Case Studies in Customer Satisfaction Research

Research Using Leading Indicators to Keep Pace
with Changing Student Needs
By Kevin Hawkins

Abstract
Rutgers Dining Services is one of the largest and most leading edge student dining operations in the country. Through a variety of innovative methods they develop strategies that meet the needs of a variety of student types. Rutgers developed a level of predictability into their strategy through the SatisTrack™ program’s ability to measure leading indicators. Leading indicators are the result of a measurement process that is driven by the organization itself and it is entirely within their span of control. The SatisTrack™ system led Rutgers Dining Services through a successful re-engineering of their dining programs and allows for continuous improvement of the plan. Capitalizing on the operational expertise of Insights Research Group, Rutgers Dining Services has been able to meet the needs of the students and optimize student satisfaction.

Situation

The Division of Dining Services at Rutgers University is listed as the third largest self-operated university food service in the country. They operate five student dining facilities serving over 2,800,000 meals; eleven cash facilities serving over 370,000 meals and provide catering for over 4000 University events yearly. The division is dedicated to continuous improvement, superior customer service, and offering high quality products and services. They define their mission as: The Division of Dining Services is committed to providing a high quality, efficient food operation in a safe and congenial environment. The division pledges to operate in a professional, prudent manner to achieve total satisfaction for the students, staff, and guests of the university.

Critical Issue
Since the late 1990’s, Rutgers Dining Services has evolved in terms of its facilities and operations. They have consolidated some operations into a single facility, providing a larger student dining area, a new faculty and staff dining area, and banquet and catering facilities. They had food preparation staff participate in skill-development workshops run by the Culinary Institute of America. They conduct regular menu changes and dining hall modifications. They are dedicated to creating and updating meal plans that meet the needs of a variety of student types.

Rutgers dining services is at the top of their field and is in a situation that demands the needs of the students be understood and met. The evolution of their services has been a costly endeavor and to stray off course would be hazardous to the direction of the program. In order to keep current with quickly changing student trends, perceptions and satisfaction levels, they needed to establish a process to gather leading indicators and be proactive in the use of student feedback.

Solution
Rutgers Dining Services was already familiar with the data collection and analytical capabilities of Insights Research Group, and turned to the company for a solution. Insights Research Groups’ online customer satisfaction management tool, SatisTrack™, was recommended to bring together a measurement process that enabled dining services management to quickly process quarterly questionnaires, predict trends, and thereby immediately improve offerings and services, and comply with the changing needs of the students. SatisTrack™ offered much more than just tracking customer satisfaction. It actually provided Rutgers with the tool needed for continuous improvement, superior customer service, and offering high quality products and services.
Rutgers could now add a level of predictability into their strategy through the SatisTrack™ program’s ability to measure leading indicators. Leading indicators are the result of a measurement process that is driven by the organization itself and it is entirely within their span of control e.g. measuring students’ perceptions of the cleanliness of a dining hall.