RQ - Customer Service Assistant

£13.26 per hr PAYE; 6 months contract. Hours are Monday - Thursday 8:45 am - 5:00 pm and Friday 8:45 am - 4:30 pm. Awdry House, Ramnoth Road, Wisbech - office based only, no hybrid opportunities. Shortlisted CVs will be invited to an assessment (writing) and, if successful, a face-to-face interview.

Customer Services Assistant

Provide a professional, welcoming, and efficient front-line reception and multi-channel customer service to the public and visitors, while supporting the wider Customer Services team with administrative tasks. Take ownership of enquiries and aim to resolve them at the first point of contact by using online resources, collaborating with colleagues, and working with CCC services and partner agencies. Ensure every interaction is customer-focused, accurate, and delivered to a high standard.

Main accountabilities

• Deliver a professional, customer-focused reception service, managing a wide range of duties and ensuring enquiries are resolved in line with the council's Customer Service Standards.
• Provide an efficient and effective multi-channel customer service experience for all enquiries-both internal and external-across a range of services, ensuring compliance with agreed performance standards set by service level agreements. Handle urgent matters promptly.
• Possess an understanding of the purpose and objectives of the Customer Services team, evidencing the ability to contribute to this goal and act as one team with contact centre colleagues.
• Identify specialist enquiries and promptly redirect them in line with operational procedures and business rules, ensuring a satisfactory outcome for the customer, including those who may be vulnerable.
• Ensure all customers are dealt with courteously, fairly and without prejudice, including liaison with external organisations to ensure non-English speaking customers are responded to equitably and provided with relevant information.
• Contribute to the development of the site and quality of services offered by maintaining and building effective working relationships with building occupiers, other CCC customers (courier/postal services), such as Facilities Management.
• Maintain responsibility for a dedicated administrative workload to stated standards and timescale, in support of the end-to-end delivery of services delivered by Customer Services.
• Contribute to the ongoing development and improvement of service quality and standards.

Communication and Information Technology

• Ask relevant questions to gather essential information and resolve enquiries or transactions at the first point of contact.
• Maintain accurate records of customer interactions using Customer Service Centre systems, in line with service standards, to support efficient service delivery and gather customer insights that help shape and improve services at each site.
• Utilise simple plain English, incorporating positive language in all customer transactions.
• Log comments, suggestions, complaints and representations in accordance with the relevant procedures.
• Maintain confidentiality at all times, in adherence with Data Protection Legislation, the Freedom of Information Act and other legislation.
• Where required, contribute to the development and implementation of operational processes associated with new services being introduced into Customer Services.

Other Skills

• Contribute positively to a safe and healthy working environment, adhering to requirements in place to support this. Promptly report any potential hazards in and around the workplace.
• Work as an effective team member, assisting and supporting colleagues to achieve both service/site objectives to timescale.
• Commit to ongoing learning and development by maintaining up-to-date service knowledge, attending relevant training, and using available resources. Actively participate in performance appraisals and development activities.
• Promote a culture of customer service excellence and continuous improvement by challenging other colleagues/professionals to ensure that they have carried out their own responsibilities to the full.
• Undertake additional duties, responsibilities and professional awards as required, commensurate with the grade and progression criteria of the post and the post-holder's placement within the grade.
• Be willing to travel between sites for the purpose of operational training and team development activities.
• Carry out additional tasks and responsibilities appropriate to the role and aligned with operational business needs.

Person Specification Qualifications Required

• English GCSE at Grade C or above or proven literacy skills.
• NVQ in Customer Service - Level 2 or equivalent.

Knowledge and Experience

• Confident understanding & application of Customer Service principles and procedures.
• A customer service background with proven experience of interacting with customers face to face, online and by telephone.
• Demonstrable customer focus with a commitment to work towards a relevant professional qualification.
• Working understanding of Windows & Microsoft packages (including Word, Excel, E mail, PowerPoint, Internet).
• Understanding a requirement for confidentiality.
• Knowledge of office systems/procedures.
• Knowledge of Council policies & procedures.
• Experience of local authority working.
• An understanding of legislation and guidance on Data protection and discrimination.

Skills

• Ability to communicate effectively and confidently, both verbally and in writing, with a strong commitment to delivering excellent customer service and treating all customers with dignity, sensitivity, and respect.
• Active listening and strong empathetic skills.
• Is outgoing, positive, courteous and welcoming to all customers, providing a positive impression of self and the organisation.
• Ability to apply knowledge and use initiative to identify solutions to customer requests, taking ownership to resolve issues at the first point of contact.
• Ability to utilise IT systems accurately to deliver services.
• Ability to follow defined administrative processes, ensuring adherence to specified service levels.
• Ability to work flexibly and demonstrate time management skills to meet the competing demands of the site/personal workload.
• Self motivated and able to work positively and constructively with others and independently to deliver the site workload with minimal supervision and to timescale.
• Ability to solve problems.
• Confident and flexible - aptitude for change.
• Active participation in coaching, training and development within a customer service environment.
• Commitment to continuous service development.
• Commitment to on going personal and role development.
• Persuasion and influencing skills.
• Ability to be confident and assertive when faced with challenging behaviour.
• Ability to communicate verbally and in writing in Lithuanian, Polish, Latvian, Russian as well as English.