Customer Service Advisor

Hull City Council•Toronto, ON

3d•$24,796 - $29,064•Hybrid

About The Position

We are looking for individuals with excellent customer service skills who are positive, sensitive and have an exemplary telephone manner, adapting your approach as appropriate to ensure equality of access to all. A positive image of the council must be conveyed at all times and Customer Service standards must be maintained. Successful candidates will be trained to deliver a good knowledge of all service areas including Council Tax, Housing, Welfare/Benefits and Environmental Services including Waste. You will work as part of a team to deliver an efficient and effective customer contact centre, supporting and assisting in the delivery of services to respond to the customer’s needs and expectations. Ensuring that as many enquiries as possible are resolved at first point of contact and customers are encouraged to access all service available to them online. We are open 24/7 365 days of the year; therefore, we are looking for flexible individuals able to work across the following contact channels: telephone, live chat, and email. Weekend working is on a rota basis. We currently have positions available on the Core team and the working hours are the following: Core (7.5 hrs per day) - Normal working hours between 08:00-19:00 - Working Monday to Sunday - You are required to work 1 in 3 weekends (Either the Saturday or the Sunday with a day off in the week) - Bank holiday cover is required on a rota basis - An enhanced hourly rate of pay is applied for weekend and bank holiday working. ROLE AND PURPOSE Grade 3 To provide and deliver information on a wide range of services via telephone, email, web chat, social media/others in an appropriate manner whilst ensuring service standards are met. To provide excellent customer service, ensuring that a positive image of the council is conveyed at all times and that Customer Service standards are met. To provide information on a wide range of both council services and services of partner organisations, ensuring that as many enquiries as possible are resolved at first point of contact and customers are encouraged to access all services available to them. Grade 4 – all the above plus To provide excellent Customer Service at all times in a positive sensitive and respectable manner, adapting your approach as appropriate to ensure equality of access to all. To ensure a positive image of the council is conveyed at all times and Customer Service standards are met. To deliver a good knowledge base around various areas to include Council Tax, Business Rates, Housing, Planning, Schools, Welfare and Benefits etc. To work as part of a blended team to deliver an efficient and effective Customer Service across the contact centre, customer service centres and other community-based places to meet customer demand. To support and assist in the delivery of joined up services to respond to the customer’s needs and expectations. To ensure that as many enquiries as possible are resolved at first point of contact and customers are encouraged to access all service available to them, this may include signposting to the relevant departments both internal and external. Grade 5, all the above plus: Carry out more complex functions and provide specialist advice which will require a high level of detailed knowledge to evaluate and comprehend the customer’s enquiry to ensure the correct advice and support is provided. Carry out cashing up and reconciliation of cash. Mentoring, supporting and developing staff who are less experienced to ensure the highest customer service standards are maintained.

Requirements

Excellent customer service skills
Positive, sensitive demeanor
Exemplary telephone manner
Ability to adapt approach to ensure equality of access
Ability to convey a positive image of the council at all times
Ability to maintain Customer Service standards
Flexibility to work across multiple contact channels: telephone, live chat, and email
Ability to work weekends on a rota basis
Ability to work normal working hours between 08:00-19:00
Ability to work 1 in 3 weekends (Either the Saturday or the Sunday with a day off in the week)
Ability to cover bank holidays on a rota basis
Ability to provide and deliver information on a wide range of services
Ability to resolve enquiries at first point of contact
Ability to encourage customers to access all available services
Ability to take action to ensure enquiries are dealt with effectively and appropriately
Ability to maintain targets and deadlines
Ability to take responsibility for resolving queries and completing actions
Ability to maintain and record accurate electronic records of customer interactions
Ability to proactively identify service improvements
Willingness to participate in training and development activities
Polite and professional demeanor
Caring and listening service
Understanding and responsiveness to customer requirements
Recognition of the diversity of customer needs
Flexible and responsive approach to work
Understanding of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974
Ability to respond to enquiries efficiently and appropriately
Ability to liaise with colleagues and partner organisations
Ability to encourage customers to self-serve
Ability to provide support to vulnerable customers with complex enquiries
Ability to maintain knowledge and understanding of Council services
Proactive and positive approach
Openness to new ways of working
Ability to raise ideas/improvements in service delivery
Ability to maintain accurate records of advice given
Ability to provide admin duties relevant to the site
Ability to coach and support team members
Ability to mentor staff
Ability to deliver specialist knowledge relating to services
Ability to provide guidance on operational matters and procedures
Ability to support and assist Team Leaders

Nice To Haves

Knowledge of Council Tax, Housing, Welfare/Benefits and Environmental Services including Waste
Knowledge of Council Tax, Business Rates, Housing, Planning, Schools, Welfare and Benefits
Experience with cashing up and reconciliation of cash
Experience with Universal Credit, Veterans and Homeless services

