Customer Service Advisor - Campus Services - 53685 - Grade 3

Job Title

Customer Service Advisor

Job Description

The post-holder supports the Customer Operations Team Leader and Management Team in the delivery of a quality frontline accommodation service appropriate to the needs of students. The post holder provides advice and guidance to prospective and existing students covering a variety of accommodation issues including maintenance repairs and wellbeing and complaints, making referrals where appropriate. Under the direction of the Team Leader and Customer Service Manager, the post holder will take responsibility for ensuring that maintenance repairs, statutory checks and all communication within the residences are addressed in a timely and orderly manner to establish and promote a positive experience. The post-holder must work collaboratively as a team member and take an active role in the provision of their administrative support. The post holder will liaise with internal and external bodies to produce and deliver an excellent and pro-active Accommodation Service. The post holder will require excellent interpersonal skills, ability to prioritise, be organised, resilient, and diplomatic. Demonstrating commitment to best practice regarding customer care. The post holder will engage in problem solving, the establishment of good communities and the resolution of conflict and dispute.

The Customer Service Advisor position at The Vale Village is a 35 hours per week position – hours of work are shift based with shifts of either 07:00 – 15:00, 10:00-18:00 or 14:00-22:00 five out of seven days a week. Shifts are set in advance.

Role Summary

At the University of Birmingham, students are at the heart of all we do. Provide support to dedicated area including visitors, administration, staff and students, organise and manage all aspects of incoming mail and deliveries, dealing with and resolving the vast majority of initial requests and queries. In order to flexibly use resource you may be given the opportunity to work in different areas of the department or wider University.

Main Duties

• You will be responsible for providing a professional and friendly "meet and greet" first point of contact for all customers and visitors to your designated area. Responsible for ensuring person being visited is aware of visitor arrival.
• You will answer incoming calls, positively, and warmly. Accurately directing the caller to the appropriate people courteously and professionally.
• You will be able to respond to and resolve the vast majority of queries you receive without needing to escalate, although you will judge when this is appropriate. This will include complaint handling, and resolving where possible.
• Promptly report any system failures which have been reported to reception (such as IT, Door access, fire alarms, phone system) to the relevant department or supplier, chase progress and escalate as necessary. This may require requisition orders to be raised. Where this is the case the post holder will ensure goods are received and invoiced checked and paid.
• Take and deliver accurate phone messages, with call back numbers, area codes and promptly relays messages via email to the proper person.
• Maintains office and other supplies in stock, and reorders on own initiative.
• Maintains a neat and tidy reception area, replenishing marketing material, replacing magazines as received, clearing up any clutter on an ongoing basis, and maintains a professional, comfortable general office atmosphere.
• Offers coffee or other refreshments to visitors who are waiting.
• Maintains and updates the Welcome Board to keep announcements current.
• You will also carry out administrative duties such as word processing, photocopying, laminating, filing and data inputting.
• Opens, sorts, separates, and distributes mail neatly and accurately within the department.
• You may be involved in organising outgoing bulk-mail projects.
• Receive monies or take card payments as set out in the cash handling procedure.
• May be asked to support others in administrative duties.
• You may occasionally be asked to supervise temporary or casual staff.
• You will be expected to treat everyone with dignity and respect, supporting equality and valuing diversity.
• Performs other tasks and duties, as requested or required.

Required Knowledge, Skills, Qualifications, Experience

• GCSE grade A-C/9-4 or equivalent in English and Maths or equivalent level 3 qualification. Where no equivalent qualification is held, relevant work experience evidencing the skills and ability to undertake the role will normally be required.
• Experience of working in a busy customer service or reception role.
• Experience of handling issues from beginning to resolution.
• Ability to prioritise own work, work unsupervised and own initiative as required.
• Good communication skills, including tactful and confident telephone manner.
• Articulate, confident and competent in the use of electronic communications.
• IT skills – proficiency with Microsoft office programmes including word, excel, and Outlook. Good organisation and administrative skills.
• Excellent interpersonal skills.
• Fast and accurate working with close attention to detail.
• Ability to learn and understand how diversity considerations affect own area.

Dimensions

• This role does not directly manage others but may check work of others
• This role does not own a budget

Planning and organising

• You will be working mainly in response to customer enquiries but you will be required to prioritise duties within your overall objectives.
• You will need to maintain an awareness of how your work links with the department and the activities of the department.

Problem solving and decision making

You will complete day to day duties on your own initiative, and will be able to prioritise tasks within your workload. You will be able to resolve day to day queries. Complex queries will be referred elsewhere.

Internal and external relationships

• Internal - Team members, Line manager, Senior managers, colleagues from other departments, students
• External – External bodies e.g., prospective students, parents, customers