This article discusses a framework in which a researcher may apply a customer satisfaction model to the planning of counseling services at the community college level. It also reviews some historical work on satisfaction research with the unique environment of student services in two-year colleges. The article suggests that readers could benefit from this paper by understanding a constructive way to use data on student satisfaction and by gaining potential justification for conducting such work. Furthermore, it discusses three major points concerning the application of customer satisfaction theory to community college planning of counseling services, including: (1) defining student satisfaction; (2) adapting the customer satisfaction model for student services; and (3) policy implications for using the customer satisfaction model in student services at community colleges. The article also emphasizes that college administrators should use the student satisfaction research as an improvement tool, not as a staff evaluation tool. It describes the limitations of student satisfaction research as being able to only measure some of the factors that contribute to a student's satisfaction because the school cannot control all factors related to student satisfaction. Finally, there is a discussion of some possible reasons for delaying or rejecting the implementation of the customer satisfaction model in student service and counseling research. (Contains 6 figures and 16 references.) (JS)