Service Audit of the:Student Learning Drop-In

University of Tasmania

Kevin Swarts

May 2012

Table of ContentsMarketing Mix.......................................................................................................................................3

Product..............................................................................................................................................3

Information....................................................................................................................................4

Hospitality......................................................................................................................................4

Care Taking....................................................................................................................................5

Billing and Payment.......................................................................................................................5

Process..............................................................................................................................................5

Student Visits.................................................................................................................................6

Meet Mentor.................................................................................................................................6

Sign Register..................................................................................................................................7

Ask for Assistance..........................................................................................................................7

Physical Evidence...............................................................................................................................7

Space and Function........................................................................................................................8

Signs, Symbols and Artefacts.........................................................................................................9

Recommendation 1: Provide More Information on the Website........................................................10

Depth...............................................................................................................................................10

Directions........................................................................................................................................11

Commitment...................................................................................................................................12

Instructions......................................................................................................................................12

Recommendation2: Open up the Work Environment.........................................................................13

Avoidance Behaviour.......................................................................................................................13

Confusion & Crowding.....................................................................................................................14

Interaction & Communication.........................................................................................................14

Design..............................................................................................................................................15

References...........................................................................................................................................16

Appendix 1: Service Blueprint..............................................................................................................18

Appendix 2: Floor Plan.........................................................................................................................19

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Service Audit of the:Student Learning Drop-In

Marketing MixThe Student Learning Drop-In is a student support service provided by the University of

Tasmania (UTAS). Current students work as

Student Learning Mentors (SLMs) to help other

students with academic writing skills (Student

Learning 2012). The Student Learning Drop-In

has a monopoly on the service it provides to

the students at UTAS, so it has no comparable

competition to compare its marketing strategy

to. The extended marketing mix can be used to

analyse the marketing strategy of the Student Learning Drop-in. This service audit will look

at Product, Process and Physical evidence as these elements have a large impact on the

marketing strategy.

Product The core product of the Student Learning Drop-In is providing students with academic

assistance. However the Student Learning Drop-In provides more than just the core service.

The service encounter is the entire process experienced by the customer, and includes both

core and peripheral elements (Hume 2008). Lovelock’s (1992) Flower of Service Model is an

effective marketing tool to evaluate the delivery of the supplementary services of the core

product. These supplementary services can be grouped into eight petals for individual

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Extended Marketing

Mix

Product

Price

Place

PromotionProcess

Physical Evidence

People

analysis. In well designed service organisations these petals are fresh and well formed by

facilitating and enhancing the core product (Lovelock 1995 pp. 33).

InformationInformation is provided as a

supplement service in a number of

ways. A small blue sign is put out in

front of the student centre when the

drop-in centre is open, which directs

students to the service delivery point.

This sign is helpful in letting students

know when the drop-in centre is open

and informing new customers of the

approximate location of the drop-in centre. The Student Learning Drop-In also has a website

with opening hours and an email address. The website is very basic and does not provide

any enhancing information on what the students could expect to happen throughout the

service experience. The website also fails to address ways of reducing the psychological cost

of students seeking assistance.

HospitalityHospitality is vital in mentoring programs as it includes greetings, courtesy and friendliness

towards the students. The SLMs use hospitality to forge relationships and interact with

students using open communication, which are some of the most important aspects in

successful mentoring (Lee et al. 2006). The SLMs also reassure students, use effective

communication and group interaction, which are key strategies in dealing with students

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from different cultures transitioning into university (Zapf 1991). The SLMs rely on

communication and interaction to effectively deliver the service product.

Care TakingCaretaking and safekeeping include caring for the student’s possessions such as laptops,

bags and paperwork. A concept that needs to be considered is caring for the student’s

intellectual property (QUT 2011). Often students will seek academic assistance with an

assignment that other students have also been mentored with. This creates a potential

problem if the SLM shares the ideas of one student with another student doing the same

assignment. Furthermore, students waiting to see a mentor may overhear a mentoring

session with another student doing the same assignment. An element of privacy needs to be

considered in the delivery of the mentoring service.

