HARNESSING THE POWER OF SOCIAL MEDIA IN ACADEMIC ENVIRONMENTS

Year 2016, Volume: 4 , 433 - 437, 01.09.2016

Naciye Güliz Uğur Aykut Hamit Turan

Abstract

:
The retention of customers is a global problem with serious implications for
individuals, public as well as private organizations. Customer retention is a
key factor for fiscal success and competitive advantage in today’s global
economy. Moreover, applying communication and relationship-building techniques
is a common practice to increase customer loyalty and retention.

 

Although
retention is crucial to the economic success of an educational institution,
higher education administrators often ignore quality customer relationship
management as a solution for retention. In order to remain financially viable, higher
education administrators needed to place greater interest on customer
retention.

As
college and university enrollment officers attempt to retain students using
classic programs and models, many students have shifted their methods of
communication to more interactive, self-created content used to position
individuals as members of groups. Researchers have also demonstrated the
importance of active, two-way communication in the customer relationship
management and student retention processes.

 

Findings
from this study may contribute to the existing body of knowledge regarding the
potential relationship between student retention and social media. Furthermore,
the results of this study might provide guidance for academic leaders to
improve student loyalty efforts and increase competitive advantage, thereby
influencing long-term profits by reducing student attrition. 

Keywords

Social media, Facebook, student attrition, student retention, empirical analysis

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