Business Commons^™

Teaching Customer Orientation To Millennials By Utilizing Electronic Communication Between Students And Firms, Thomas M. Hickman, Michael M. Pearson

Atlantic Marketing Journal

This article describes an experiential method for teaching customer orientation by directing students to use their own experience with a business to write either an e-mail letter of praise or complaint to that business. Students complete a survey that asks them to rate businesses on customer orientation measures at the time they send the e-mail and, again, at the end of the semester after having had time to receive a response. Results of the surveys are analyzed and recommendations are given for conducting an interactive discussion that allows students to see the variability of the firms’ commitment to customer orientation.