Huntingdonshire District Council (HDC) is passionate about providing high-quality services to our communities, residents and businesses. This means we must employ and retain the most talented and dedicated people.
Situated within the heart of the Cambridge-Peterborough Growth Area, Huntingdonshire is a beautiful district that boasts thriving market towns and many attractive villages, each with its own identity. We are an innovative and forward-thinking local authority whose residents are at the heart of our decision-making.
At HDC we want to employ staff who embody our icare values (Inspiring, Collaborative, Accountable, Respectful, Enterprising), all of which support our ultimate purpose of putting our customers first.
Job details
An exciting opportunity has arisen to join our Customer Service team. You will be part of a skilled and committed team delivering HDC’s Customer Contact Service, aiming to provide a first-class customer experience while ensuring value for money.
About the role
Customer Services are the first point of contact for residents accessing HDC services, handling enquiries across multiple communication channels, including face to face, telephone and email, using excellent communication skills at all times. The main access channel is telephone-based, meaning this is primarily a call-centre role. However, there may be opportunities to undertake additional training to support other channels.
Customer Service Advisors provide guidance and support across a wide range of council services, including (but not limited to) Housing, Council Tax, Operations, Environmental Services, Benefits, Planning and Elections.
Advisors also promote and support the use of the Customer Portal and self-service options. A key responsibility of the role is to accurately identify customer needs and resolve enquiries across multiple service areas, within the scope of the service.
Through their work, Advisors ensure customers are left with a positive impression of HDC, confidently handling both routine and complex transactions while consistently delivering excellent customer service.
Core hours are Monday to Thursday, 8.45am - 5pm and Friday, 8.45am - 4.30pm. Advisors work to a structured rota, with clearly defined breaks and working patterns.
The role is based at Pathfinder House, Huntingdon. Following the successful completion of training to the required standard, there are opportunities to work from home on a rota basis.
About you
1. You will deliver a wide range of council services directly to the customer and seek to resolve enquiries at the first point of contact. You will also take advantage of opportunities to resolve multiple enquiries at the same time to increase efficiency and enhance the customer experience.
2. You will have the ability to learn all systems required to provide the services mentioned above, as well as the ability to cope with change and remain flexible.
3. Receive on-going training and maintain up-to-date knowledge and understanding of HDC services and systems.
4. Proactively seek out and resolve potential issues before they arise, escalating more complex issues as appropriate.
5. Build relationships to inspire trust in both you and HDC.
6. Where appropriate, promote and encourage lower cost contact channels, including self-service.