Abstract

In a competitive society, for customers to stay loyal, every institution has to meet their demand on time and while putting in place dimensions of service qualities, Institutions must learn to understand customer attributes, customer purchasing behaviour to satisfy them. The main aim of this study was to examine how service marketing elements influence student satisfaction in higher private institutions in Bamenda and Buea council areas, Cameroon. 
Methods: The study make used of quantitative research design, the consumers, students of the selected private institutions in both regions, were taken as the population for this study and a sample size of 1000 participants was simple random sampling technique, the source of data was primary data and instrument use in collecting was self-administered questionnaires and the study make used of ordinary least squares (OLS) in analyzing the data. 
Results: The findings revealed that process quality has a positive and significant effect on student satisfaction, and the result was statistically significant at 1% level of significance (P value <0.004). The finding shows that people's quality has a negative and significant effect on student satisfaction, and the result was statistically significant at 1% level of significance (P value <0.000). The finding further revealed that physical evidence has a positive and significant effect on student satisfaction, and the result was statistically significant at 5% level of significance (P value <0.033). The finding revealed that security has a positive and significant effect on student satisfaction, and the result was statistically significant at 1% level of significance (P value <0.000). The finding revealed that time management has a positive and significant effect on student satisfaction, and the result was statistically significant at 1% level of significance (P value <0.000). 
Recommendations: The study therefore recommends that the institutions should improve in administrative activities and academic processes. This can be done by implementing a digital platform that eases communication between students and administration during registration procedures, admission procedures and school payment.