Measuring customer satisfaction in higher education

Abstract

Evaluates a methodology which was developed to measure student satisfaction with significant components of the service experience delivered to students at Edge Hill University College. Uses a questionnaire‐based survey to collect information on student satisfaction. The methodology has two unique features: the Student Charter informed the survey design; and student responses were collected electronically through on‐screen questionnaires accessible over an intranet. Outcomes suggest that there remains some resistance to the completion of an electronic questionnaire and both paper and electronic versions are likely to continue to be necessary in order to achieve optimum response rates. The methodology has identified specific aspects of the service experience where there was either an absence of student satisfaction or the level of student satisfaction was variable. These aspects have been further explored with focus groups and fed into the quality plan for the college. A “negative quality” model is proposed which may offer a framework for response to different types of feedback from students.