Reducing refunds by aligning expectations
Refund rates in Korea were critically high, with over half of students requesting refunds within the first 90 days. Our goal was to uncover the root causes of dissatisfaction and identify solutions that would reduce early drop-offs.
Research & Discovery
I have conducted 5 in-depth interviews with refunding students to understand dissatisfaction and refund triggers. Launched a satisfaction survey with 507 students to quantify issues and gather open-text feedback. Interviewed 7 sales consultants, centre managers, and service managers to understand staff perspectives. Applied a mixed-methods approach: thematic coding of interviews + quantitative survey analysis.
Expectations, not surprises
80% of refunders express a misalignment in between expectation vs. reality of the course.
Students buy in for instructor-led professional learning but experience peer-heavy classes. This mismatch is the root of early dissatisfaction.
We began by designing a simple, printable guide for use in sales consultations. It clearly outlined class formats, goals, and time commitments, giving prospects a realistic picture from day one. This transparency built trust and reduced the early shock that often triggered refunds.
55% of students were dissatisfied with Multimedia lessons.
We addressed student frustration around not being able to revisit past lessons. By proposing a review feature, students could return to previous materials anytime, reinforcing learning and reducing stress.
Relevant to their goals
46% of the students are career driven.
Many students, especially working professionals, expected content tied to their careers. Increasing visibility of business- and work-related modules better meet expectations and increase engagement.
Consistency counts
We uncovered that none of the sales staff had completed full training. This led to inconsistent communication and false expectations. By making training mandatory, we ensured that every consultant set the same, realistic expectations, creating a smoother start for students.