Senior Customer Services Officer - AR

Job Description: Senior Customer Services Officer (Council Tax & Housing Benefits) Service Area: Customer Operations Services Location: Enfield Council (Hybrid - Civic Centre & Home Working) Job Purpose

To act as the first point of contact for customers contacting the Council via telephone and webchat, providing a professional, customer-focused, and accurate service. The role is a specialist position within Council Tax and Housing Benefits, responsible for resolving complex enquiries and supporting customers to achieve resolution at first contact wherever possible.

Key Responsibilities

• Deliver high-quality customer service via telephony and webchat, handling a wide range of Council Tax, Council Tax Support, and Housing Benefit enquiries.
• Provide specialist advice on Council Tax, including billing, discounts, exemptions, recovery, and enforcement processes.
• Assist customers with Housing Benefit and Council Tax Support queries, ensuring advice is accurate and compliant with current legislation and council policies.
• Handle complex and sensitive cases, including arrears, recovery action, and financial hardship situations.
• Use council systems such as Civica Open Revenues and D360 to access, update, and manage customer records.
• Aim to resolve enquiries at first point of contact, reducing the need for follow-up interactions.
• Promote and encourage customer self-service, guiding users toward online services where appropriate.
• Maintain accurate records of all customer interactions and actions taken.
• Work collaboratively within the Customer Operations team to ensure efficient service delivery.
• Demonstrate empathy, professionalism, and a strong customer-focused approach in all interactions.

Working Arrangements

• Hybrid working model: minimum 2 days per week in the Civic Centre, with remaining days working from home (subject to service needs).
• Working hours: Monday to Friday, 9:00am - 5:00pm.

Essential Requirements

• Strong experience in a customer service or contact centre environment.
• Ability to provide detailed and accurate advice on Council Tax and/or Housing Benefits.
• Experience handling complex customer enquiries and resolving issues effectively.
• Familiarity with CRM or case management systems (preferably Civica systems such as Open Revenues and D360).
• Excellent communication skills, both verbal and written (for telephone and webchat).
• Ability to remain calm and professional when dealing with challenging situations.
• Strong problem-solving skills and attention to detail.
• Commitment to delivering a high-quality, customer-focused service.

Personal Attributes

• Customer-focused with a positive, supportive attitude.
• Patient, empathetic, and professional.
• Proactive and willing to go the extra mile.
• Able to work independently and as part of a team.
• Committed to continuous improvement and service excellence.

Organisational Values

• Putting customers at the heart of service delivery.
• Being open, honest, and respectful.
• Taking responsibility and ownership.
• Working collaboratively to find solutions.
• Listening, learning, and improving services.