Campus engagement survey conducted by Touchwork at NACAS C3X 2022
Touchwork conducted a survey at the National Association of College Auxiliary Services (NACAS) C3X Annual Conference and Expo in November 2022 to gain insights into the higher education industry. The survey aimed to understand how institutions obtain feedback from students, communicate with staff and students, audit their operations, and improve customer experience.
Real-time student feedback
The survey found that 55% of participants indicated that their institutions collected feedback from students, while 45% did not. Of those who collected feedback, 23% used email, 15% used websites, 12% used comment cards and social media, 11% used text messages, 10% used QR codes, and 9% preferred kiosks.
Of all the on-campus locations where institutions gather student feedback, 39% of the feedback is collected in residential dining facilities, 28% in retail outlets, and 12% in bookstores. 6% obtained feedback from students when they were commuting to class and back, while 4% collected feedback in other areas. Regarding the on-campus locations where institutions aim to gather student feedback in the future, 19% plan to collect information in residential dining and retail facilities, 18% in bookstores, and 11% during students’ commute to and from classes.
Audits and inspections
The survey also found that 35% of institutions conduct audits and inspections to improve business performance. Among the types of audits undertaken, 49% used mystery shopping, 31% conducted food safety audits, and 14% conducted environmental assessments. Regarding how audits were performed, 48% used web forms, 32% used paper-based methods, and 8% deployed apps.
Outbound marketing communication
Additionally, the survey found that 30% of respondents indicated that their institutions used an outbound campus marketing tool to communicate with staff and students, while the rest did not. Among the responses received, 46% indicated that their institutions updated students on promotions and events, 38% stated that their institutions kept staff up to date, and 17% reported other types of messages being communicated to employees and students.
Conclusion
Overall, the survey results provide valuable insights into how institutions in the higher education industry obtain feedback from their students, communicate with campus staff and students, and audit their operations to improve customer experience.
Touchwork’s survey at NACAS C3X highlights the importance of collecting and analyzing student feedback for higher education institutions. Our solutions help with this, including mystery shopping, auditing, and communication tools, which can improve business performance and customer experience. With our suite of higher education solutions, institutions can achieve their goal of providing a high-quality educational experience for their students.
