Join Swan

Sam joined the team in May 2021 and is currently working whilst studying his Level 3 Infrastructure Technician Apprenticeship in Networking. He works alongside our Customer Support Team to resolve user queries, is responsible for setting up hardware and helps install our systems on site. 

“What I’m learning in my apprenticeship is interesting and I can apply a lot of it to my work at Swan. It makes it easier to pick things up about the systems and solve problems for users.” 

 

What do you like about working at Swan? 

“Everyone is willing to take the time to teach you and be taught. People are easy to talk to, you can confide in whoever and guarantee you’ll get help and guidance. The feeling you’re learning useful skills and gaining the ability to sort issues independently is really rewarding. 

“There’s no disconnect between people because of their seniority; everyone helps each other and works together.” 

 

What would you say to anyone considering joining Swan?  

“If you’re interested in retail or IT behind the scenes, then it’s a great place to begin, with a supportive environment. I started at Swan from scratch, not knowing how retail works, but the Company is really encouraging when it comes to learning and development.” 

Bringing over 8 years’ experience developing software with her, Karthiga joined our Development team in October 2021. The part-time basis of her role means she can balance being a Developer with family life. 

“It took a long time to find a part-time job as a Developer, so I was delighted to find this role and get back to doing what I love.” 

 

What does a typical day involve for you? 

“A typical day for me involves designing and implementing Java-based applications, contributing to the specification and creation of new developments, problem solving, debugging and producing detailed design documents. Much of my work involves writing high quality, efficient code to maintain and improve existing programmes.” 

 

What do you enjoy most about your role and working at Swan? 

“There are many areas to learn in my work role. It gives me room to grow, learn new technologies and apply it. I enjoy working in new requirements and solving challenges.   

“The working hours are perfect for me, and my team helps me balance my time. They are professional but friendly, and I look forward to working with them each day. Swan is one of the best companies I’ve worked for. Everyone is skilled, highly capable and, at the same time, approachable.”  

 

What would you say to anyone considering joining Swan? 

“Without any doubt, if you think the role is suitable for you and you can do the job the well, go for it. For me, my work is very interesting and Swan is a lovely company to work for.” 

Ashley joined Swan in June 2021 as a Sales Executive and quickly progressed to Sales & Operations Coordinator in early 2022. His role involves handling leads, new enquiries and customer upgrades, as well as creating quotes, processing orders and looking at financial accounts. Ashley brings a wealth of experience from over 20 years working in retail. 

 

What do you enjoy most about your role? 

“Being part of the Swan team means I don’t have the same pressures as working in a retail environment and I enjoy learning something new practically every day. There’s a lot of support and it’s not a case of a race to the top, it’s more like “let’s do it together”.” 

 

What do you like about working at Swan?   

“It’s not too big. I worked in a retail group of 200 stores with around 200 employees in each store. Here there are less than 100 people and it’s more of a family environment. Even though I don’t see the team in person everyday (as I often work remotely), we are still able to build great relationships virtually. 

“Everyone is super nice and welcoming. You don’t feel like a number, you’re a person. I can talk to the MD at the same level that I do with anyone else, there’s no ‘them and us’ hierarchy.”  
   

What would you say to anyone considering joining Swan?   

“Don’t be afraid to make the leap. If you come from a background that isn’t necessarily tech-related, you’d be surprised what you can learn and apply transferrable skills to. It’s not just about knowing technical details, it about being able to communicate with people at different levels.  

“When searching for a new role, you filter job searches by what you’ve already done and a job like mine pops up and you think “I’d never be able to do that in a million years”, but you can!” 

After working in the furniture retail industry for 18 years in buying and management roles, Jennifer joined Swan in August 2021 and has progressed to the role of Project Consultant. She has used our systems for many years and so brings a wealth of experience from the perspective of our clients. 

“I’ve been an end user, so I understand what language, shortcuts and methods retailers understand. I work almost as a translator between Swan’s clients and Swan’s support team. There can be a lot of technical terminology with retail software, so I think it’s really useful to explain how to get the best of our systems using language that everyone will understand. That way, the training I give to our users gives them the confidence they need to use the system efficiently and effectively.” 

 

What do you like about working at Swan? 

“I’ve not come across anyone that wouldn’t go out of their way to help you. As a company, Swan genuinely cares about their team, making sure you have the right training, resources, progression and opportunities. They’re great at supporting mental health too. There are development opportunities that you can opt in to if you like, but at the same time, there’s no pressure.  

“I thought I might feel a little isolated, working from home, but I’ve never felt that as someone will always respond to you.” 

 

What would you say to anyone considering joining Swan? 

“Even if you’re coming from outside the industry, give it some consideration and get in touch. I never would have thought that this would be my career, but it’s been one of the best career moves I’ve ever made. 

“It’s a wonderful place to work with a lovely, friendly environment. Half the time it doesn’t feel like work. Whilst there is an element of pressure involved with deadlines, you don’t ever feel like you’re on your own.  

“It might be that the job role you’re looking at isn’t exactly what you want to do, but roles evolve and there are opportunities to progress – just give it a go!” 

One of the most recent additions to our Customer Support Team, Alex, joined Swan in June 2022 as 1st Line Support Analyst.

“My job involves speaking directly with our clients and planning how to solve their enquiries, whilst liaising with our team to find solutions.”

 

What do you enjoy most about your role?  

“No two days are the same. It’s really challenging and keeps me on my toes, but that means I genuinely do learn something new every day.

“Swan feels like a family. The team are welcoming and the help I’ve had since starting is amazing – everyone chips in to help, even if they’re not in my department.”

 

What would you say to anyone considering joining Swan?  

“You won’t regret it. The onboarding stage at Swan has been the smoothest of any company I’ve worked for. People are easily reachable and will make time for you, even if they’re busy. I feel comfortable in my role, and you get time to understand other roles and how the business works. The opportunity to progress is there. It’s a safe and stable place to work with some great perks.”

After joining Swan in 2007, Michelle progressed from 1st Line Support Analyst, through two supervisory roles, to Customer Support Manager and sits within our Senior Management Team. 

“I started at Swan handling support enquiries and now I look after a team of twelve in 1st and 2nd line support.” 

 

What do you enjoy most about your role?  

“Every day is different. It can involve managing support tickets, ensuring SLAs are not breached, dealing with internal and external escalations, as well as training and coaching the team. There are new challenges every day. What’s more, the people and the environment are great; they’re fun-loving, friendly and hard-working.” 

 

What do you like about working at Swan?  

“Swan has a very supportive culture and strong encouragement for progression. It has always felt like you’re valued as a person rather than a number.” 

 

What would you say to anyone considering joining Swan? 

“There are fantastic opportunities for progression, if you prove yourself, and there’s always something new to learn. Whilst we work hard, it’s still a relaxed and enjoyable atmosphere.”