Customer Service Excellence (CSE)
Following a 2 day online assessment in February 2022, we’re delighted to announce that we've achieved reaccreditation of the Customer Service Excellence (CSE) standard.
View our
Information Services CSE Summary
Despite the fact that the assessment was fully online, we once again improved performance compared to previous years successfully achieving 14 “Compliance Plus” elements. To achieve a “Compliance Plus” we must demonstrate that we exceed the standard expected for CSE compliance, typically evidencing that we are viewed as exceptional or as exemplar to others.
In addition to the Compliance Plus elements, several Areas of Good Practice were reported.
We only had 1 partial-compliance, this was because we were unable to meet our Service Standards and was a direct result of the Covid-19 pandemic.
CSE Assessor Feedback
Our CSE Assessor recognised the challenges faced by IS and the entire University during the last year due to the pandemic, and was impressed by our commitment to customer service. Some of his comments included:
“During this challenging year there is little doubt that a strong customer focus has helped deliver services that were meaningful and impactful.”
“You have used your comprehensive knowledge of customer needs and preferences to prioritise service developments. Covid-19 has made the speed of change very significant in the past year. Your staff responded quickly and appropriately using customer insight to inform decision making.”
“Your staff were polite, friendly, empathetic and professional to customers. This was confirmed in survey results but also in discussions with customers, and through discussions with staff, during this remote assessment.”
“You maintained and improved on your continuous improvement ethos.”
Information Services & CSE
Within Information Services, the underlying principles of Customer Service Excellence and continuous improvement are embedded in all of the work we do, both at a development level as well as our “business as usual”.
We operate in an extremely customer focussed culture, with representation across the department to ensure that customer service is kept at the forefront of our agenda.
Benefits to our Customers
- As a department we are armed with the right skills and knowledge which will make us more responsive to our customers.
- CSE is a driver for continuous improvement which assists in further development of the service rather than meeting a standard and not progressing further.
- It facilitates two way communication, ensuring we are responding to queries and to highlight that we are listening to feedback.
Benefits to Information Services Staff Members
- Our staff have a sense of pride and achievement, investment and hard work is recognised against a rigorous standard, enhances staff morale
- Encourages teamwork and knowledge sharing, makes us look more closely at ways to continuously improve the service
- Enables us to explore and acquire new skills in the area of customer focus and so building our capacity for delivering improved services
- Demonstrates competence and identifies areas for improvement.
Our CSE History
In 2012 Information Services proudly became the first converged IT and Library service within Scotland to achieve the Customer Service Excellence award. This built upon the Library’s accreditation in 2009, prior to the integration of the Library and C&IT to form Information Services.
In 2015 we worked in conjunction with our colleagues in Property & Facilities Services and the University Secretary’s Office to successfully achieve a single Customer Service Excellence accreditation for the University Secretary’s Group which we retained and improved upon in 2016 and 2017.
The University Secretary’s Group disbanded at the end of 2017 and, recognising the significant importance of retaining the CSE Standard, we took the decision to re-accredit as a single department.
How You Can Help Us
We need your feedback! We need to know what you want, what you think we do well, what you think we don’t do so well. Please let us know…
This will help us ensure that we’re meeting and exceeding your expectations, and providing the service you and your students need to achieve your goals.
To provide feedback, please email the IS Service Desk.