Position / Customer Services Officer
Section / Corporate and Information Services
Department / Planning, Regulatory & Corporate Services
Location / Civic Centre, Commerce Street, Whakatāne
Hours / Full time and part-time
Date / August 2017
FUNCTIONAL RELATIONSHIPS
External / Internal
General Public / Ratepayers
Community Groups
Real Estate Agents
Valuers
Solicitors
Tradesmen
Contractors
Consultants / All Divisions of Council – Managers & Officers particularly Rates, Building, Finance, Planning, Animal Control and Parking
Customer Services Team
Visitor Information Centre Team
Information Management Team
Aquatic Centre
Recycle Centre
Library & Exhibition Centre Team
Museum & research Centre Team
MAIN PURPOSE OF THE JOB
This job exists to provide excellent customer service for both external & internal customers by receiving and responding to all enquiries, complaints and requests for service to the levels agreed by Divisions of Council.
Provide efficient and effective administration support to internal departments within Council.
ORGANISATION CHART

KEY ACCOUNTABILITY AREAS (KAA) / KEY RESULT AREAS (KRA) /
Customer Service
Ensure counter is attended & service offered at all times between 8am – 5pm & make Team Leader aware when extra staff are required in peak times
Role model appropriate attitudes & behaviours in line with Customer Service Centre values to gain co-operation of others both inside & outside Council
Discuss Council policies & if need be interpret them, as well as promote new & existing services
Make sure the Customer Service Centre area provides a welcoming environment e.g. maintain brochure stands, displays, keep area clean and tidy etc.
Ensure security procedures are followed e.g. doors are only open from 8am to 5pm, CS area remains secured, strong room locked, safe closed, etc.
Receive & issue documents of importance over the counter e.g. Consent applications, job applications etc.
Screen customer enquiries to avoid unnecessary interruptions to staff
Identifying any quality improvements that can be made to Customer Services / Cope with sheer volume of work at busy periods in a limited time. E.g. rates & dog registrations
Customer receiving correct advice on rates, dogs, building and planning etc. in a helpful, courteous, timely & professional manner
Customer satisfaction – No valid complaints to Team Leader or Manager on poor customer service received
Customers calling at the Civic Centre in person, over the phone, or in writing receive a response that is impartial, consistent, friendly, polite, helpful and accurate
Handle all duties with tact, diplomacy & confidentiality
Customer’s leave satisfied having received a professional service
Finance
Receive & process payments from customers either over the counter or in the mail & issue receipts as necessary
Carry out end of day balancing
Reconcile & prepare daily banking
Ensuring all monies received from external council agencies are checked balanced & receipted e.g. Library, Museum, Airport, Camping Ground, Recycling Centre etc.
Ensure problems in connection with departmental cash receipting are researched & resolved or brought to the attention of the Team Leader
Ensure special banking’s are completed for foreign cheques & money orders
Produce accurate and timely reports as requested
Identifying any quality improvements that can be made to Customer Services banking and receipting process / All monies accurately receipted, coded & banked within required timeframes
No banking errors received from the bank
Polite & courteous manner during the collection & receipting of Council revenue
End of day balancing completed on time
Administration – General
Add, maintain, review & implement operating procedures for Customer Services e.g. Provide/review one new procedure a month
Record all complaints or information received & follow through e.g. Request for Service / Adequate knowledge & training from other departments in order to answer queries in a most helpful manner
Information available to the customer is current and entered competently
No valid CS team complaints
Correspond with all customers using Customer Service Centre templates and adhering to the Customer Service Standards
Perform services delegated by Divisions as outlined in Service Level Agreements
Training & support of new & existing staff
Perform miscellaneous responsibilities e.g. filing: daily & end of month, assorted tasks delegated by other divisions or management
Identifying any quality improvements that can be made to our administration process / All clerical/support tasks are carried out to the satisfaction of the Team Leader and Manager
Procedures are written, self-audited, kept up to date and shared with others if appropriate
Quality service given at all times, subject to Service Level Agreements being adhered to
Administration - Specific
Online Services
Ensure all administrative back office work/procedures are adhered to in line with our online services. Have understanding of services available, customer service involvement and affected departments.
Ensure procedures are written to reflect the current work flow / All administrative tasks are carried out within the statutory timelines, as applicable
Adequate knowledge & training from other departments in order to answer queries in a most helpful manner
Information available to the customer is current and entered competently
No valid team complaints
All clerical/support tasks are carried out to the satisfaction of the Team Leader and Manager
Procedures are written, self-audited, kept up to date and shared with others if appropriate
Quality service given at all times, subject to Service Level Agreements being adhered to
Project performance objectives and measures are met or exceeded as detailed within the Project plan
Water Connections
Ensure water connections & disconnections are processed within agreed timelines as per the Service Level Agreements. This will include updating databases and entering requests for service as required
Ensure procedures are written to reflect the current work flow
Miscellaneous
Ensure all other administrative tasks are processed within agreed timelines as per the Service Level Agreements. Some of these tasks will include; financials, health, plant, liquor licensing etc.
Sewer, water, stormwater and roading information to the Project Information Memorandum and Land Information Memorandum requests
Answering simple enquiries from the topographical maps
Identifying any quality improvements that can be made to our administration process
Project Plans
Ensure every project assigned has a Project plan with agreed timeframes signed by the relevant project owners
Ensure project timeframes and milestones are met
Attend relevant training courses to enable the project to be completed successfully
Telephones
Receive phone calls, pass on to specific staff, record & pass on messages. Take responsibility for responding to all others
Receive complaints, record, solve or pass on to the appropriate person e.g. requests for service are entered for action
Provide information services
Operate Radio Telephone
Monitor queue & agent alerts e.g. Request queue calls before work time has expired
Training new Customer Service Officers on the phone system
Identifying any quality improvements that can be made to our telephone process / All calls answered promptly, efficiently & courteously
Response rates are within performance guidelines
Calls are correctly screened & customer contact needs are clearly identified
Messages are accurately recorded & brought promptly to the attention of the appropriate officer
Answer & solve calls as quickly as possible to meet or exceed Team Leader’s percentage targets.
No valid customer complaints
Phone status is correct at all times
Corporate Contribution
Be a team player relative to support for, adherence to, and compliance with Council’s governance and corporate plans, policies and strategies, management plans, policy and procedure manuals, strategic and business plans.
Show support for organisation development initiatives e.g. customer service improvement, culture change
Participate in Performance Development process
Fulfil required Health & Safety tasks/responsibilities
Participate and contribute to corporate projects and inter-departmental initiatives as agreed
Ensures proper care of company plant and equipment
Fulfil administration-reporting requirements (eg. Timesheets and reporting)
Ensure confidentiality is maintained at all times
Any other duties that may be required from time to time / Corporate responsibilities are undertaken and completed accurately; meeting specified standards and within agreed timeframes
Contribution to projects and corporate initiatives is effective and valued
Administration requirements are completed in a timely and accurate manner
Organisational Responsibilities
Health and Safety
Implement Council's health and safety policy in respect to immediate work area. / Council policies adhered to, meetings held in accordance with established policy and timetables, records kept, issues notified, accidents/near misses investigated and hazards identified, eliminated, isolated or minimised as appropriate.
Civil Defence Emergency Management
Undertake Civil Defence training and duties as required. / Knowledge of Civil Defence procedures.
Other
Any other duties that may be required from time to time. / Duties undertaken.


