Estelle David

An increase in the number of privately-owned higher education institutions (HEIs) in South Africa has created greater competition among private and public HEIs since all are competing for the same pool of potential students. Thus, marketers of HEIs have begun to realize the importance of placing a renewed focus on their students’ (customers’) needs. This study aimed to establish whether students perceive themselves as customers of HEIs, as well as the extent to which they perceive the attitude of academic and administrative staff toward them as being customer-focused.
A total of 411 online questionnaires were administered to students at select private and public HEIs in the province of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Descriptive and inferential statistical analyses were conducted on the survey data using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences. As a result, the majority of students perceived themselves as customers of the HEI. Furthermore, students’ perception of the attitude of academic and administrative staff toward them reinforced the view that they are indeed customers of their HEI. Thus, by working with the academics and administrators, HEIs should consistently identify and satisfy the service needs of students.

Higher education institutions (HEIs) operate in a dynamic environment driven by increasing competition, reduced funding and the deteriorating South African economy. Understanding the needs of students as customers puts pressure on HEIs to provide a unique customer experience to gain a competitive advantage, as both private and public HEIs compete not only for funding but also for prospective students. This study takes a business perspective of higher education by examining how students relate higher education service providers’ (academic and administrative staff) attitudes towards them, to their perceptions of service experience and satisfaction using a sample of 411 students and 428 employees from private and public HEIs in SA. Convenience random sampling was used to identify and select research participants. SPSS Version 22 was used to perform descriptive and inferential statistical analysis, and structural equation modelling was used to test seven (7) hypotheses. The study results highlighted important issues relating to customer-oriented behaviour in the HE industry. Students are more likely to have positive higher education experiences and be satisfied with services when higher education service providers are customer-focused and have a positive attitude towards students. This study recommends that HEIs ensure that their frontline employees (academics and administrators) are customer-focused and empowered to drive continuous improvement activities to enhance the overall customer experience and student satisfaction while maintaining academic integrity.