How to make student service communication better, according to students

Student-service teams spend a lot of time trying to communicate with students: deadlines, reminders, financial-aid notices, registration alerts, billing prompts, etc. Still, the gap between what institutions send and what students actually engage with remains wide.

A recent student panel at the 2025 Institute for Student Services Professionals (ISSP) conference offered direct feedback from the people who navigate these systems every day. The students’ comments were candid, and when you listen closely, you hear a clear set of patterns that can make communication more effective and campus operations smoother.

Thanks to Antoine from Northeast Lakeview College, Emmanuel and Abigail from UTSA, and Jenifer Garcia from Texas A&M–San Antonio for sharing such thoughtful and invaluable insights during the panel.

We compiled some of the most meaningful lessons, many of which align closely with WaitWell’s work in helping campuses communicate clearly, reduce friction, and support students through each service step.

1. Use their name and speak to them as a person

Students responded strongly to even small forms of recognition. It was clear that personalisation sets the tone for how the message will be received.

“If it says my name, I’ll read it. If it just says ‘student,’ it generalises me.”

The point was about feeling seen by an institution that often communicates at scale. A message that begins with a student’s name grabs attention and signals that the communication addresses their specific situation. It narrows the distance between a large office and an individual who is trying to navigate an important task.

This is especially meaningful during high-stress periods like registration holds, document submissions, or financial aid deadlines. Without a sense of connection, even well-intended messages can feel like static.

2. Urgency lives in text messages

The panel had consensus on this one: For anything time sensitive, they rely on text first. Email has its purpose, but it sits in a slower lane.

Students explained it directly:

• “If it’s higher priority, I want it as a text.”
• “Text messages feel more personal.”

They see email as a storage space where they can look back later, but not a channel that commands immediate attention. If a deadline has consequences, they expect to be reached in a way that fits the pace of their day. A text is something they will notice while walking between classes, sitting in transit, or heading into work. That sense of immediacy makes it harder to ignore and easier to act on.

3. Repetition is not a nuisance

Students talked about how much they forget. And that’s not for lack of care. It’s because they are carrying school, work, family roles, commutes, and social commitments at the same time. Forgetting is normal. Repetition is support.

One student laughed while describing an email that said, “Emmanuel, you have four days left to register.” He called it “scary in a good way.” It pushed him to act.

When the stakes are real, students appreciate reminders. A single message is rarely enough, especially during fast-moving periods. Students aren’t annoyed by repetition as long as it is relevant. It is a way of distributing the mental load.

4. Highlight what matters

Students described a familiar pattern. They open an email while on the move, skim quickly, and intend to return later. In that brief glance, they will only catch what stands out visually. This is where formatting becomes a form of communication.

One student said, “If something was highlighted yellow, I’d remember.” Another admitted to missing her registration date because nothing in the message drew her eye to the critical line.

The message here is that clarity is not only about wording. It is about shape. Students are filtering large amounts of information. When the next step is visually marked, the action becomes easier to understand and harder to miss. This helps turn a passive reading moment into a moment of decision.

5. Simplicity drives action more than encouragement

There was a recurring frustration around complexity. Students talked about long lines, multi-step processes, and unclear instructions as moments that drain their willingness to act. Encouragement alone doesn’t resolve this. The real work is in removing friction.

One student said, “We’re all looking for simplicity in life.” Another, describing the WaitWell system on their campus, noted that “you can go online if you’re an hour away from the campus, so you can make an appointment… they have their walk-in registration,” pointing to how clear pathways help them decide what to do.

When offices feel overwhelming or consistently have long waits, students avoid them. The emotional cost of beginning the task rises when the process is difficult to follow. Simplicity increases the chances that students will complete the step without postponing it or forgetting it altogether.

Give students the clarity they’re asking for. WaitWell helps campuses improve student flow and modernize queue management so long waits and confusing steps become simple, supported experiences.
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6. Chatbots help, but only when the question is small

Students have practical expectations for chatbots. They do not dislike them. They simply understand their limits better than most institutions assume. For small, clear questions, they are genuinely useful.

“I asked the chatbot where to get my unofficial transcript, and it gave me the directions,” one student said.

But when the bot tries to interpret nuance or replace a person, trust falls quickly. “If you say something slightly wrong, it gives you too much information and gets confusing.”

The students did not want a chatbot to be the gatekeeper. They wanted it to be a shortcut. The moment a chatbot becomes a barrier instead of a tool, the entire experience moves from helpful to frustrating.

Everything the students shared pointed to a simple idea: clarity and ease shape behaviour. Students act faster when the path is obvious, the timing is right, and the experience feels human rather than bureaucratic. WaitWell’s queue management solution supports that reality by organising the flow of students through key service points and setting clear expectations before they arrive. It gives students a sense of orientation in moments that often feel chaotic, and that shift alone can improve follow-through.

When student service professionals listen closely to how students navigate information, the patterns that help offices reduce confusion, lower wait times, strengthen compliance, and support students with fewer bottlenecks emerge.