Billing and PaymentThere can be some confusion in regards to whether the mentoring service is free, or if there

are obligations attached to the service. This is especially observed when students are asked

to sign the register and the students are not sure what the register is for. Students who are

confused about the obligations in using the Student Learning Drop-in will be more likely to

be dissatisfied, less loyal and result in poor brand image (Vincent-Wayne & Papavassiliou

1999).

ProcessThe service process is the sequential steps the customer goes through in order for them to

receive their product. Service blueprints map out the service process in a logical and orderly

way so that the service process can be conceptualised. A long-term view and understanding

what satisfies your customers optimises the effectiveness of the blueprint (Baum 1990).

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Using the Service Blueprint for the Student Learning Drop-In, some of the process elements

can be critically analysed (Appendix 1).

Student VisitsThe first stage of the service process is when the student drops-in. The sign outside provides

the physical evidence to direct the student to the Student Learning Drop-In. The signs in the

Student Learning Space reassure the student that they are in the correct place to received

academic assistance. At this stage the student will be greeted by a SLM and asked to wait to

see their mentor. Sometimes this stage of the process is supported by lecturers and student

advisors who refer students to the Student Learning Drop-In Centre.

Meet MentorAfter waiting for service, the student meets the SLM that will be assisting them. This may be

a different person to the SLM who originally greeted them. Some students may have had

mentoring sessions before and request to see a specific mentor who has already helped

them on their assignment. The SLMs wear blue t-shirts with ‘Student Learning Mentor’ on

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them. This identifies who the SLMs are and gives an appearance of professionalism. New

students are likely to feel apprehensive about meeting their mentor, so friendly SLMs with a

professional appearance builds a positive image that benefits students engaging with the

service process.

Sign RegisterThe SLM will then ask the student to sign the register. A register is kept for students seeking

academic assistance to sign-in with their name and student number. The SLMs explain what

the register is for and record the type of academic assistance provided. The register is used

to monitor how many students visit the Drop-in Centre and follow up with student surveys.

This information is entered on the network by a SLM at a later time. When the Drop-in

Centre is busy the clipboard may be being used by someone else and SLMs can defer this

stage at the risk of forgetting to sign the register.

Ask for AssistanceAfter signing the register the students are ushered into the Drop-in room where they can

ask for academic assistance. The students need to be specific on what assistance they ask

for, as SLMs are not allowed to proof read assignments or offer advice on the subject

specific content. The SLMs help students with this stage by explaining the limitations to the

academic assistance and clarify the mentoring focus on essay planning, writing and study

skills, and referencing help. The posters on the wall describing the services provided also

assist students with this stage of the service process.

Physical EvidenceThe service provided by Student Learning Drop-In is intangible. The students leave the

mentoring session with nothing but the knowledge they have gained and their own personal

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experience. This intangibility gives rise to credence properties which make it difficult for

customers to form expectations and evaluate the service (Prenshaw, Kovar, & Kimberly

2006). Students consequently use the physical evidence surrounding the service delivery as

a cue to gauge service quality (Reimer& Kuehn 2005). Bitner’s (1992) Servicescape Model is

a useful tool for exploring the impact of physical evidence on the behaviours of both

students and SLMs.

Space and FunctionThe layout of the drop-in centre is

constrained, as there are space

limitations which restrict the design of

the mentoring learning area. The

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confined layout and congestion impacts on the way students perceive the servicescape and

their responses to the physical environment. The constrained approach and congested work

space exemplifies avoidance behaviour or the Mehrabian-Russell Stimulus-Response Model

(Zijlstra & Mobach 2011). This is likely to affect individual behaviour in a negative way and

make it more difficult to attract students into the drop-in centre. The Student Learning

Drop-In room is also relatively small and can get over crowded. As a result of the limited

space, the SLMs sometimes mentor outside the room on the couch or at the Student Centre

tables.

