Switchboard Operator

American Addiction Centers•Elgin, IL

18h•Onsite

About The Position

The Switchboard Operator is responsible for receiving and processing incoming and outgoing calls for the Communications department. This role involves answering, transferring, and directing calls, providing routine information, assisting employees with information exchange, and offering general hospital information. The operator must also be able to identify and address issues with the Cisco telephone system, Amcom system, or Code issues, and handle angry callers appropriately while maintaining confidentiality and the ability to multitask. A key part of the role includes following proper protocol for all emergency procedures, monitoring alarms, contacting appropriate personnel for emergencies, processing 911 calls, and documenting codes. The operator will also support paging operations by programming pagers, distributing and explaining their functions, handling repairs, troubleshooting issues with customers, and contacting the paging system vendor. Exceptional guest relations and promoting the hospital/system philosophy are also essential, requiring courteous and professional interaction with clients, patients, and visitors, and fostering a team environment.

Requirements

High School Diploma or equivalent.
1 + year experience in a position requiring frequent interaction with customers, clients, students and/or prospects, either face-to-face or via telephone.
Some experience in answering service/switchboard areas.
Computer and typing skills.
Ability to speak, read, write and understand English clearly, as related to job activities.
Has excellent spelling and grammar.
Exhibit good judgment and take reasonable action to accomplish objectives with minimal direct supervision.
Good Communications skills.
Analytical and problem-solving skills.
Basic PC skills with the ability to navigate in Windows environment.

Responsibilities

Answers, transfers, and directs internal and external incoming calls including but not limited to, physicians, hospital staff, patients to proper numbers.
Gives routine, non-interpretive information on request.
Provide information on patient location and be familiar with call restrictions of each area.
Assist fellow employees with exchange of information.
Provide general information regarding the hospital and offices to patients, physicians, associates and all other callers.
Determine what action to take when an immediate problem arises with the Cisco telephone system, Amcom system or Code issue.
Ability to provide an appropriate initial response to angry callers and contact correct people.
Maintains confidentiality.
Ability to handle multiple tasks simultaneously.
Is dedicated to meeting the expectations and requirements of internal and external customers; get firsthand customer information and uses it for improvements in services; acts with the customer in mind.
Follows proper protocol for all emergency procedures.
Monitor alarms and contact proper personnel when needed.
Contact proper individuals/departments for emergency situations.
Process 911 calls from all sites connected to the Sherman campus switch.
Thorough knowledge of the operations of the Amcom system and the Communications department.
Use proper procedural sheets for documenting all codes.
Monitor Weather Radio and alerts appropriate personnel when necessary.
Communicate problems with staff or equipment to the other operators immediately including updates to the oncoming shift change operator(s).
Keep work area clean and safe.
Able to program long range papers through the outside vendors.
Able to distribute and explain functions of pagers.
Able to receive pagers for repair and write down proper information.
Working with customers in troubleshooting issues and/or replacing pagers.
Calling the paging system vendor (American Messaging) for issue management.
Can effectively work under pressure.
Monitors on Emergency Code Pager notification that the Code has been paged out correctly and assists other operators when necessary, including exchange of information.
Interact with clients, patients, visitors in a helpful, courteous, and results-oriented manner, according to established departmental and hospital guidelines.
Use proper telephone etiquette and acts in a courteous and professional manner on all calls.
Respect ideas, opinions, and assistance from peers, management, and hospital staff to promote a team environment.
Participate in quality and process improvement efforts.
Encourage and treat all associates and customers with respect, integrity and dignity.
Builds relationships by assisting coworkers with conference phone set up and/or patient room phones as needed.