Customer satisfaction

We were at a high school parent teacher session and the teacher asked if our daughter had decided what to major in. No, we replied. He got online and showed K-State's Web site that shows all the possible fields of studies, all the possible majors, etc.

He said, "Back when I was in school I was only paying $300 a semester for tuition so they didn't care about us, but now you guys are paying much more so they offer a lot more guidance."

Or something to that effect.

I didn't take issue with him there, but I thought to myself. Does K-State understand the need for customer satisfaction? Or are they still stuck in the 1970s?

I have often heard it said that you get much better service at restaurants in Manhattan than you would in Kansas City. I agree. In a competitive college town job market, customer service is pretty darn good.

But does the K-State the institution get it like the Holiday Inn or the Honda dealer gets it? I have my doubts. You tell me.. if you are not big time athlete or classroom champion, do you matter to K-state?

After spending month upon month following up with K-State about security issues following middle of the night attack on someone in my family at a residence hall, I have not met with anyone at all from the University. I should say I haven't sought a meeting out, either. I did ask to sit in on a security committee meeting last summer but was not welcome.

Still, I find it curious that there is not a more aggressive effort to seek out and find a common ground with a dissatisfied, if difficult customer.