Signs, Symbols and ArtefactsSignage directing students to the

Student Learning Drop-In is limited and

competes with various other advertising

messages though out the Student

Centre. A retractable display in the

Student Centre is effective in

communicating to students visiting the

Student Centre the location of the

student learning space. The colour of the décor is yellow walls that contrast well with the

blue advertising theme used by the Student Centre Drop-In. Blue is a good choice for using

in intergraded marketing communication as it generates a perception of trust (Lee & Rao

2010) and yellow communicates warmth and happiness as well as stimulate creative

thought (Willams 2007).

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Recommendation 1: Provide More Information on the Website

Information is an important part of the service product, which needs to be provided by the

Student Learning Drop-In. Lovelock’s (1992) flower of service model includes information as

part of the augmented service product that supplements the core product. Providing this

information is different to promotion, which uses integrated marketing communication to

inform, persuade and remind customers (Hill & Gandhi 1992). Before developing the

intergraded marketing communication strategy, it is worth considering what information is

required about the core product, before persuading and reminding consumers.

DepthThe current website provides limited information in facilitating the core product. When

compared to other UTAS support websites, like Peer Assisted Study Sessions (PASS), the

website lacks the depth of information required of a functioning support program. A survey

of Australian university websites, shows information available online for other university

mentoring programs generally include substantially more information than a single

webpage. All the universities searched had more than five pages, with wide ranging content.

The Student Learning Mentor website has less information than other comparable academic

support services.

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Information provided on the website about the mentoring service should include;

comprehensive directions to the drop-in centre, information about public holidays and

university breaks, pricing and commitment, instructions on how to use the service, warnings

about mentoring restrictions, conditions of service, notification of changes to the SLM

service, and documentation such as essay plans and directive words (Lovelock 1995 p. 34).

DirectionsThe website should provide comprehensive and easy to follow directions to the Student

Learning Drop-In Space. The Drop-In Space is not visible to general pedestrian traffic and

lacks the exposure required to attract students to impulsively drop-in. Having a detailed

map showing the location of the drop-in space would assist students finding the service.

Providing images of the drop-in space will also assist potential customers in knowing what

to expect when approaching the service delivery point. This additional information about

the serve can reduce the physiological cost for students seeking assistance (Vogel, Wester &

Larson 2007 p. 419).

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CommitmentPricing and commitment need to be addressed. Not knowing how much a product will cost

makes it risky to engage in the service offering. Students often ask if the service is free and

why they need to sign the register. Providing this information on the website will answer

these questions and assist students in deciding to use the service. Furthermore students

have the right to know what the information they provide will be used for (OAIC 2012).

Providing students with the information about what is expected of them when they drop-in,

will enhance the service product.

InstructionsProviding students with instructions on how to use the service enhances the quality of the

service product. Students can visit the website and familiarise themselves with what to

expect from the service and how to prepare themselves before using the service. Knowing

what service SLMs can provide and the limitations of the service product, prevents

avoidable service gaps when students ask for academic help that cannot be provided.

Communicating this information helps to manage the customer gap between expected

service and the student’s perception of the service delivery, and delivers a better quality

service (Parasuraman, Zeithaml & Berry 1985 p. 44).

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Recommendation2: Open up the Work Environment

The physical environment impacts on the behaviour of the customers and mentor staff. In

particular the layout and design of the Student Learning Drop-In space affects the approach

and avoidance of potential students, the interaction between mentors and students, and

the facilitation of the service process. The congested and limited space has a negative

impact on the service product, and opening up the layout of the Student Learning Drop-In

will deliver a better service product.

Avoidance BehaviourOpening up the layout will improve the service by reducing avoidance behaviours. Open and

accessible service points, create a user friendly environment and reduces congestion.

