Relationship Between Customer Service and Students' Enrollment Into Private Universities

Abstract

Students’ enrollment into private universities is becoming highly competitive, thereby forcing universities to develop strategies that will not only retain current students but also prospective students’ enrollment decision. This study examined the relationship between customer service and student enrollment in a leading Nigerian private university, as well as the readiness of the already enrolled students to make recommendations about the private university to others. A survey of 125 undergraduate students of American University of University (AUN), Yola was conducted in order to find out the dimensions that are considered important by students in their enrolment decision, and the relationship between the services offered by the university and enrollment decision. Pearson’s correlation analysis was used to test the relationship between customer service and students’ enrolment as hypothesized in the study. It was found that faculty expertise, friendly attitude by faculty and staff, convenience, accessibility and environment are the favourable dimensions regarded by students as constituting good customer service that influence enrolment into private universities. Overall, the study found a significant positive relationship between customer service and students’ enrolment decision. The study showed that customer relation has great impact on the enrolment of students into private universities in Nigeria as well as making favourable word-of-mouth recommendations to future enrollees. The study recommends that private universities should incorporate a greater customer care orientation into their strategic planning and frequently revise working relations tools to determine their effectiveness in order to have a competitive advantage and gain a big market share of the higher education industry.