RPI’s campus dining services received high marks in a survey of students with meal plans held last semester.
Service in the dining halls, which is provided by Sodexho Campus Services, received a 97 percent rating of overall satisfaction with 63 percent of students saying they are “highly satisfied.” In the category of overall value, 60 percent of students rated Sodexho’s services as a high value. However, the likelihood that the students would recommend the service was lower, with only 37 percent who responded “definitely.”
Students who filled out the survey said they were highly satisfied with the sanitation of food, the dining halls, and the service area. They also gave a “thumbs up” to the appearance and customer service attitude of Sodexho’s employees.
Sodexho’s unit at Rensselaer is also ranked in the top five percent among the company’s 981 accounts.
“I would have to say that it is a matter of good communication,” said John Fusco, general manager of Rensselaer Dining Services, regarding the achievement. “We are continually answering comment cards and web comments to find out our customers’ needs and requests.”
From the survey, the company has laid out a plan of improvement. The plan calls for improving the quality of the food served—in both taste and food offering—based on the students’ suggestions. Full utilization of the comment cards from the students will help to monitor taste of the food, ideas, and overall satisfaction.
The survey was also conducted for Sodexho’s retail units in Rensselaer Union. However, the result wasn’t as good as those of the dining halls. While the dining halls’ survey mostly rated between 70 and 80 percent satisfaction, students only gave the Union services ratings of around 50 percent.
“We never are content with our current level of service,” continued Fusco. “Our goal is to continue to improve our programs and to listen to our customers every day.”
