Information Services and Systems

Customer Engagement Strategy

Information Services and Systems (ISS) is a customer-focussed service, with the students and staff of Swansea University as our primary customers. To be effective, we need to:

  • Understand our customers’ needs for Library, ICT, Media, Corporate Information Services and Careers and Employability services
  • Find out what our customers think of our current range of services, so that we can have a process of continual improvement

ISSuses a variety of methods to engage with our customers on a regular basis:

  • Our staff are the key element in any customer engagement. Our aim is to provide a professional, helpful and friendly service. Any suggestions from customers for service improvements will be acted upon or passed on to the head of service, as appropriate. Our Subject Teams act as a point of contact for all of the students and staff in particular academic Colleges. Whenever possible, subject librarians will attend College staff-student committees to answer any queries on ISS services.
  • ISSalso carries out one-off surveys. These attempt to determine customers needs in a particular area (for example, student information skills) or focus on a particular aspect of our services (for example, Careers and Employability).
  • We also hold focus groups with particular groups of customer (for example, postgraduate students) to try to get more informal feedback on their needs and on our services to them.
  • ISS customers are also encouraged to make suggestions for service improvements, complaints or compliments to our mailbox () or using our paper suggestions forms. Comments received in this way will be responded to and regularly categorised and collated.
  • Various working groups and more informal committees are also used to engage with particular groups from amongst our customers (for example, the South Wales Coalfield Collection Development Committee).
  • Regular customer engagement will be made possible through a variety of social media sites. These sites will include postings by ISS staff to inform users on such things as new services and resources or announcements of upcoming events. The site postings will encourage users to give feedback. ISS staff will aim to respond to the comments and questions posted by users in a timely manner. (see ISS Social Media Policy)

Whatever the means of customer engagement, feedback and suggestions from ISS customers will be regularly reviewed by the ISS Management Team. If feasible, ISS services and facilities will be revised in the light of this feedback.

List of the Methods of ISS Communication and Gathering Feedback

  • Suggestion Form (print)
  • E-mail:
  • Website:
  • Blackboard: Subject Librarians will maintain Library Support Blackboard modules for individual Colleges. The modules include all guides and information literacy e-learning objects to support students in their study. All students are automatically enrolled into these modules at the beginning of their term.
  • Social Media sites:
  • Blogs: (individual Teams and Services may also have their own blog, approved by ISS Management.
  • Facebook:
  • Twitter: @swanuni_iss
  • YouTube:
  • Committees and groups:
  • College Staff/Student Committees as invited
  • College Learning and Teaching Committees as invited
  • University Strategic Management Groups (SMG):
  • SMG Research SMG Student Experience
  • SMG Effectiveness and Efficiency
  • University Committee:
  • Research Committee
  • Teaching and Learning Committee
  • Space Management
  • HR Committee
  • SEA Management and SEA Strategy Groups

Created 2013; revised 2014