Organisation: Department of Human Services
Job Title: APS 5
Word Limit: 3 Pages max
Location: Tasmania
Supports Strategic Direction
Within my current role as Customer Service Advisor with the Department of Human Services, Australian Passport Information Service (APIS), I have the responsibility of supervising other staff, monitor their statistics and work with them to improve their qualitative and quantitative output. This includes monitoring the level of customer service they’re providing to customers through call listening and reviewing their statistics and feedback from customers, in order to achieve the goals of the team and the organisation. In situations where I have dealt with underperformance of staff members, I have reviewed and made a time to sit with them and consult them about their ideas around their own underperformance. At this point, I ask them if they can think of anything I can do to assist them improve and I also suggest a range of strategies we can focus on over the next period, after which I review their progress again. Along with this, I explain to each staff member the reasons why we need to have a focus on quality and quantity of calls, ensuring they understand their part in the achievement of the team and of organisation goals.
Recently, I supervised one staff member who had been with the organisation some time, but whose average call handle time sat around 40 seconds above the average target. Having been assigned to my team recently as a QSE, this staff member had very negative views on the process of call listening and felt it was management trying to catch her out. The process of knowing I was going to be listening stressed this staff member, so we came up with some ideas to assist in this, including not letting her know ahead of time that I was going to listen in, taking the call time off her phone as she was focussing on this and not on the customer and giving her some one on one training on the use of our resource file information. It took around 6 months of work, however I was successful in reigning her call time in to acceptable levels.
Achieves Results
During the period approaching Christmas last year, it was an extremely busy time at the APIS and there was concern that the average call handle time was around 10 seconds higher than the target. This means that we were going to need additional 6 staff members over a period where most people wish to take leave. To combat this issue, I took responsibility for the reduction of the average call time within my area. Through careful analysis of the statistics and through coaching discussions and listening to calls, I came up with the main areas which required focus and improvement. To make this reductive impact on the average call time, I also implemented numerous strategies which involved all team members. These included the production of a series of call flow cheat sheets, delivery of a series of call control and handling techniques training sessions and the giving of advice and technical direction to those staff who required assistance in this regard.
This intensive skills development period, along with positive praise for those meeting the target, made an impact not only on call times, but also quality of calls and motivation of staff. As a result of this project, the area successfully achieved the result of decreasing their call handle times, with all but one staff member meeting the average expected timeframe per call. In addition, it meant that we did not need to have the extra 6 staff members on line over the Christmas period, giving more people a chance for their leave time to be approved.
My own statistics have also demonstrated my ability to achieve results within this role. Having worked within the centre for around 6 years now, I have overachieved on all targets set and maintained this consistently. I have received 99% and 100% ratings consistently over that time and have been the recipient of the golden phone high achievement award, and at the beginning of this year, received a certificate for receiving 100,000 calls. My passion and dedication for adhering with organisational goals and objectives, along with the ability to provide exceptional customer service, means that I can achieve the results as required within an APS5 position.
Supports Productive Working Relationships
As Customer Service Advisor for the Passport Office, there are numerous relationships which are required, to perform the role adequately. One stakeholder I deal with is Australia Post, who often have enquiries about passport applications being lodged. By maintaining my knowledge of the application process, I am able to quickly give Australia Post staff advice to assist with their interviews or documentation whilst they are meeting with customers, which adheres with procedural guidelines.
The Passport Office is another stakeholder which I have developed productive relationships with over time. I communicate with the office, including via the Tenq system, ensuring notes entered on customer records are clear, concise and helpful, as well as over the phone communications to address customers’ needs. Most often, customers call and we find the passport office has put their application on hold for a reason, which we can then pass onto the customer for actioning. We can attach a note to the customers’ file and have the passport office call them to sort the matter out efficiently.
As a quality member within my current role, I am responsible for communicating between the management team and my staff, passing on deliverable requirements from staff and deadlines which are required to be met. Within my own team I have developed relationships with staff which are productive, efficient and professional. In an environment that can, at times, become quite negative, I am able to maintain my professionalism and focus as well as lead positively by example. This is achieved by maintaining a proactive and solution based persona which I can use effectively to stem negativity and find solutions through the right contacts and procedures.
On one occasion, my team had been to a training session delivered by another colleague. Some of my team members were sitting in the lunch room talking very negatively about the training experience, saying they had no time to ask questions and resolve issues. This was translating into some unprofessional behaviour, including letting calls time out due to a glitch rather than dealing with the customers’ needs. I took responsibility for this and used my relationship with the colleague who delivered the training to talk to her about the issues. The colleague said she would be happy to come to our team and run some question and answer sessions with these team members so they could have every one of their questions answered. This stemmed the negativity taking away any avenue for questions not being answered and was a positive way to deal with a negative situation using existing relationships within the organisation.
Displays Personal Drive and Integrity
My personal drive and integrity have been demonstrated on many occasions over the last 6 years in the APIS. At present, there are times when the management team are off the floor in a staff meeting. At these times I take responsibility to monitor the call boards, sending out global emails when the call wait queue gets up to 20 or so. This gives the staff the message that we really need to keep taking calls and maintain call times as best we can to reduce this queue if possible. In addition, I have found on numerous occasions, staff using their own mobile phones to text people, whilst they’re on a call with a customer, or online shopping. As the only one on the floor at that time, I generally ask the staff member to put their phone away, or to cease online shopping to ensure their efficiency is maintained. This maintenance of integrity can be challenging when you are trying to maintain relationships with staff, however is important if goals around quality are going to be met.
I have also displayed integrity and drive in the reporting of helpdesk efficiency and knowledge. Due to staff changes, there are numerous staff on the helpdesk who simply cannot resolve queries provided by staff on the phones. Recently, I have called the helpdesk on four occasions, and had none of my queries resolved. Through reporting this to my team leader, I am doing what I can to address this issue which affects overall efficiency within the office.
My personal drive is something I am often commended on as my strong point. I am enthusiastic in my role, generally agree with the direction of the organisation and am keen to both do the job well, and encourage others to do so. I pride myself on always being professional, maintaining my ethical standards and complying with the APS Values and Code of Conduct. My goal is to maintain open and honest communication and demonstrate my professionalism by training customers and staff fairly.
Communicates with Influence
I possess excellent communication and interpersonal skills and can successfully communicate with influence at all levels. As quality officer in my current role, I deliver coaching and mentoring for my staff, and also facilitate a range of group learning and development sessions for them. I organise for numerous staff to be off the phones for a period to engage in training. During these sessions, I go through any updates and procedures the staff needs to be aware of and update them on management directives which impact their roles. There is a tendency for staff in these situations to be negative about the changes and to argue or disagree with the changes made. Using a firm but fair communication approach, my role in this instance is to ensure they understand that I am not the one making the changes; however, these are changes which are not open for discussion, except around how we are going to implement them on the floor. I often explain that the customer is going to be affected by the changes as well, and open the floor to discuss how we are going to assist them in our roles. This often takes the emphasis off the change, and onto a different area, where we can implement positive changes.
My influencing skills are also used directly with customers and I ensure clear and concise communication with all customers, particularly those where English is not their first language. I am able to adapt my communication style depending on the understanding of my audience and try to limit the jargon and abbreviated language which might be confusing.
In addition to phone conversations, I response to customer emails as well, answering questions in professional language and style. I have received excellent feedback on my quality of customer contact and pride myself on being understood and ensuring the customer doesn’t have to call or email back again to clarify details
