Abstract
Purpose. This study examined customer service orientation and job satisfaction in credential analysts in California colleges and universities. Customer service orientation components included taking responsibility, demonstrating expertise, and exhibiting a desire to help. Job satisfaction indicators included job stress, salary, interpersonal relationships, role importance, responsibility, and the nature of the work. This study also questioned whether or not significant differences exist in customer service orientation and job satisfaction between credential analysts based upon demographics or institutional size and type. Finally, it determined to what degree a correlation exists between customer service orientation and job satisfaction in credential analysts. Methodology. This research utilized descriptive, causal comparative, and correlation designs. The population included employees from eighty California colleges and universities. A questionnaire was developed to collect data, and the project had a 72.5 percent rate of return. Findings. This study found that credential analysts are customer service oriented and satisfied with some aspects of their job, but are dissatisfied with salary and job stress. In addition, those with six to ten years of experience indicated greater role importance than those with less than six. Those in public institutions indicated greater concern over job stress than did those at private institutions. Finally, there was a strong positive correlation between customer service orientation and job satisfaction. Conclusions. This study revealed that credential analysts consider themselves to be highly customer service oriented, but their feelings about job satisfaction are mixed. It suggests that it takes several years for credential analysts to become proficient in their work, probably because it takes that long to develop credentialing expertise. It also appears that private institutions provide a less stressful working environment. Finally, it seems that credential analysts are more oriented toward customer service when they are satisfied with their jobs. Implications for action. Recommendations were made to improve credential analysts' customer service orientation and job satisfaction by increasing salaries, lowering job-related stress, and taking steps to improve perceived role importance.