A private, two-year,
residential institution,
Andrew College was
originally a women’s college – one of the first institutions granted a charter to confer degrees upon women.
Enrollment
400
Location
Cuthbert, Georgia
MBS Direct Client
since 2003
ACHIEVING QUALITY CONTROL
Andrew College - Cuthbert, Georgia
"MBS Direct offers a better, simpler process for us. Our students have a much better inventory of used books to choose from as well as good buyback prices. And Direct offers much better customer service than we previously experienced."
Chris Corrigan Chief Financial Officer, Andrew College
Client Challenge
Until 2003, Andrew College contracted with an
outside vendor to manage all of its textbook
operations within the campus bookstore including
adoptions, acquisitions, and student sales. With
only 400 students, word spread quickly when both
faculty and students consistently complained of poor
customer service from vendor staff, and ineffi cient,
infl exible procedures. The adoption process, for
example, proved ineffectual at times. Faculty gave
adoption lists, often hand-written, to the onsite representatives, sometimes resulting in
misread notes and incorrect orders. Students, in addition to not getting the customer
service they deserved, bore the cost of the vendor's onsite presence through higher priced materials. With a very limited selection of used books available and consistently low buyback prices, students had no way to offset the cost of this necessary expense.
Solution
Andrew College moved quickly to fi nd an alternative textbook program; one that
would provide comprehensive services and quality customer service. The two-year
college soon discovered that MBS Direct could support all of its textbook needs and
more. Since implementing the new book service, complaints have been replaced by
positive feedback from both faculty and students. Students order from a vast selection
of new and used books anytime through their 24-hour online bookstore and have
materials delivered to their home or campus address. Questions and concerns can be
addressed quickly and personally by calling to speak with a dedicated customer service
representative. Faculty can research adoption titles online, and the booklist coordinator
can submit all information electronically to Direct, reducing mistakes created by misread,
handwritten notes. And to fully integrate service with the school's existing operations, Direct implemented an easy-to-use fi nancial aid voucher system, allowing students to buy materials with their aid money simply by identifying themselves as fi nancial aid recipients. The expanded body of bookstore services has increased operational effi ciency and effectiveness, as well as campus amenities and customer satisfaction.
Andrew College 
