Customer Service Representative - Bipolar Central



Customer Service Representative

– Job Description –

Customer Service Representatives are responsible for handling incoming phone calls, managing email responses, and following up on customer requests and issues. They play a critical role in providing an interface between our special customers and ourselves. As a result, we seek out people who are friendly and possess a professional manner.

Our customers consist mostly of people who have bipolar disorder and their supporters. The ability to deal patiently with their problems and complaints, and to remain courteous even when our customers are difficult or angry, is very important.

1 Principle Tasks

Among other things, Customer Service Representatives will be responsible for:

• Orders: Taking and processing orders over the phone.

• Credit cards: Handling credit card transactions as part of processing orders.

• Refunds: Issuing refunds to customers when necessary.

• Incoming customer calls, emails, and mail: Receiving and responding to incoming phone calls, emails, and mail from customers regarding issues such as order status, removal requests, or any other inquiries related to our products and services.

2 Education and Training Requirements

• Required: A high school diploma.

• Preferred: Additional education or prior training in customer service, computers, English, or business.

• Beneficial: Associates or bachelor’s degree.

3 Job Requirements

Customer Service Representatives for our organization must:

• Be easily accessible 7 days a week via email or phone.

• Commit to informing our organization ahead of time in the event that they will be unavailable for a short period of time due to vacation, etc.

• Be committed and able to meet deadlines on time.

• Have strong follow-up and follow-through proficiencies.

• Exhibit excellent problem-solving skills.

• Have the ability to handle difficult situations professionally.

• Possess superb organizational skills.

• Be able to keep good, accurate records.

• Demonstrate great listening and excellent note-taking skills.

• Be able to communicate clearly, both in writing and in speech.

• Posses good typing, spelling, and writing skills for communicating through email.

• Have quick learning capabilities.

• Demonstrate speedy response times to inquiries.

• Work accurately and with an eye for detail.

• Handle things in the best interest of both the customer and the company.

• Be able to suggest improvements to the various communication methods of the company (e.g., website, FAQs, etc.).

• Be able to do call-backs.

• Know how to do "removes" and how to "blacklist.”

• Possess the ability to do refunds, extend refunds, do chargebacks, turn both refunds and chargebacks into sales, and do upsells.

• Be flexible, available, willing, and able to perform all other duties as required by the company director.

4 Technical Requirements

Customer Service Representatives for our organization must:

• Possess computer knowledge at the basic to intermediate level.

• Own a personal computer.

• Have a phone plan with unlimited long distance.

• Have high-speed Internet connection at home.

• Have email.

• Know how to download and open email attachments.

• Be able to use automated information systems to analyze the customer's situation.

• Know what pop-ups are and how to deal with them.

• Be able to open and listen to mp3 attachments in an email file.

• Be able to set up email using a POP Server (e.g., Outlook, Outlook Express, etc.).

• Be able to download programs and install them (e.g., a project timer such as Time Stamp).

• Be able to use a new program with a minimum of instructions (especially a timer program, where all you need to do is learn how to clock in and out).

• Have experience with relevant systems, including:

o Microsoft Outlook

o Microsoft Excel

o Microsoft Word

o Internet Explorer and Firefox browsers

• Have the ability to quickly learn and implement new software programs including:

o Yahoo Instant Messenger

o GotVMail (how to handle voicemails and return calls)

o PATlive (how to enter orders)

o Infusionsoft (looking up orders, customer information, removing from mailing list)

o AWeber (how to remove from mailing list)

o Ticket area (how to read and reply to emails submitted)

o Disk & Selby (how to look up customer tracking/delivery information)

5 Personal Characteristics

As a Customer Service Representative for our organization, you should:

• Be able to work with emotionally and mentally challenged people.

• Be familiar with people who have bipolar disorder or are supporters of it.

• Be a patient, professional, and polite “people person”—even when dealing with unhappy customers.

• Have a thick skin and be able to handle complaints—even when handling unpleasant customers—without taking it personally (yet you should also be able to “blacklist” when dealing with abusive, “unredeemable” customers).

