INTERNAL ONLY VACANCY. This post is open to existing Leeds City Council employees only. Applications will not be considered from external candidates.
Job title: Customer Services Officer
Salary: C1 *GBP*27,711 - *GBP*30,060
Hours: 37 full time
Contract: Permanent
Location: Contact Centre, Merrion House
As a Customer Service Officer, you thrive on supporting the Citizens of Leeds, often in vulnerable situations.
Leeds City Council is one of the largest employers in the region with over 14,000 employees. We seek to recruit and develop talented individuals who embody our and ambitions.
About you
As a Customer Service Officer, you will bring to the role:
1. A commitment to excellent customer care and putting the customer at the heart of everything you do.
2. To be able to recognise and act quickly and sensitively in cases of potential risk or high priority.
3. The ability to communicate effectively using a variety of media including by phone and in writing with a wide variety of people in a polite and tactful manner.
4. A good understanding of the Data Protection Act and its application against computer systems.
5. Ability to take ownership of customer enquiries and to resolve most enquiries to conclusion without assistance.
About the role
As our next Customer Service Officer, you be part an important team within the Contact Centre, supporting the citizens of Leeds.
You have the opportunity to assist some of our most vulnerable customers. You must be resilient to pressure as at times there may be exposure to customers who may be highly emotional, expressed through verbal aggression, and who may have distressing and complex personal circumstances.
The role is integral to our Care & Safeguarding team, mostly dealing with calls to our Adult and Child Social care lines.
What we offer you
We take pride in offering the best employee experience, with benefits including:
6. a competitive salary and annual leave entitlement plus statutory holidays
7. membership of the West Yorkshire Pension Fund with generous employer contributions
8. flexible and hybrid working arrangements subject to service requirements
9. a clear career pathway and continuing professional development opportunities
10. a range of staff benefits to help you boost your wellbeing and make your money go further
How to apply
Please complete the online application form.
Read our guidance for further advice on completing your application.
We welcome applications from everyone and actively seek a diverse range of applicants from all backgrounds and cultures. We particularly encourage applications from, but not limited to, women, carers, veterans as well as LGBT+, ethnically diverse, disabled and care experienced people.
This role is based in the UK. Home Office guidance states that candidates must evidence their right to work in the UK prior to commencing employment, either as a UK or Irish citizen, under the EU Settlement scheme or having secured any other relevant work visa.
If you do not have the right to work in the UK, you must consider your own eligibility for sponsorship for a particular role through the Skilled Worker visa route before applying.To be eligible for sponsorship you'll usually need to be paid the standard salary rate of at least *GBP*38,700 per year or meet one of the other eligibility criteria. Ensure you are eligible before applying.
Job Description
Job purpose
To provide high quality front-line advice and support to customers at the Council Contact Centre.
To ensure that a responsive, professional and caring service is provided to all customers, across all channels at all times.
To maintain a thorough knowledge of customer issues, processes and related services to enable you to deal with and resolve most enquiries without assistance, including detailed, complex and sensitive cases.
Responsibilities
11. To provide the highest level of service to customers and maintain a polite and professional manner at all times.
12. To take ownership of customer contact, and to resolve most enquiries for Council services independently, remaining focussed and completing tasks to a high standard despite the competing demands and potential emotional pressure of the role.
13. To arrange for customers to receive specialist advice if needed, and to make appointments for customers as applicable.
14. To deal with difficult situations effectively, and to be polite, professional and adapt your approach in diffusing the situation.
15. To be able to recognise and act quickly and sensitively in cases of potential risk or high priority
16. To have an excellent knowledge of customer service techniques, principles of service standards, processes and procedures and a proven track record of applying the skills in a Contact Centre environment, and to constantly achieve excellent customer satisfaction.
17. To be aware of and promote digital options and notify opportunities for improvements to customer service through application of digital solutions in all aspects of customer contact.
18. To enter into positive, persuasive and controlled dialogue with customers, employing customer service techniques, and to balance quality of contact and outcomes with productivity.
19. To deal with non Council enquiries within agreed guidelines
20. To be aware of and maintain knowledge of Council procedures, services and IT systems and related community services, and to advise or direct customer enquiries appropriately.
21. To follow escalation procedures for service failures and know when to escalate cases to a Manager or Senior Officer where these have been exhausted.
22. To be trusted to negotiate payment arrangements and process payments for invoices.
23. To anticipate and identify potential challenges, and to use persuasion, negotiation and trouble shooting skills to resolve them.
24. To work with colleagues, teams, other Council services and partners routinely to work in partnership with other Departments and agencies to ensure optimum service delivery.
25. To respond to non-telephony contact using correct spelling, grammar and to specified timescales ensuring the highest level of service to customers.
26. To arrange, organise and complete administrative procedures within the Contact Centre as required.
27. To ensure effective and efficient input to recording systems and assist in the development and promotion of new and existing systems using Information Technology.
28. To be accountable for the content of reports, statistics and other management information as required.
29. To train, motivate and advise new and existing staff as appropriate, including highlighting opportunities for development and undertaking a buddyingor coaching role.
30. To demonstrate Contact Centre functions to visitors as appropriate
31. To maintain complete confidentiality at all times and to sign a declaration to that effect.
32. To fully understand and adhere to the requirements of Data Protection legislation, treating customer information as a valuable asset, maintaining it accuracy and protecting it security.
