Nottingham Trent University
NTU - Student Services Centre
Case Study
The Student Services Centre (SSC) at Nottingham Trent University (NTU) is the one-stop shop for general enquiries and gateway to Student Support Services. We have SSC Advisers at all three campuses, who can provide card services, enrolment support, information and guidance on all student matters. We refer and direct students to specialist support services including Health & Wellbeing, Disability Support, Financial Support and International Student Support.
With commitment to delivering high-quality services to all customers including NTU staff member and students, we put our customers at the heart of everything we do. CSE has proven an effective tool for our self-assessment and continuous improvement and we successfully hold Customer Service Excellence certification since 2011.
We Chose Customer Service Excellence Standard
The Student Services Centre is committed to providing a high-quality service in a friendly customer focused environment. Customer Service Excellence provides us with a practical tool to access and monitor our performance on a regular basis while focus on continuous improvement and delivering customer-focused services, which is associated with our corporate culture, goals and commitment.
We Chose Assessment Services for our Certification
Assessment Services Ltd is an international assessment centre with more than 30 years of experience in assessment and accreditation, whose Assessors have achieved the SFEDI Assessor qualification. We have been working with Assessment Services since 2011 and we are satisfied with their assessment process which adds value to our department. We have found Assessment Services to be responsive, professional and supportive.
How we prepared for our Assessment
Every year, a new current student at Nottingham Trent University is recruited for a 12-month placement at the Student Services Centre as our Customer Satisfaction & Project Assistant (CSPA) who coordinates our customer satisfaction programmes and CSE assessment process. Our CSPA has a weekly meeting with the SSC manager to discuss each CSE standard from the beginning of the academic year. We look at the previous Assessment Report to identify the areas of improvement and plan for new changes and projects and start inputting the evidence. CSE standards are used as our drivers of change throughout the year, not only a tool for assessment of our services.
Our Learning Points
Each team member should contribute their good work into the CSE submission, which requires regular self-reflection and continuing learning & development.
CSE standards should be discussed at team meeting to encourage everyone get involved from the beginning of the academic year.
How the certification has impacted our customer service
The Customer Service Excellence Standard allows us to self-assess our capability and our performance throughout the academic year, to make sure we are committed with our service standards and identify area of continuous improvement. CSE is designed to encourage us to drive changes and improve services based on an in-depth understanding of our customers and customers’ feedback. This has led to higher customer satisfaction and positive changes we have made at Student Services Centre across 3 campuses. At City, we have made major structural changes to the Front Desk configuration for better engagement with students while also providing more confidential spaces. With the Front Desk + initiative, SSC staff are providing a more personalised and 1 to 1 service when students are distressed or in discomfort. The new Student Services Centre at Clifton offers students a wide range of services and a modern, friendly space right in central location of campus.
SSC staff are encouraged to actively promote and participate in the customer focused culture of the department by getting involved in the assessment process for CSE. SSC staff have regularly reflected on the training program they have taken to deliver better customer services and exchanged knowledge and experience in dealing with difficult situations.
We are hapy with our experience with Assessment Services Ltd who offer timely support and professional services.