Key: E = Essential / D = Desirable

Person Specification
D / National Certificate in Call Centre Operations (ETITO) or similar, or equivalent experience (more than 5 years)
D / First Aid Certificate
D / Kiwi Host or similar Certificate
E / Customer focused, able to achieve customer satisfaction for all customers
E / Passionate about providing excellence in customer service
E / Ability to communicate at all levels in the organisation
E / Manage & prioritise multiple tasks
E / Be friendly & courteous at all times
E / Need to be able to adapt to change & have confidence to not only use initiative but to act on it
E / Proficient in the use of Microsoft Office
E / Patience & a sense of humour
E / Demonstrates initiative by seeking quality improvements within work processes
E / Cashiering & administrative skills
E / Confidentiality
E / Conflict Management
D / Previous council experience. E.g. Working knowledge of Rates, Dogs, RMA , Privacy & Building Acts
D / A current driver’s licence
The following levels would typically be expected for the 100% fully effective level:
Expert
Customer Focus
Reception
Ability to identify & analyse client needs
Communication skills – written & verbal
Interpersonal skills
Ability to communicate at all levels in the organisation
Advanced
Good general knowledge of council systems, responsibilities, procedures & structure
Specific procedures. E.g. rates, infringements, dog registrations, online services etc.
Conflict Management
Cash handling
Organisational skills
Negotiation skills
Ability to work well in a team
Ability to work in an open plan working environment
Working Knowledge
Time management
Computer skills
Rates, Dogs, RMA, Building & Privacy Acts
Knowledge of Microsoft Office
Key council projects in progress or planned
Awareness
Cultural awareness
Political awareness
Community awareness
Health & Safety
Council projects
Legislation
District council & non council queries
Current issues
Job Description revised and agreed by:
Name of position holder
Sign / Date
Manager
Position
Sign / Date
THIS SIGNED ORIGINAL WILL BE PLACED ON THE APPLICABLE PERSONAL FILE

A173052 Customer Services Officer