the rest of the campus…What does it do to help out? Has anyone reading this ever gone over to say thanks and I appreciate you folks and what you do in the Financial Aid Office, the place in which the final decisions to attend or not based on being able to afford college takes place? Has Admissions or Enrollment Management formally or even informally thanked the FA people for making them successful? Brought in some coffee and doughnuts, lunch? You would be amazed at how effective Capt. Kangaroo-ing helps morale and cooperation.

Okay, after reading this, get up off your ….. chair, walk over to the FA office and just tell them thanks for all they do. Doesn’t matter what you do. We all owe them thanks. That’ll also help them feel appreciated more so can let some of the armor they use toward you slide off so they can better apply TG’s 10 principles.

Oh, and when you finish at FA, do the same for colleagues in the bursar’s, registrar’s, and cashier’s offices as start. You can also stop by IT to thank them for you being able to read this. There are many more stops to make but this’ll be a start. Learn how easy it is to say thank you for all you do and how good it makes you feel.


And for those who don’t always do a great job, thank them for doing one anyhow. It just may start a change them into becoming a better customer service provider. If it doesn’t check out Good Academic Customer Service Principle 15. (BTW, the list of my principles in the Customer Service in Financial Aid book is the older one. Get the newest one by just asking when you click here.)

Do see if you can get a copy of Customer Service in Financial Aid: Strategies to Engage Students and Make a Difference by TG (Texas Guaranteed Student Loan Corporation) It is an excellent work on improving customer service in financial aid.


Jack, I await your comments.




TO SUCCEED EVERY DAY IN ALL AREAS, GET A COPY OF MY NEW BOOK THE POWER OF RETENTION: MORE CUSTOMER SERVICE IN HIGHER EDUCATION by clicking here.

“We had hoped we’d improve our retention by 3% but with the help of Dr. Raisman, we increased it by 5%.” Rachel Albert, Provost, University of Maine-Farmington

“Neal led a retreat that initiated customer service and retention as a real focus for us and gave us a clear plan. Then he followed up with presentations and workshops that kicked us all into high gear. We recommend with no reservations; just success.” Susan Mesheau, Executive Director U First: Integrated Recruitment & Retention University of New Brunswick

“Thank you so much for the wonderful workshop at Lincoln Technical Institute. It served to re-center ideas in a great way. I perceived it to be a morale booster, breath of fresh air, and a burst of passion.” Shelly S, Lincoln Technical Institute


AcademicMAPS has been providing customer service, retention, enrollment and research training and solutions to colleges, universities and career colleges in the US, Canada, and Europe as well as to businesses that seek to work with them since 1999. Clients range from small rural schools to major urban universities and corporations. Its services range from campus customer service audits, workshops, training, presentations, institutional studies and surveys to research on customer service and retention. AcademicMAPS prides itself on its record of success for its clients and students who are aided through the firm’s services. CALL OR EMAIL TODAY TO SEE HOW WE CAN HELP INCREASE YOUR SCHOOL'S RETENTION
www.GreatServiceMatters.com
info@GreatServiceMatters.com
413.219.6939


Monday, November 03, 2008

Give Thanks for More Retention Success


The current economic situation is going to make financial issues a larger part of the reasons why students drop out of school equation. It does not appear financial problems will increase in importance as an attrition factor`by more than 2 or 3% from what it has figured over the past five years. That means that financial problems could account for up to 12% of why students will drop out.

Financial issues will not cut into other reasons for attrition but will add to the overall drop out number. In other words, drops could increase by as much as 2-3% if the college does not step up retention efforts.


Certainly there must be more attention to student and parent financial concerns but the biggest reasons for student attrition appear to remain as below
Not feeling appreciated continues to be the major reason students leave colleges so this is still where most of the effort must remain. Or in most schools, START! So get ready now to act on retention. Here’s one way to jump start the effort

Give Real Thanks

Thanksgiving is approaching and it may not lead to many thanks for some students and schools. Thanksgiving is going to be the most extended time away from school for many students. It is a time when students get together with family and friends. It is a time when there is time for questions and thinking. And a major topic is going to be “how is it at….?” Some students are going to think “actually, not all that great.”

Thanksgiving turns out to be a major tipping point in the decision to stay or leave a college. With that knowledge, it is also a time you should engage students to keep them from dropping into the attrition side of the decision. You could also leverage relationships with parents and families to bring them into any stay or drop decision.

To-Do
Send every student a personalized letter or formal card. The letter should of course be stationary and the card must be printed with the name of the office or person in raised engraved letters such as Office of the President.
The letter or card should have a brief written statement such as
I want to thank you for the honor and pleasure of having you as a student at ………………….. If there is anything I can help you with, please contact me at (EMAIL SET UP FOR RESPONSES)I look forward to seeing you on campus and at your graduation.
Sincerely, AND THEN SIGN IT.
Mail it to the student AND FAMILY. This way family members will want to see it too. This helps enlist them as supporters. With luck, you will get some responses in the special email box you set up. There may even be some thanks to you but what you are really seeking are issues that could get in the way of staying in school at your school. If you do, you can find solutions and keep that student in school.

BTW, these letters and cards really work. There is enough time between now and Thanksgiving to get it done and increase retention,enrollment and a family's hopes and dreams

Let me know how the letters, cards and email work for you.


Call me at 413.219.6939 and I will help at no cost to you to keep retention and success rising as my way of saying thanks to all my colleagues and clients.


AND TO SUCCEED EVERY DAY, GET A COPY OF MY NEW BOOK
THE POWER OF RETENTION: MORE CUSTOMER SERVICE IN HIGHER EDUCATION by clicking here.

“We had hoped we’d improve our retention by 3% but with the help of Dr. Raisman, we increased it by 5%.” Rachel Albert, Provost, University of Maine-Farmington

“Neal led a retreat that initiated customer service and retention as a real focus for us and gave us a clear plan. Then he followed up with presentations and workshops that kicked us all into high gear. We recommend with no reservations; just success.” Susan Mesheau, Executive Director U First: Integrated Recruitment & Retention University of New Brunswick

“Thank you so much for the wonderful workshop at Lincoln Technical Institute. It served to re-center ideas in a great way. I perceived it to be a morale booster, breath of fresh air, and a burst of passion.” Shelly S, Lincoln Technical Institute


AcademicMAPS has been providing customer service, retention, enrollment and research training and solutions to colleges, universities and career colleges in the US, Canada, and Europe as well as to businesses that seek to work with them since 1999. Clients range from small rural schools to major urban universities and corporations. Its services range from campus customer service audits, workshops, training, presentations, institutional studies and surveys to research on customer service and retention. AcademicMAPS prides itself on its record of success for its clients and students who are aided through the firm’s services. CALL OR EMAIL TODAY TO SEE HOW WE CAN HELP INCREASE YOUR SCHOOL'S RETENTION
www.GreatServiceMatters.com
info@GreatServiceMatters.com
413.219.6939