• Enjoy talking on the phone.

• Have initiative and be proactive.

• Possess moderate to strong assertiveness.

• Have a friendly, likeable, approachable personality.

• Have a professional, well-spoken, pleasant phone persona.

• Have the ability to take ownership of issues and “do what it takes” to complete projects on time.

• Exhibit solutions-oriented thinking.

• Want to delight customers, above and beyond the call of duty.

• Have intimate knowledge of customers’ needs.

• Have empathy for customers’ situations.

• Talk in a way that customers can understand.

• Have a pleasant, friendly style.

• Have the ability to multi-task.

• Be willing to build a long-term relationship with the company (not a “job-hopper”).

• Have good interpersonal skills.

• Be able to work with minimal supervision yet show a willingness to go to supervisor with problems.

• Display self-confidence, high energy, self-motivation, and quick thinking.

• Have good initiative and be willing and able to learn more things on your own (for example, buy books, take courses, attend seminars, etc.) in order to:

o better yourself;

o increase your knowledge about your job;

o enhance your job performance; and

o expand your capabilities.

• Have the desire to achieve, excel, and continuously improve.

6 Training

Almost all Customer Service Representatives are provided with some training prior to beginning work. This training generally covers:

• customer service and phone skills;

• information on products and services;

• information about common customer problems;

• the use of the telephone and computer systems;

• company policies and regulations.

Length of training varies but usually lasts at least several weeks. Because of a constant need to update skills and knowledge, most Customer Service Representatives continue to receive training throughout their career. This is particularly true because our company is changing and growing at such a rapid pace. You must familiarize yourself with all our products (more than 25), as well as all future products.

1 Customer Service Representative Inquiries

All Customer Service Representatives interact with customers to provide information in response to inquiries about products or services and to handle and resolve complaints. They communicate with customers through a variety of means—by telephone, email, fax, or regular mail. Some Customer Service Representatives handle general questions and complaints, whereas others specialize in a particular area.

Many customer inquiries involve routine questions and requests. For example, Customer Service Representatives may be asked to provide a customer with the reason for the credit card charge on their statement, or to check on the status of an order. Other questions are more involved, however, and may require additional research or further explanation on the part of the Customer Service Representative.

In handling customer complaints, Customer Service Representatives must attempt to resolve the problem according to guidelines established by the company. These procedures may involve asking questions to determine the validity of a complaint, offering possible solutions, or providing customers with refunds or exchanges.

In some cases, Customer Service Representatives are required to follow up with an individual customer until a question is answered or an issue is resolved. In these cases, they may have to bring the problem to the attention of the Customer Service Manager for resolution.

2 Forms, Reviews, and Tests

Customer Service Representatives must:

• Sign a W-9 form, non-disclosure agreement, and non-compete agreement.

• Submit to a background check and drug test.

• Submit to one-week, two-week, and thirty-day evaluations, and to periodic evaluations after that.

3 A Note on Schedule and Honesty

Customer Service Representatives need to be able to work independently within specified time constraints. Although you will be working on an hourly basis and will be reporting your hours as such on a timesheet, there is still an element of trust at work. If, at any time, there is a suspicion that this element of trust has been breached, and/or you have “padded” your hours on your timesheet, this will be cause for your immediate dismissal.

Because we are a home-based company and we do not have the advantage of being in a building where we all meet each other at an office each day to perform our job duties, job performance and reporting of duties is inherently based on honestly. Therefore, honesty is a very basic and necessary part of our character.

4 Additional Comments

Customer Service Representatives represent the entire company and everyone in it when they are on the phone with customers. Therefore, appearance (phone representation) is a very serious consideration in our company.

Although we do our work from home, we are no less of a professional organization than any other company. Noise, whether from pets or children, should NOT be heard over the phone by our customers at any time. This is your responsibility. We must be professional at ALL times.

Apply Now for Customer Service Representative

................
................

In order to avoid copyright disputes, this page is only a partial summary.

Google Online Preview   Download