Job details - Customer service
Meet someone doing the job Cecilia Momoh
What does this involve?
This job entails taking telephone calls and finding answers to customers’ queries using a computer and a range of other guidance material
There is an extensive training programme which takes approximately 12 weeks and when you are taking calls there is comprehensive support system in place so that there is always some one who can help you.
Each phone call is different and can cover a wide range of subjects. You’re often the first point of contact for customers and you need to be prepared to deal with just about anything, so you will need to be helpful, patient and be able to explain complicated things in simple terms.
We have 22 Contact Centres around the country offering advice and help to around 50 million callers a year. To allow us to offer good customer service, to such a large number of callers, our Contact Centres are open 8am to 8pm seven days a week. We can offer a variety of shift patterns to fit in with all sorts of lifestyles. For example, evening shifts might be suitable for students who have lectures during the day.
When you are not at work, there’s no backlog building up as each call is taken by the first available adviser and there are no sales targets or selling.
What are the career prospects?
Once you have passed your probation, you will be able to apply for posts in a higher grade if you meet the criteria of the post being advertised.
Developmental moves are also available within the department.
Where are the jobs?
Our Contact Centres are at the following locations:
- Bathgate (Edinburgh).
- Belfast.
- Blackpool.
- Bootle.
- Bournemouth.
- Bradford.
- Cardiff.
- Dundee.
- East Kilbride.
- Glasgow.
- Liverpool.
- Livingston (Edinburgh).
- Longbenton (Newcastle-upon-Tyne).
- Manchester.
- Merry Hill (Dudley).
- Newcastle-upon-Tyne.
- Peterlee.
- Portsmouth.
- St Austell.
- St Helens.
- Sunderland.
- Washington.
Please take a look at our current vacancies to see if we are recruiting into any of these Centres now?
What is the pay?
Contact Centre advisers start on £15,262 .Your movement up the salary scale each year depends on your performance in the job.
What qualifications or qualities are needed to apply?
When filling these posts, we look for friendly and helpful people who have a genuine interest in offering good customer service. We also look for people who are comfortable with figures, well-organised and able to prioritise. As you’ll be using a personal computer (PC) on a daily basis, you will need to become comfortable with using PCs.
If you do not have the qualifications below, we’ll give you a short test to make sure that you are suitable for this work and then you’ll need to pass the initial sift before being offered an interview.
If you have the qualifications below, and pass an initial sift, you’ll be offered an interview.
Required Qualifications :
Five GCSE passes (or equivalent) at A-C. Two of these must be Mathematics and English Language or five Ordinary Grades with passes at A-C in Scotland.
