| Customer Service Institute
Blending High Tech and High Touch: Improving Customer Service and Student Retention
July 12-13, 2007
Due to the increasingly competitive atmosphere in higher education, providing excellent service to students is more important than ever. Institutions must provide good services that initially attract students to their institutions, but they also must continue to offer students the services and support that make them feel valued and help them achieve their educational goals.
Conference sessions are designed to showcase the innovative customer service strategies that institutions of higher ed are implementing while focusing on what today's students demand from the student/college relationship.
Institute Topics
· Customer service essentials
· Applying corporate customer service models to higher education
· Low-tech strategies that work
· Cutting edge technology solutions
· Why students leave and what you can do about it
· Developing a customer service training plan
· Potential obstacles to implementation
· Successful customer service assessment strategies
· Engaging parents in the college experience
· Designing a college-wide plan to create a customer service-focused culture
Program Agenda
Wednesday, July 11th - (6:00-8:00pm) - Early Registration (Escalator Area on lobby level) and complimentary Welcome Reception
Thursday, July 12th (7:30am-4:30pm)
Today's program focuses on creative customer service strategies you can use to attract students to your institution and begin to develop a long-lasting relationship.
7:30-8:30: Registration and Breakfast (included in registration fee)
8:30-9:45: Welcome: Creating a Customer-Focused Culture
9:45-10:45: Corporate Customer Service Models and How They Relate to Higher Education
10:45-11:00: Refreshment Break (included in registration fee)
11:00-12:00: Why Students Leave and What You Can do About it Tomorrow
12:00-1:15: Lunch (included in registration fee)
1:15-2:15: Breakout Session (choose one)
2:25-3:25: Breakout Session (choose one)
3:25-3:40: Refreshment Break (included in registration fee)
3:40-4:40: Breakout Session (choose one)
5:30-7:30: Informal Exchange i.e., Networking and Complimentary Food and Spirits
Dinner on own
Friday, July 13th (7:30am-4:30pm)
7:30-8:45: Breakfast (included in registration fee)
8:45-10:15: Building Your Toolbox: What did I learn yesterday and how do I implement these strategies?
10:15-10:30: Refreshment Break (included in registration fee)
10:30-12:00: Weaving a Web of Online Student Services
12:00-1:15: Lunch (included in registration fee)
1:15-2:15: Breakout Session (choose one)
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Improving Customer Service – Lessons Learned Online for All Students
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Collaborate and Celebrate Student Success: The College Coach Approach
2:25-3:25: Breakout Session (choose one)
3:25-3:40: Refreshment Break (included in registration fee)
3:40-4:40: Breakout Session (choose one)
Note: Agenda subject to change
Who Should Attend
- Vice Presidents
- Deans
- Admissions Directors & Staff
- Enrollment Management Administrators & Staff
- Marketing & Communications Professionals
- Student Services/Affairs Administrators & Staff
- Financial Aid Advisors
- Faculty
- Recruiters
- Advisors
- Anyone involved in improving customer service and student retention
The 4th registrant is free!
Register your first 3 participants and then contact Valerie Kisiel for details on how to receive the discount.
Speakers
Dr. Geri Anderson
Geri Anderson currently serves as Associate Vice President and Provost for the Colorado Community College System. Prior to that, she served as Vice President for Student Learning at Front Range Community College, Associate Director of Undergraduate Academic Affairs at the University of Colorado, and Director of Competency-Based Teacher Education at Regis University. She began her career as a middle school science teacher, has served as an associate and was co-founder of the Regis Institute of Chemistry Education and has over 25 years of higher education administrative experience.
Geri was instrumental in the development and implementation of customer service strategies at Front Range Community College. She designed a call center, which focuses on developing and sustaining customer/ student relationships. She also created the great communication plan, which is a marketing strategy based on customer service principles. She has over 22 years of higher education administrative experience and has a unique and fun perspective regarding customer service. Geri earned her Master’s degree in Secondary Science Education from the University of Nebraska and holds an Educational Doctorate from the University of Nebraska, Lincoln.
Dr. Neal Raisman
Most importantly, Dr. Neal Raisman is Emma’s “zaddi” or grandfather which he considers his number one job. But Dr. Raisman is also the leading authority and consultant on customer service in higher education. Dr. Raisman’s number one selling bookEmbrace the Oxymoron: Customer Service in Higher Education has beenpurchased by 43% of all colleges in the US. His customer service blog www.academicmaps.blogspot.comwith its discussions of recent research and solutions to customer service issues is very popular and widely read by colleges, universities and business that work with academia.
