Residential Life and Housing is implementing a new customer service program this summer to make life more enjoyable for on-campus residents and housing tour groups.
RLH will place feedback cards at every desk in the Housing office and their other administrative offices so students can give feedback on whether they are having had a good or bad experience living in or visiting the dorms.
According to Customer Service Supervisor Rachel Goodlad, the goal of the program is to increase student satisfaction with customer service.
“(We want to) revamp the way our department handles customer service,” Goodlad said.
“My whole job is to look at the way our department gives customer service and how to improve it … So when you call us, do we give you the right information right away? When you email us, do we answer right away? That has not always been the case, so my job is to improve any kind of service that you get.”
Since students will be able to give feedback to the resident halls, these boxes will need to be checked often.
“Right now (the boxes) are going to be checked once a week. If they are being used more often than that then we will check them however often they need to,” Goodlad said.
“Then I will address whatever issues we see in the box.”
Students will be able to give “cougar cudos” to the residential staff if they believe they are doing a great job.
This sort of system is especially helpful if a residential advisor goes above and beyond what was required from them.
Architecture sophomore Dominic Wood, after a conflict with his roommate, feels it is actually these advisers that make the difference at the school.
“I think the RA’s are very helpful, and in my experience, responsive to the students needs even when it’s over something trivial,” Wood said.
“I think the strength of the housing system doesn’t lie in the bureaucracy, but in the RA’s. Without the RA’s, I would have so many negative things to say, but overall I’m pleased with my stay in the dorms.”
Despite how he is pleased with the result of his situation, Wood is not optimistic about how the feedback boxes will pan out.
“(The boxes will be affective) only if people use them, and they will probably only use them if they have something to complain about,” Wood said.
The boxes will also serve an alternate use to communicate new services to campus.
Literature sophomore Sara Balabanlilar said the boxes will actually be effective in improving student life in the dorms.
“I think residents at UH need to be more proactive about bringing ideas and complaints to the authority’s attention, and therefore getting things fixed,” Balabanlilar said.
“By installing comment boxes, it’s that much easier for everyone to put their two cents regarding the pros and cons of living on campus.”
They will also be allowed to provide feedback to the residential halls if they have an idea and want it to be used, but the timetable on when these ideas will be used varies.
“It depends on what the ideas are, if somebody says I want to have a super bowl party or something then that will happen,” Goodlad said.
“If it is something that would take a lot of work, then that would not be able to happen instantly or by next week.”
These feedback cards will also give the students the option to remain anonymous or be directly contacted by the Housing office for a follow-up on their idea or their complaint, such as to why they were given wrong information or any other questions they may have.
Goodlad hopes this option will close all the gaps on customer service problems.
“I want anybody that works for me or works in the department; I want (students) to think that (the department) gave them great service,” Goodlad said.
I don’t really care so much about the service. I just want to have a decent living space and ensure that the building functions properly. I honestly think RLH’s fix-it requests are good (got an ant problem solved within the day), though the bathrooms could use some serious improvement.
There is no need for RLH to provide ‘extras’ to student living. Various socials or get-togethers with food, drinks, decorations, entertainment and such costs some good amount of money. Not everyone can make it to them, and not a lot of people actually go. Instead, they should not bother with the extras and reduce the cost of living.
RLH needs to be more reasonable and act as a bare bones operation. We’re college students that just want to reside on/around campus. Not people living in condos. If you want a super bowl party, please do it on your own dime.
I agree with the above. After living on campus for a few semesters it became obvious that these “mixers” and parties are attended by the same people.
I was lucky enough to have an RA that didnt do any extra activities. Students who live on campus are already given so much to do on campus (athletic events, clubs, SPB) that RLH should scrap any future plans for social events.