A retenção de clientes (alunos) de uma instituição de ensino superior no âmbito do curso de graduação em direito

Abstract

Customer retention is seen as a key aspect for the success of organizations in the market, which is proposed as one of the most important components for the consolidation of market share, turnover and sustainability of companies. The constructs of co-creation of value, value in use, switching costs and customer satisfaction are constantly addressed to achieve student (customer) retention in the context of higher education. Thus, this work addresses the retention of students (clients) of an HEI within the scope of the graduation course in Law in the city of Rio Verde, State of Goiás (GO). The general objective of the work is to enhance the retention of clients (students) of an HEI – Higher Education Institution in the Law Undergraduate course. To enable the production of evidence that allowed achieving the objectives defined for the research, a qualitative and exploratory research was implemented. Data were collected in two steps. In the first stage, through in-depth individual interviews. In the second stage, by conducting focus groups. Both techniques were operationalized in a single session and with a semi-structured approach, using Basic Scripts of Questions. The results show that value co-creation plays an important role in student retention, especially in extension projects. Regarding the use value of the services, the results indicate that the faculty, the structure of the institution, scholarships, open courses and the institution's reputation in the region also positively influence the students' decision to remain enrolled. The students showed great satisfaction with the HEI, especially with the quality of the teaching staff, including their solid training and professional experience, considering it a relevant factor for their permanence in the institution. Regarding the cost of switching, students take into account the loss of benefits offered by the University and the financial losses associated with moving, such as the interruption of scholarships, when evaluating the possibility of leaving or changing institutions. The survey identified opportunities for improvement, such as developing a more effective communication channel, specific improvements in infrastructure and giving more autonomy to the faculty. This work contributes with concrete directions to improve the retention of students in a Law course, analyzing determining factors that influence the satisfaction and retention of students. This research showed that the constructs of co-creation of value, use value, exchange costs and satisfaction play a fundamental role in the maintenance and satisfaction of students throughout their academic journey. In addition, the study enabled a more comprehensive understanding of the needs and expectations of the students of the course and of the investigated institution.