His 36 years as a faculty member, dean, associate provost, president, and chancellor of public, private and for-profit colleges and universities has provided him the understanding of academia to make him at least bi-lingual. And his years as a stand-up make his writing always fun to read. He speaks English and academic-ese. He speaks our language and understands the unique nature of colleges and universities with their individual cultures and missions and they are indeed businesses at some level.
His work in customer service began in 1999 when hired to figure out why a large multi-campus college was losing students. The answer he found was customer service. Not the customer service of the corporate world but of the academic enterprise where the customer can be wrong – especially on quizzes and tests. Since then, Dr. Raisman has worked with over 150 colleges in the States and Europe to research and solve customer service issues. He also works with corporations and businesses that wish to better understand the higher ed market and students.
Neal is a highly sought after speaker, trainer, customer service auditor, researcher, marketer and general maven on customer service. His firm, AcademicMAPS is the leading customer service consulting group for retention, enrollment, morale and marketing for higher education and businesses that work with colleges in the country. Their technological solutions include the award and enrollment winning Leadwise personalization system plus web re-designs and analysis.
He has a PhD from the University of Massachusetts in Amherst in neurolinguistics; was a Fulbright Fellow in France; has published three books and over 80 articles plus the blog www.academicmaps.blogspot.com; won numerous academic and marketing awards and accolades. But, little makes him prouder than his family and when his dog Pip listens to him.
Susan Brown
Susan Brown has sixteen years experience working at Northeastern University. As the Associate Director of Parent Programs and Services, Susan is responsible as serving as a campus liaison to its 15,000 undergraduate parents. She has developed a comprehensive and needs based program to involve parents and students in the Northeastern University community.
During her time there, she developed Northeastern’s first Parent Advisory Board and the university’s first Parent Association. Susan also developed the national APPI conference (Administrators Promoting Parent Involvement). She has spoken at several national and regional conferences, including NASPA, AACRAO and NODA. In addition Susan has contributed to many articles relating to parent involvement.
Susan believes a supportive family helps students succeed and that parents need to be involved in the college process. By providing parents with information and services they are able to help their students achieve their academic goals.
Robert McCullough (aka Bob) is Dean of Admission at Ursinus College, a highly selective liberal arts college near Philadelphia. He has worked in college admission for over ten years, specializing in strategic usages of technology to connect with prospective students. Both at Ursinus and during his previous post as Director of Marketing and Communications for Undergraduate Admission at Case Western Reserve University, Bob has implemented a variety of solutions, homegrown and vendor-based, to achieve aggressive recruitment and enrollment goals.
Diane J. Goldsmith
Diane J. Goldsmith, Dean of Planning, Research and Assessment at the Ct Distance Learning Consortium has a Ph.D. in Evaluation and Measurement and over 20 years experience in higher education in a variety of roles including teaching, student affairs, planning, research, and online education.
Much of her recent work has involved the creation of collaborative online student services including a unique collaborative tutoring project (www.etutoring.org), a shared ePortfolio platform (www.ePortfolio.org), and a technology-assessment tool and remediation units. Goldsmith speaks nationally on best practices of serving online students and using ePortfolios for assessment, learning, and retention.
Eric Hodgson helps colleges and universities with Web strategy, content management implementation, site maintenance, training, and staffing. Serving multiple industries, Eric has kept a firm grip throughout his career on using technology to accelerate marketing strategies. Eric specializes in the higher education market as an Interactive Consultant with Estrada, implementing specialized Web strategies and solutions for his clients ranging from small liberal arts colleges to four-year public institutions.
Steve Fishman
Steve Fishman has been employed at Seneca College, Toronto, Canada for over 20 years. He holds an M.A. in Counselling Psychology. Steve has held a number of positions in the college including: Program Coordinator, Professor, Counsellor, Learning Strategist and is currently the Program Director of Success@Seneca (Student Success and Retention). He is the recipient of Excellence in Teaching awards – University of Texas at Austin and Seneca College.
Barbara Macaulay
Dr. Barbara Macaulay has over 25 years of experience in adult and continuing higher education. She has developed and managed credit and degree programs at the graduate and undergraduate level, corporate and workforce development initiatives, literacy and basic skills programs, and public and government services.
As Chief Academic Officer for UMassOnline, she works with the campuses to grow online opportunities, develop single and multi-campus efforts, support faculty, and develop new opportunities with external organizations. Dr. Macaulay has also developed and taught courses in adult learning, adult development, and program development for both graduate students and practitioners in adult and higher education. These courses are presented in both face-to-face and online environments. She also has served as a doctoral advisor in the AEGIS Program at Teachers College.
A native of New York, Dr. Macaulay has made Massachusetts her home for most of her professional career. Her degrees include a BS from Springfield College, a M.Ed. from Worcester State College, and an Ed.D. from Teachers College/Columbia University.
