PURPOSE OF JOB

To provide an effective and quality service to customers of Swale Borough Council who are phoning us in relation to Revenue and Benefit enquiries.

The Revenues & Benefits Customer Service Advisors need to have the knowledge, understanding and experience of Revenues and Benefits and using Academy or likewise system in a contact centre environment.

To answer phone calls relating to Revenues & Benefits in a timely manner, always ensuring high levels of customer

To interpret queries/problems that are generated by customers in order to generate solutions to meet their needs whilst the customer is on the phone with you

Promote and encourage self service and online services, including ebilling and council wide notifications, whilst recognising vulnerabiltity and where there may be the need to support residents through their enquiry

To ensure confidentiality of all evidence/information held on all systems accessed

Ensuring customer data is up to date, this includes correct spellings of names, adding first names to accounts/profiles, email addresses and telephone numbers

Through active listening and conversation have an awareness of other support and benefits/assistance that customers may be entitled to and signposting customers as appropriate

Responsibility for recognising signs of fraudulent claims, understand what key information should be recorded and following the correct referral process

To apply operating standards when responding to each enquiry and to follow the Authoritys complaints procedure when appropriate Tasks to be carried out with customer on the phone include:

Setting up Council Tax arrangements and payment plans for customers

Reprofile Council Tax accounts to ensure instalments are correct

Make changes to customers payment method and instalment due dates as well as taking payments and signposting to self service

Set up direct debits

Send copy bills on request

Experience Experience of providing a telephony customer focused front-line service Knowledge and experience of working in a council tax and housing benefits role Experience of using Academy/NEC or similar Revenues and Benefits systems

Ability to recognise and handle sensitive and confidential information as well as working to data protection guideline Self motivated, able to work with minimal supervision but also a team player Effective communication skills and the ability to deal sensitively with distressed, agitated, confused or irate customers

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