This Week's Herman Trend Alert Protecting Perks in a Downturn

The Herman Trend Alert September 24, 2008 Consumer-Driven Higher Education The Law of Supply and Demand is alive and well in higher education. Responding to market needs of increased competition, a college in North Carolina has begun to offer leading edge services to its students. Under the brilliant leadership of Dr. Nido Qubein, a serial entrepreneur and renowned professional speaker, High Point University (HPU) provides students with levels of service and perks never before seen in higher education. Walking through campus is an experience in itself. The main greenway, the Kester International Promenade, features loudspeakers in the trees, playing classical music. HPU recently added six fountains to the campus and six more are planned. Other assorted extras include live music in the cafeteria, a sand volleyball court, and a 16-person hot tub. HPU students are never hungry. During the warm months of the year, there is an ice cream truck touring campus, offering literally hundreds of varieties of complimentary ice cream and ices. Plus the campus has two snack kiosks providing complimentary refreshments, including pretzels, juice, bottled water, fruit, and hot chocolate throughout the day. Students also enjoy complimentary daily valet parking and the services of a campus concierge who arranges for dry cleaning, restaurant reservations, tickets for on-campus events, and even wake-up calls. Their new multiplex will feature a movie theatre exclusively for student use. Presuming the students' have money on their cards, their HPU "Passports" (student ID cards) may also act as debit cards at local restaurants "Our extra services are more than what they appear to be. We are modeling values like generosity, that we want our students to adopt", said Roger Clodfelter, HPU's Director of WOW! "That's why we also recognize students on their birthdays with a card, a piece of cake, balloons, and a small gift. In addition, we send a get-well card and gift when they are sick", he added. It is a "holistic approach to education to prepare students for the real world". Clodfelter is responsible for these value-added services at HPU. (See a later Herman Trend Alert for more about HPU's holistic approach.) Enrollment has grown significantly with the addition of these welcome perks. You can expect more colleges and universities to follow suit, looking for innovative ways to add value to attending their schools. ---------------------------- NB: "Consumer-driven higher education" is defined differently in the United Kingdom. There, responding to the demands of students, professors have felt forced to oblige with "top grades". We define the term to describe what we see as an important trend. © Copyright 1998-2008 by The Herman Group, Inc. -- reproduction for publication is encouraged, with the following attribution: From "The Herman Trend Alert," by Roger Herman and Joyce Gioia, Strategic Business Futurists. (800) 227-3566 or http://www.hermangroup.com. The Herman Trend Alert is a trademark of The Herman Group, Inc." CHALLENGED BY HEALTHCARE EMPLOYEE RETENTION? Many healthcare HR professionals have told us their need for retaining skilled workers has not decreased. Join us in New Orleans and learn the low- and no-cost solutions to this workforce crisis. Help your healthcare organization recruit and retain the talent it must have to thrive. Recertification credit from HRCI. Next Healthcare Employee Retention Specialist(TM) Program: January 28-29 in New Orleans. Call Carol at 336-282-9370 or visit www.employeeretentionspecialist.com. SEE JOYCE GIVING YOU SOLUTIONS FOR THESE CHALLENGING TIMES Follow this special link (open ONLY 11/19 to 11/26) and see Joyce interviewed on Profitability Channel's Biz Buzz. Her topic: "Surviving and Thriving in Tough Economic Times". Or you may view Joyce's two previous shows or any of the other 280 programs on the Channel. Then consider taking the sponsor's very special "economic stimulus" offer: Save over $500 off the regular cost of membership by paying $299 up front, then get a total of $500 in rebate coupons to spend on food or fuel over the next 20 months. Yes, this is NOT a typo. You actually pay $300 and get back $500. The only catch is that you get back the $500, $25 at a time. Be sure to put in the promotional code of esp12 at the bottom. For more information, visit www.ProfitabilityChannel.com. FIND OUT WHAT YOUR EMPLOYEES REALLY THINK AND FEEL Discover what's really going on in the hearts and minds of your employees. Our InnerViews interviewing service uses SPHRs and PHRs, certified human resource professionals to probe for the information you really need to know. Exit and Stay Interviews, as well as Why-Didn't-You-Take-Our-Offer Interviews. Call Rosalie Catalano at 937-648-1918 or read more at: www.hermangroup.com/retentionconnection/exit_interviews.html. To read this Herman Trend Alert on the web: http://www.hermangroup.com/alert/archive_9-24-2008.html. Herman Trend Alerts are produced by the Herman Group, strategic business futurists, Certified Management Consultants, authors, and professional speakers. New subscribers are welcome. There is no charge for this public service. The Herman Trend Alert is received by over 30,000 subscribers in 78 countries, in addition to other websites and printed magazines. Do you enjoy receiving this weekly e-mail update? Contact us about our co-branded Trend Alert service. Click here to sign up for the Herman Trend Alert. Subscribe or Unsubscribe to weekly Herman Trend Alert View this week's Herman Trend Alert Archived Weekly Herman Trend Alerts

[ Home · About · Products · Telebridge · Resources · Media ]

Web site design by WebEditor Design Services, Inc.