Som Seng
Som Seng comes from the Online Bachelor of Business Administration Program at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, where she developed and managed the program. In her role as the program manager, she was responsible for customer service, recruiting, admissions, advising, course schedule and faculty compensation management.
As the Marketing and Customer Support Manager at UMassOnline, Ms. Seng brings her understanding of the online student market and experience in meeting the students' needs through superior customer service and community building activities.
Ms. Seng holds a Bachelor's of Business Administration in Marketing from the University of Massachusetts Amherst and is currently pursing her Master's of Business Administration through the Professional MBA Program through the University of Massachusetts Amherst.
Michael Shouldice is the Coordinator of Athabasca University’s Information Centre. The Information Centre was the proud recipient of last year’s Sue and Derrick Rowlandson Memorial Award for Service Excellence, awarded to support staff who consistently provide a high level of service, demonstrate commitment to the university’s mission or goals and show continual improvement through participation in professional development activities. The Information Centre’s online FAQ system, AskAU, was recognized in 2006 as a best practice in Student Services Online by The Centre for Transforming Student Services. Prior to coming to Athabasca University Michael was instrumental in the successful opening of the University of Toronto’s Commerce Career Development Centre. Michael brings with him 20 years of service delivery experience covering the hospitality, mobile phone, property management, and education sectors. He earned his Bachelor of Commerce in Hospitality and Tourism Management from Ryerson University and his Teacher of Adults Certificate from Centennial College.
Hotel, Travel and City Attractions
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Hyatt Regency Cambridge - Conference Location
Minutes from Boston, the Hyatt Regency Cambridge hotel is located along the scenic Charles River overlooking the Boston skyline and is in the midst of two uncommonly exciting cities, Boston and Cambridge. Each exhibits a unique blend of old world charm coupled with youthful, contemporary sophistication. Cambridge is the spirit side of Boston and just a bridge away on the historic side.
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Address: 575 Memorial Dr
Cambridge, MA 02139
Conference Room Rate: $179.00/night, single or double (regularly $225.00)
The Innovative Educators Group rate of $179 will be available one day pre & 1 day post meeting dates, based upon availability of the Hotel.
Room Block Dates: July 11th and 12th (Based on availability, you can receive the group rate on July 9th, 10th, 13th and 14th also.)
Parking: $28/day
Reservations:
Cambridge View Guestrooms
Our 400 square foot standarad guestroom provides a comfortable working and leisure atmosphere. Each room features the Hyatt Grand Bed with ultra-plush pillows, the softest of sheeting, a thick down blanket - all piled atop an irresistible pillow-top mattress, plus all standard guestroom amenities.
Rate Guaranteed Until: June 22, 2007 (NOTE: As of June 26th there are still some rooms left at the group rate. We suggest you make your reservation as soon as possible and be sure to mention Innovative Educators.)
Mention Innovative Educators to receive the discount rate.
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Amenities
- Coffee Maker
- Hairdryer
- Large Work/Desk Area
- Voicemail
- In-Room Pay Movies
- Two Telephones with Message Light
- Additional Pillow and Blanket in Closet
- Crib/Rollaway (upon request)
- Full Bath Amenities: Shampoo, Conditioner, Shower Cap, Bath & Hand Soap
- Video Account Review
- Video Messages
- Iron/Ironing Board
- Wireless or High Speed Internet (usage fee)
- Computer Data Port
- TV with Remote Control
- Cable Movie Channels
- Individual Climate Control
- AM/FM Alarm Clock Radio
- Electronic Door Lock
- Turndown (upon request)
- Video Checkout
Flight Information
Attendees should arrive at Boston’s Logan International Airport.
Shuttle: Zebra Shuttle
Reserve at least 48 hours before your flight arrives.
Reserve online http://www.zebrashuttle.com/ or by calling 1-800-242-0064.
Regular rates: $21/1 passenger; $32/2 passengers; $43/3 passengers
Super-Saver rates (must reserve at least 2 weeks ahead of time and have minimum of 2 passengers): $28/2 passengers; $39/3 passengers
Taxi: A taxi takes approximately 30 minutes and will cost $30-$35. |
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Cambridge Attractions
http://www.cambridge-ma.worldweb.com/SightsAttractions/
Boston Attractions
http://www.usatourist.com/english/places/massachusetts/boston.html
Cancellation Policy
Please submit an e-mail to us. All cancellations must be received in writing prior to July 1, 2007, and will be subject to a $100 processing fee per registrant. Registrants who cancel after July 1, 2007 will not be eligible for a refund. However, you may transfer your registration to another individual without penalty or use your conference credit towards another IE event. In case of conference cancellation, Innovative Educators’ liability is limited to refund of the conference registration fee only. |
