Customer service to students in the University of Nairobi

Abstract

Customer service is arguably the most critical factor in an organizational long-term success and even survival. Though University of Nairobi has a big student customer base, there is no evidence to indicate that investigations have been done or are being done to ensure students are being served effectively and efficiently. This study attempts to find out the kind of service offered to University of Nairobi students and the factors that influence it. This study is timely as it is being undertaken when more people in Kenya are pursuing higher education especially in the module II program. The commercialization of education means higher fees and hence a need for better services. The issue of treating students as customers has received harsh criticism from the academic world. They believe strongly that education is a unique experience in which knowledge is passed from one generation to another. Those who advocate for students as customers believe that since students and their parents pay more, it is reasonable that they expect added value at least equal to their payments. The study focuses on students in the Extra Mural Department in the College of Education and External Studies. To achieve objectives of the study qualitative research methodology was used. Questionnaires were generatedrto gauge the student's perception on the services they receive.