Responsibilities

To provide and deliver information on a wide range of services via telephone, email, web chat, social media/others in an appropriate manner whilst ensuring service standards are met.
To provide excellent customer service, ensuring that a positive image of the council is conveyed at all times and that Customer Service standards are met.
To provide information on a wide range of both council services and services of partner organisations, ensuring that as many enquiries as possible are resolved at first point of contact and customers are encouraged to access all services available to them.
To provide excellent Customer Service at all times in a positive sensitive and respectable manner, adapting your approach as appropriate to ensure equality of access to all.
To ensure a positive image of the council is conveyed at all times and Customer Service standards are met.
To deliver a good knowledge base around various areas to include Council Tax, Business Rates, Housing, Planning, Schools, Welfare and Benefits etc.
To work as part of a blended team to deliver an efficient and effective Customer Service across the contact centre, customer service centres and other community-based places to meet customer demand.
To support and assist in the delivery of joined up services to respond to the customer’s needs and expectations.
To ensure that as many enquiries as possible are resolved at first point of contact and customers are encouraged to access all service available to them, this may include signposting to the relevant departments both internal and external.
Carry out more complex functions and provide specialist advice which will require a high level of detailed knowledge to evaluate and comprehend the customer’s enquiry to ensure the correct advice and support is provided.
Carry out cashing up and reconciliation of cash.
Mentoring, supporting and developing staff who are less experienced to ensure the highest customer service standards are maintained.
To provide information and advice whilst taking action to ensure the enquiry is dealt with both effectively and appropriately whilst maintaining targets and deadlines.
Take responsibility for resolving queries and completing the arising actions on behalf of the customer, progressing and chasing when required.
Maintain and record a full accurate electronic record of all customer interactions.
To proactively identify improvements to service and assist with their implementation.
To participate in training and development activities upon request that are deemed necessary to become proficient within this role. With an aim to be trained across all skills/call types.
To be polite and professional at all times, providing a caring, listening service, whilst demonstrating an understanding and responsiveness to customers’ requirements, whilst recognising the diversity of their needs.
To contribute towards the delivery of a flexible and responsive service which will involve weekend working and to take a flexible approach to changing patterns of work.
The Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 and associated legislation places responsibilities for health and safety on Hull City Council, as your employer and you as an employee of the council. In addition to the Councils overall duties, the post holder has personal responsibility for their own health, safety and wellbeing and that of other employees; additional and more specific responsibilities are identified in the Council’s Corporate H&S policy.
To respond to enquiries from customers across all contact channels phone, face to face, email, chat and social media, taking action to ensure they are dealt with efficiently and appropriately, in line with agreed procedures and that as many as possible are resolved to the satisfaction of the customer at the first point of contact.
To liaise with colleagues and partner organisations to help resolve/escalate enquiries to the appropriate person as required.
To encourage customers to self-serve where appropriate using online forms/information, and provide support to vulnerable customers with complex enquiries, this may include validation/copying of evidence which may be needed to support the enquiry.
To maintain a knowledge and understanding of how and why Council services are delivered and how these can be improved for the customer.
To contribute towards the delivery of a responsive service, this will be delivered via face to face and phone including weekend working at various locations.
To have a flexible, proactive and positive approach, open to new ways of working to provide excellent customer service. To raise ideas/improvements in every aspect of service delivery in a continually changing customer service environment.
To maintain accurate records of advice given, updating, as required, information on multiple council I.T. systems.
To provide admin duties relevant to the site, these may include sorting of incoming mail, registering of official visitors, issuing of keys, receiving deliveries, taking room bookings and reporting building maintenance issues.
Cashing up and reconciliation of monies taken via the ICON system on a daily basis and all other office systems as appropriate.
To coach and support team members offering training as appropriate and necessary to carry out their roles correctly and error free.
Mentor staff as necessary and witnessing and signing development log evidence, giving help, advice and suggestions to staff working towards further development.
To be a champion and deliver specialist knowledge relating to services accessible to customers at all Customer Service sites, e.g. Universal Credit, Veterans and Homeless etc.
To participate in training and development activities appropriate to the role.
To provide guidance on operational matters and procedures.
To support and assist Team Leaders as and when appropriate to ensure delivery of services to the customer.

Benefits

A competitive salary
An excellent pension through the Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS)
Initially 23 days annual leave depending on length of service.
Eight public holidays per year
Three additional days off, one in May/August and one during the Christmas/New year period
Career development and learning experiences from a range of training courses and learning methods
Supportive and forward-thinking culture
Great career development opportunities
Enhanced hourly rate of pay for weekend and bank holiday working

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