Universities as Dysfunctional Businesses

Photo courtesy of  Håkan Dahlström

At its core, a university is a business, just like any other. The students are the customers.

Like any business, universities have a target market, which they try to recruit from, or in other words, try to sell to. Some departments have a bigger advertising budget and better salespeople. Sports is probably the most outstanding example; recruiters for the university's sports teams do a lot more to attract athletes than the visual arts department can do to attract talented artists.

Universities offer a service. Their employees teach their customers. There are of course lots of secondary services, and even some products, but the main value in a university is in the classes.

A hallmark of good businesses is good customer service. Any salesman selling a $10,000 product is going to bend over backwards to make sure the sale goes through. He'll fill out paperwork, follow up with everyone involved in the process, and do his best to make sure the customer absolutely loves their product.

Universities, however, tend to have abysmal customer service. Their customers have to jump through hoops at every turn to get what they want.

I'm not saying an ivy league school should let just any Joe Schmoe with enough money for tuition in. Or that students shouldn't have to take and pass exams. Nothing of the sort.

I'm saying that each student should have someone they can go to who will go to bat for them at every turn. Someone who will help them with the paperwork and follow up with the various offices to make sure the paperwork gets filed in a timely manner. Someone who can explain how financial aid works, and what different options are, and help each student decide which option is best for them. Someone who will call them if there's a problem on their transcript or their financial aid is delayed. And most of all, someone who will stick with the student for the four+ years they're in school.

Each student is worth tens of thousands of dollars. It's about time universities start treating them like the valuable customers that they are.