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Creating, maintaining and enhancing
relationships in educational organisations:
an active role for technology
Dr. Peter M. Stevens
Standards New Zealand & Victoria University of Wellington,
New Zealand
In a society based on division of labour, we all alternate between being a customer of products and services delivered by others, and deliverers of services ourselves. All too often in our role as customer, we are aware that the needs of the seller have been given priority over our need as customers to get good service.
However, in an increasingly competitive commercial sector, the process of creating, maintaining and enhancing relationships between the organisation and its customers is gaining in importance. Organisations are understanding - perhaps not before long - that customers wish to be treated as individuals and their relationship with the organistion to be viewed in its entirety rather than as a set of discreet transactions.
In recognition of this "Relationship Marketing" philosophy, loyalty programmes such as frequent flyer schemes have flourished. Relationship Marketing paradigm is fundamentally about building and sustaining customer value over the long term.
In this paper, I will argue that the nature of the relationship between students and the educational institution has often been ignored, and that our philosophy has often been to treat students en masse to the detriment of their interests, and of the institution itself in a competitive environment.
I will suggest that there is a strong congruence between the goals of relationship marketing and the capabilities of the Internet, and that this conformity must become increasingly relevant to educational organisations such as universities in a digital era.
Contact Details
Dr. Peter M. Stevens
Senior Lecturer in Marketing
Director, Diploma of Marketing
Victoria University of Wellington
PO Box 600
Wellington, New Zealand
School of Business & Public Management
Phone: +(64) 4 472 1000 x 8245
Fax: +(64) 4 495 5231
Email: Peter.Stevens@vuw.ac.nz
relationships in educational organisations:
an active role for technology
Dr. Peter M. Stevens
Standards New Zealand & Victoria University of Wellington,
New Zealand
In a society based on division of labour, we all alternate between being a customer of products and services delivered by others, and deliverers of services ourselves. All too often in our role as customer, we are aware that the needs of the seller have been given priority over our need as customers to get good service.
However, in an increasingly competitive commercial sector, the process of creating, maintaining and enhancing relationships between the organisation and its customers is gaining in importance. Organisations are understanding - perhaps not before long - that customers wish to be treated as individuals and their relationship with the organistion to be viewed in its entirety rather than as a set of discreet transactions.
In recognition of this "Relationship Marketing" philosophy, loyalty programmes such as frequent flyer schemes have flourished. Relationship Marketing paradigm is fundamentally about building and sustaining customer value over the long term.
In this paper, I will argue that the nature of the relationship between students and the educational institution has often been ignored, and that our philosophy has often been to treat students en masse to the detriment of their interests, and of the institution itself in a competitive environment.
I will suggest that there is a strong congruence between the goals of relationship marketing and the capabilities of the Internet, and that this conformity must become increasingly relevant to educational organisations such as universities in a digital era.
Contact Details
Dr. Peter M. Stevens
Senior Lecturer in Marketing
Director, Diploma of Marketing
Victoria University of Wellington
PO Box 600
Wellington, New Zealand
School of Business & Public Management
Phone: +(64) 4 472 1000 x 8245
Fax: +(64) 4 495 5231
Email: Peter.Stevens@vuw.ac.nz
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