Degrees of Delight: Two approaches to increasing student satisfaction at university

It is well known that there is a direct relationship between student satisfaction and retention. The Kano Model of customer satisfaction provides a conceptual framework for identifying, measuring and increasing student satisfaction. Kano has identified three types of requirements which influence customer attitudes of satisfaction. These are classified as ’must be’ requirements, performance or one-dimensional requirements and attractive requirements or ’delighters’. Specialised quality student programs are ’delighters’ which significantly enhance the relationship between a student and the institution, thereby contributing to retention. Two such programs at the University of New England, Australia, are the New England Award which recognizes and rewards student development through extra-curricular activity; and the Faculty Mentor Program which provides contextualised academic mentoring through the transition year. This paper expands the Kano model, presents research on student satisfaction with the two programs outlined here and explores the notion of the impact of satisfaction on students in terms of Kano’s ’delighters’ and what that might mean for retention.