Job Title: Customer Contact Officer
SELECTION CRITERIA
Supports strategic direction
Throughout my career at the Department of Human Services (DHS), I continue to develop my ability to think strategically by evaluating each customer contact to ensure my actions and behaviors support the strategic priorities of DHS at any given time.
One current priority is that of supporting customers to achieve greater self-sufficiency in managing their own affairs. I have set myself a personal goal to ensure that with each and every customer contact I:-
- advise customers about the various secure and easy digital channels they can use to do their DHS business, including conversion to MyGov.
- discuss any concerns/adverse experiences that customers may have regarding digital services and offer alternatives/solutions.
- reinforce advantages of “missing the queue” in relation to face to face and telephone contacts.
- ensure self service level is at its highest level by asking for further identity etc as this will allow a customer the highest level of access to digital services.
- identify and support those customers with barriers to utilising digital services.
Achieves results
On a daily basis, I continue to strive to improve my skills and capabilities in order to meet and exceed DHS service delivery goals and the expectations of my current APS level. I research and forward plan my activities to ensure my tasks are completed to a high standard and within the time frames set by peers, supervisors and/or other stakeholders along with taking an active role in my career development.
I consider myself to be a hard working, diligent and honest employee who can be relied upon to perform my duties without the need for direct supervision. I also believe in team work and set myself personal standards such as always contributing to team meetings and identifying areas where efficiencies can be made to increase personal and team performance/effectiveness.
An example of this was team duties which were not rostered and seemingly no one was accountable for. I brought up at a team meeting that while QOL checking was a rostered responsibility of one APS4 daily, perhaps this could be made into more a back office duties position to encompass such things as:-
- first point of contact for QOL
- PCI and QTI missed appointments resulting in suspension of payments
- appeals
- daily correspondence via customer traffic, mail and fax
- other priority tasks required on an ad hoc basis
As a result, this idea was discussed by the team and is now a daily rostered duty. It results in accountability and certainty that these tasks will be completed daily along with other efficiencies such as less re-work, reduction in possible customer debts and a reduction in customer contacts.
Another example is that of producing task cards for rostered positions to act as a quick guide for service officers, particularly those new to a role. I completed task cards for different positions such as appointments and citizenship testing. Currently I have a number of draft new and revised new claim task cards waiting on approval.
Supports productive working relationships
Trust, mutual respect and the recognition/appreciation of the cultural and individual differences between us form the basis of any productive working relationship. This includes relationships with peers, leadership and specialists within DHS, our customers, the community and other stakeholders. These relationships need to be cultivated and encouraged to provide a strong and collaborative approach to service delivery.
Transferring to Northern Australia zone in January 2014, I had to initiate and cultivate new internal DHS relationships. To do this I built rapport, trust and maintained a commitment to treating others with respect and dignity at all times I achieved this by using open and honest communication; giving and receiving regular and constructive feedback; sharing information; acknowledging diversity in the team and the wider workplace environment; visibly and vocally recognising the contributions of others in the workplace via team meetings; using problem solving and conflict management techniques as appropriate to the circumstances; and empowering other team members. I have experience in leading teams and in supervising others and in such roles it is important to both acknowledge and harness the skills/experience of my team members. I see myself as a senior member of the Front of House team and believe I should exhibit these behaviors at all times.
As a result of my commitment to developing working relationships, many team members started asking advice regarding customer issues and other workplace questions. This ultimately led me to applying for and being the successful applicant for the Harassment Contact Officer position at my Service Centre. My satisfaction comes from knowing that my peers respect my integrity and knowledge by accessing my advice on different workplace situations, and I am a respected and integral member of the team.
Displays personal drive and integrity
I believe that, as an APS4, modeling the behaviours governed by the APS Values and Code of Conduct ensures that these values and ethics are at the forefront of my role at DHS. As a service officer, understanding my personal values, I undertake my duties with honesty and diligence complying at all times with overarching legislation and DHS policies and procedures. I treat others in the workplace with respect and dignity, value diversity and recognise that people from different cultures and backgrounds bring with them different skills, views and experiences which provide synergy in our ability to deliver quality services.
Specifically, I spend time analyzing my own strengths and development needs on at least a month to month basis. While I can find it difficult to give myself credit for successful tasks I have initiated and/or received complimentary feedback for, I can be my own worst critic. The usual way I deal with areas of concern is to sit down and logically find solutions. When I am unsure of the direction or steps I need to take, these are the issues I take into my coaching sessions to provide myself with honest and clear feedback. I had recently struggled with maintaining a good work life balance and have continued to work closely with my current team leader to implement strategies to stop this imbalance from re-occurring.
Communicates with influence
Whether in a one-on-one discussion with a customer or colleague, presenting training, speaking at a meeting or communicating in writing, I am able to adapt my communication style to ensure that I am able to influence the recipient with the message I am conveying. I understand that delivering my message in a succinct, clear and concise manner with written or orally ensures that the reader or audience understandings my message, decision or recommendations.
I became a QOL checker in March 2014 and acknowledge the importance of this role in explaining complex information in an easy to understand manner and with consideration to each service officer’s needs. In particular, I have found that many of my least experienced team members can take QOL feedback personally rather than being able to see feedback as a valuable training tool. My usual approach is to sit down with that team member and use the KKK (Kiss Kick Kiss) method to provide feedback regarding an activity that did not pass QOL. The first step is to compliment the effort made or parts of the activity which were done well. The second step is to point out where the activity went wrong in line with QOL procedures in an explanatory way with solutions as to how the activity needs to be fixed and suggested reading to ensure the training need is addressed. The last step is to again commend the service officer on their efforts and the things that they do consistently well.
