Our Best-In-Class Promise to Higher Education

The term “best in class” is used…a lot. So much, in fact, that it’s become tough to define. For us, it’s more than a set of standards we hold ourselves to. It’s a promise. A rallying cry. A reminder for our associates that we serve the mission of higher education – and it’s a mission that deserves the highest quality of service.

At Nelnet, we believe that a best-in-class partner lives out eight tenets. They need to be:

1. Friendly
2. Flexible
3. Strategic
4. Proactive
5. Inspiring
6. Professional
7. Loyal
8. Trustworthy

These words weren’t picked arbitrarily. We chose them because they perfectly describe who we are and who we strive to be.

It’s not hard to tell when you’re working with someone who puts their needs ahead of your own. At Nelnet, our partners come first.

Matt Spethman, Nelnet Campus Commerce’s director of higher education client experience, says:

“We’re confident that our associates know what’s best for our partners. And we know that they’ll offer effective assistance to reflect that. We always look forward to hearing from our partners after they had an interaction with an associate. That’s why we give them the chance to record a simple, personal message after each call to let us know how we’re doing.”

We often say that we aren’t just a vendor – we’re a partner. By putting the eight tenets to work, our friendly, service-oriented team demonstrates these principles day after day.

Matt says that he incorporates these tenets in his family life as well.

“I believe the eight guiding principles fall into how we are teaching our sons,” says Matt. “Whatever interaction you have with individuals in life, each person should receive the same treatment no matter what, and I believe that carries out in the work of my team and the service guarantee that we want to deliver on to our clients.”

Friendly, flexible, strategic, proactive, inspiring, professional, loyal, and trustworthy – these eight tenets define the best-in-class experience that institutions can expect when they partner with us.

According to Matt, an enormous part of offering best-in-class service is about getting to know people on a personal level, rather than just a business level.

Our team strives to develop life-long relationships with our clients. We approach our relationships with higher education institutions as a partnership – we show up ready to collaborate, serve, and support them with a high level of commitment. Matt says that he always enjoys the real conversations he has with clients – whether they take place on the phone, or in person. Having these relationships allows for a genuine bond to be formed. Friendships are built from a foundation of trust – another reason that term was chosen as a best-in-class tenet.

“While all eight tenets are important to our client experience,” says Matt, “Being trustworthy is the attribute I value most.”

Trust allows our teams to work freely with higher education partners. It makes us easy (and, hopefully, fun) to work with.

“I feel if you can build trust with people, then you can easily build upon that as the foundation. After that, all the other best-in-class tenets fall into place,” says Matt.

Being able to adapt to new changes that come with each day is an important aspect we keep in mind while carrying out the tenets. Our associates are friendly, trustworthy, and inspiring – traits that have become even more important over time.

Change is expected – especially in today’s world. Our team is able to adapt and make the most out of every situation because of the foundation we’ve set for ourselves.

In a conversation with Stacy Lallman, bursar at the Brazosport College, she says she “feels like Nelnet Campus Commerce is the front-runner in this industry, because Nelnet is constantly looking for ways to improve their services.”

We listen to our clients, hear what they’re saying, take their suggestions, and apply those to our processes. After all, collaboration is what makes a partnership so great.

Like we said earlier, the best partners are collaborative ones. People who are flexible and friendly enough to listen to ideas and ensure that their partner’s experience is the same regardless of who they talk with.

“When they are in pain, we can help alleviate it,” Matt says. “When they are feeling joy, we can celebrate their success with them.”

To Mark McCulloch, director of information services at the University of Oregon, partnership means everything. The University of Oregon has been a loyal Nelnet Campus Commerce partner for over 15 years. Mark says that, with us, they’re able to steer the product and have a seat at the table.

“Partners listen,” Mark says. “Don’t worry, you are in good hands. Nelnet Campus Commerce is a partner you can trust.”

We’re promising a payment partner experience like no other.

Each best-in-class tenet reflects who we are. No matter who you interact with, that’s what you can expect. Because that’s what you deserve.

Want to learn more about our best-in-class promise? Check out the tenets for yourself.