Creating a Service Culture in Higher Education Administration

Service delivery is part and parcel of every higher education professional’s job, both to improve service to students and to each other as “internal customers”. Until now higher education professionals have had to rely, for their professional development, on books and training designed for the business sector. This book is the first to specifically address the needs of higher education professionals across a wide range of administrative functions within college and university environments.

It is designed for administrative staff and management, ranging from professionals working in centralized functions such as student affairs and enrollment management to those working as advisors or in career centers, whether in community colleges, four-year institutions, or for-profit institutions.

Each chapter applies customer service principles to scenarios that are relevant to higher education. The book begins by engaging the reader to define service and identify the external and internal customers who are recipients of that service. It then maps customer interactions into a series of steps and offers departments and individuals a tool to maximize the customer experience. Additional chapters address customer expectations, creating a service culture on your campus, and managerial influences on staff service delivery. Creating a Service Culture in Higher Education Administration is a complementary book to the online customer service and management training resources at softskillspros.com.

Mario C. Martinez is Vice Chancellor of Strategy and Innovation for the National University System. He has written several books in the area of higher education innovation, strategy and policy. He is a founding partner of SoftSkillsPros.com, a training and resource company serving higher education institutions and the many professionals who work within them.

Brandy Smith is a postdoctoral fellow at the Association for the Study of Higher Education at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. She has management and consulting experience in organizational development, operations, and strategy. She is a founding partners of SoftSkillsPros.com, a training and resource company serving higher education institutions and the many professionals who work within them.

Katie Humphreys is completing a doctorate in Higher Education Leadership and has managed staff and programs at four universities. She currently oversees operations and student services in the Registrar's Office at the University of Nevada Las Vegas. She is a founding partner of SoftSkillsPros.com, a training and resource company serving higher education institutions and the many professionals who work within them.