33. To carry out duties in accordance with the Council Equal Opportunities Policy and other policies which respect the rights and needs of customers.
34. To carry out duties in accordance with Council Values.
35. To use own initiative and judgement, providing quality outcomes for customers with complex queries from a range of options
36. To ensure your individual key performance indicators are met, and to work as part of a team to ensure collective objectives and targets are met.
37. To share knowledge of best practice with colleagues and managers across the service
38. To be resilient to pressure as at times there may be exposure to customers who may be highly emotional e.g. demonstrated through verbal aggression, and who may have distressing and complex personal circumstances.
39. To support customer service delivery by responding to service queues or other service channels, managing own workload and prioritising effectively.
40. To contribute actively to the development and promotion of Customer Services
41. Flexible and adaptable to change to assist other services as required commensurate to grade.
42. Participate in appraisal, training, and development activities as necessary to ensure up to date knowledge and skills.
43. Improve own practice through observation, evaluation, discussion with colleagues and appropriate CPD programmes.
44. Work collaboratively with colleagues, knowing when to seek help and advice.
45. Contribute to the overall ethos, work, and aims of the service by attending relevant meetings, training days/events as requested.
46. Be aware of and comply with Leeds City Council policies and procedures e.g., child protection, health, safety and security, confidentiality, and data protection, reporting all concerns to an appropriate person
47. Be aware of and support difference and ensure equality for all working in an anti-discriminatory manner, upholding, and promoting the values, standards, and equality & diversity policies of Leeds City Council.
48. Recognise and appropriately challenge any incidents of racism, bullying, harassment, victimisation, and any form of abuse of equal opportunities, ensuring compliance with relevant policies and procedures.
49. The duties outlined are not meant as an exhaustive list and will also comprise any other duties within the spirit of the post commensurate with the job evaluation outcome for this post.
50. The Council has adopted a flexibility protocol and this role will be expected to work within these parameters.
The duties outlined are not meant as an exhaustive list and will also comprise any other duties within the spirit of the post commensurate with the job evaluation outcome for this post.
Qualifications
Essential requirements Candidates will only be shortlisted if they can demonstrate that they meet all the following essential requirements.
Skills required
51. Able to work flexibly across different work locations and areas as appropriate.
52. Totally committed to excellent customer care and putting the customer at the heart of everything you do.
53. Proven ability to deal efficiently, effectively and sensitively with a wide range of enquiries.
54. Ability to maintain complete confidentiality and comply with Data Protection legislation.
55. Ability to communicate effectively using a variety of media including by phone and in writing with a wide variety of people in a polite and tactful manner.
56. Ability to take ownership of customer enquiries and to resolve most enquiries to conclusion without assistance.
57. Ability to identify and support training and development opportunities
58. Ability to demonstrate negotiating and trouble shooting skills.
59. Ability to work in partnership with key stakeholders to improve service delivery.
60. Excellent literacy, numeracy and skills.
61. Ability to prepare reports, statistics and other management information as directed
62. Ability to work on own initiative, accept responsibility and make decisions within agreed criteria.
63. Ability to manage own workload and prioritise effectively.
64. Ability to analyse complex information and interpret legislation and take appropriate action when needed.
65. Good organisational and interpersonal skills.
66. Proven ability to learn new IT packages and skills.
Knowledge required
67. Excellent knowledge of customer service skills and processes.
68. Good understanding of the Data Protection Act and its application against computer systems.
69. Understand the key role that our website and online services play in improving our customer services.
Experience required
70. Experience of working to and exceeding customer care standards.
71. Experience of working in a Contact Centre environment
72. Experience of demonstrating contact centre services to visitors and staff.
73. Experience of working as part of a team to meet targets and deliver a responsive service.
74. Experience of making a positive contribution to team working and team building.
75. Experience of working with several computer packages, including Microsoft Office, email and intranet.
76. Experience of using Automated Call Distribution technology, and/or a Customer Relationship Management system.
Essential Behavioural & other Characteristics
77. Understand and embrace Leeds City Council Values and Behaviours and codes of conduct
78. Committed to continuous improvement in all areas and work towards delivering the Best City Ambition of Health & Wellbeing, Inclusive Growth and Zero Carbon
79. Able to understand and observe Leeds City Council policies and procedures.
80. Carry out all duties having regard to an employee responsibility under Health, Safety and Wellbeing
81. Willingness to actively participate in appraisal, training and development activities to ensure up, to date knowledge and skills.
82. Flexible and adaptable to change to assist other services as required commensurate to grade.
83. Be aware of and support difference and ensure equality for all working in an anti-discriminatory manner, upholding, equality & diversity of Leeds City Council.
84. Recognise and appropriately challenge any incidents of racism, bullying, harassment, victimisation, and any form of abuse, reporting any concerns to the appropriate person
85. The Council has adopted a flexibility protocol and the role will be expected to work within these parameters.
Desirable requirements Candidates are not required to meet all the following desirable requirements however these may be used to distinguish between candidates.
Knowledge required
86. Good understanding of Local Government policies and procedures
87. Customer Service, Contact Centre or other relevant Professional NVQ Level 3
Experience required
88. Recent experience of working in a local government contact centre environment
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