Need a cuddle?

Aren’t there times you just need a cuddle?

Nothing sexual about it – you just need to feel affirmed, and reassured, and comforted.

To feel nurtured and cared for.

A website, BeCuddled.today has set up just such a service.

It describes its service as ”100% non-sexual snuggles and platonic companionship…” and will literally send someone round to cuddle you.

And once you get beyond the nudge-nudge-wink-wink reaction, you can see they do have a point.

Universities, particularly those with the bigger reputations, could learn a lot from them.

This Sunday Times story reports on how low scores in the National Student Survey will affect universities’ right to raise fees above the current £9,250 ceiling. And bottom of the satisfaction list includes some big Russell Group names.

Student satisfaction is a complicated mix of impressions, of which teaching quality is of course an important part.

But perceptions are key, and this can be influenced.

That’s why we helped a faculty, (from a Russell Group university) with a concerted campaign to its current students, seeking feedback and then subsequently communicating with them on changes made as a result.

Part of this campaign was also to encourage people to fill in the National Student Survey.

It’s very easy to assume once a student signs up for your course, that you can bank their £9,250 each year, and not particularly have to worry about customer service.

Not only is that not ethical, it’s not smart either.

And you have to do more than care about your students – you have to show you care.

You have to make sure that the perception catches up with the reality.

You have to make them feel cuddled.

Want to find out a bit more about how this works, and what it could do for you?

Come and visit us on our boat in Paddington Basin, and we’ll reveal all.

Michael Isaacs