Congestion causes a situation in which customers sense a loss of control which can cause a

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range of negative responses. These emotive responses result in avoidance behaviour which

turns students away from the service delivery point or generates the desire for them not to

return (Zijlstra & Mobach 2011). Opening up the layout of the service delivery point

encourages students to engage in the Student Learning Drop-In service.

Confusion & CrowdingIn the Service Blueprint of the Student

Learning Drop-In, the students are

greeted by the SLMs when they arrive.

In the closed work space it is difficult

for SLMs to greet students when they

cannot see them coming. The

students need to walk into the room

to make their presence known to the SLMs, who may have their attention engaged while

working with another student. Being unable to effectively greet students causes confusion

for the students seeking out the service. This confusion is compounded by the lack of

information, because until the students are greeted by a mentor, they are unaware of the

service process. Furthermore a small and closed work environment gives the feeling of a

crowing when the service is busy. Both confusion and crowding directly hinder students

from engaging in the service delivery and constrain employee’s ability to do their work

(Bitner 1992 p. 61).

Interaction & CommunicationThe servicescape influences the nature and quality of service delivery, especially in direct

interpersonal services. Research shows that size, proximity and flexibility of the service

environment can define the time and limits of social interaction (Bitner 1992). Ilozor and

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Oluwoye (1999, p. 244) as cited in Haynes (2008), show in their research that open-plan

workspaces support informal meetings and are linked with increased workplace

performance. Research by the Cornell University International Workplace Studies Program

shows that open work environments significantly benefit communication which contributes

to high quality work and employee satisfaction (Becker & Sims 2001 p. 12). Open

workspaces encourage the interaction and communication required in student mentoring.

DesignThe Student Learning Drop-In room is small; however the plans show that this room has

been converted from an open kitchen design to a closed learning room (Appendix 2). This

indicates that the wall closing off the room is very likely to be non-structural and easily

moved or altered. Emergency exit doors are located in the Learning Space which may

require consideration in the design though access and egress provisions in the Building Code

of Australia (BCA 2008, Part D1.4). Removing the wall will allow a glass screen wall and door

to be built and significantly increasing the size and functionality of the service delivery point.

A glass screen wall and door will protect the servicescape from noise, yet still maintain

visual openness and light.

An open environment is easily attainable and will significantly improve the servicescape of

the Student Learning Drop-In. Workspaces designed to meet individual and organisational

needs are more effective than space efficient workplaces (Oseland 2009). An open

workspace will reduce avoidance behaviour, reduce student confusion and crowding, and

encourage interaction and communication. This will considerably enhance the service of the

Student Learning Drop-In.

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ReferencesBaum, SH 1990, "Making Your Service Blueprint Pay Off!", The Journal of Services Marketing, vol. 4, no. 3, pp. 45-45.

BCA 2008, ‘Building Code of Australia: Class 2 to Class 9 Buildings Volume One, Australian Building Codes Board, Canberra, ACT.

Becker, F & Sims, W 2001, ‘Offices That Work: Balancing Communication, Flexibility and Cost’, Cornell University International Workplace Studies Program, viewed 4 May 2012, <http://iwsp.human.cornell.edu/file_uploads/offices1_1238256905.pdf>.

Bitner, MJ 1992, "Servicescapes: The Impact of Physical Surroundings on Customers and Employees", Journal of Marketing, vol. 56, no. 2, pp. 57-57.

Haynes, BP 2008, "The impact of office layout on productivity", Journal of Facilities Management, vol. 6, no. 3, pp. 189-201.

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Oseland, N 2009, "The impact of psychological needs on office design", Journal of Corporate Real Estate, vol. 11, no. 4, pp. 244-254.

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Prenshaw, PJ, Kovar, SE & Kimberly, GB 2006, "The impact of involvement on satisfaction for new, nontraditional, credence-based service offerings", The Journal of Services Marketing, vol. 20, no. 7, pp. 439-452.

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Appendix 1: Service Blueprint

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Appendix 2: Floor Plan

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