CITY OF PHILADELPHIA PERSONNEL DEPARTMENT

6J27
CUSTOMER SERVICES ASSISTANT MANAGER

Specialties
( Call Center) ) (Revenue Collections )

GENERAL DEFINITION

This is management-level work serving as an assistant to the manager of a major customer services operation. An employee in this class directs the activities of subordinate call center staff in the City's centralized Customer Service Center operation or subordinates engaged in the billing, investigation, and collection or revenues and interviewing of taxpayers. Work includes ensuring appropriate protocol and standard operating procedures for servicing in-bound calls or the billing and collection of revenues. Work includes monitoring daily and weekly metrics in the areas of service, quality and performance, using specialized software to evaluate work and prepare reports. Employees ensure conveyance of a positive image and handle a large volume of in-bound calls or revenue collections work in a friendly and professional manner. Work may be performed on an assigned shift and under the general direction of an administrative superior.

ALLOCATING FACTORS: (The following conditions must be met for a position to be allocated to this class.)

The position must be responsible for directing the activities of subordinate call center staff in the City's centralized Customer Service Center operation or subordinates engaged in the billing, investigation, and collection or revenues and interviewing of taxpayers.
The position must be located in the City's Public Property, Revenue, or Water Departments.

TYPICAL EXAMPLES OF WORK (ILLUSTRATIVE ONLY)

Both Specialties

Ensures customer service metrics in the areas of quality, service and performance are met by subordinates; provides coaching and counseling to goals; develops individual training plans, when necessary.
Identifies any issues with current standard operating procedures, and makes recommendations on potential modifications to the superior; identifies training needs to ensure quality customer service; participates in the development of objectives for service, quality and performance measures; raises software issues as necessary.
Monitors service levels throughout the assigned shift; runs performance reports on a daily basis; highlights to superior any unplanned or unexpected variances.
Meets frequently with subordinate personnel both formally and informally to provide information, direction, and resolve problems; provides on-the-job instruction to subordinates on specific and detailed procedures and practices necessary to perform the job appropriately; informs staff on any change to the standard operating procedures.
Manages staff performance by recognizing superior work and identifying performance and/or behavior problems; takes corrective action as necessary; initiates disciplinary action as appropriate; meets with union representatives to provide information and resolve disputes; refers complicated and high-level issues and problems to superiors for resolution.
Collaborates with the Quality and Training Manager to identify staff developmental areas appropriate for classroom or on-the-job training.
Prepares work schedules for subordinate staff through workforce management software and forecasting volume; plans and arranges coverage for sick leave and other types of leave; manages requests for all types of leave time; assigns overtime and maintains the overtime list.
Maintains a compliment of external and internal communication source material for reference to appropriately service customer inquiries; follows appropriate contact protocols; attends training sessions as assigned to keep up-to-date on current communication equipment, processes and protocols; identifies data and various types of information that should be input into the system search and query function for agent access.
Performs related work as required.

CALL CENTER SPECIALTY:

Serves as an assistant manager, directing subordinate staff performing customer service work for the general public by providing a wide variety of general information, advisory services and problem-resolution for the public and taxpayers through state-of-the art call center technology; observes subordinates' handling of in-bound calls and ensures proper protocols and standard operating procedures are followed in a customer oriented and friendly manner; assesses subordinates' communication and information-gathering techniques to assure appropriate conveyance of information to customers; troubleshoots with staff complex issues; helps staff navigate software efficiently; directs staff to appropriate workflows within the software system.
Interfaces with client department liaisons, software vendors and various service departments throughout the city to improve the efficiency of the call center operation. drives call center objectives for service, quality and performance into the daily operation and identifying obstacles that prevent the center from meeting objectives; manages daily and weekly standard reporting and analysis; identifies service delivery trends and raises them to the Call Center Manager; performs additional analysis as appropriate.
Supervises a large team of generalists and specialist agents, along with Customer Service Center Team Leaders; leads, develops and coaches the staff; uses the monitoring and coaching software to give agents feedback on handling calls; works with agents to follow call protocol, and improve performance.
Handles escalated calls; handles the more difficult and problematic calls as necessary, and, in such cases provides information and general advisory services on City services, develops and routes in-bound service orders; provides advisory services and problem resolution on various issues; handles calls for elected officials and senior positions within the City; serves as a contact point within the Customer Service Center for emergency notification procedures.

REVENUE COLLECTIONS SPECIALTY:

Supervises the work activities of several units in the billing, investigation, collection, and/or delinquency enforcement for an assigned phase of a major revenue collection area; determines work load to be assigned each unit; checks work activities of each unit to determine problems being encountered and to ascertain that all policies and procedures are being followed; arranges shifts in personnel between units to fill vacancies; schedules vacations and leaves for subordinates.
Prepares and supervises training programs for new employees; prepares written and oral instructions to subordinates explaining all new or revised policies, procedures, laws, or ordinances.
Reviews all recommendations from subordinates for billing adjustments; determines legality and appropriateness of such adjustments; approves all appropriate adjustments; refers more difficult or complex problems to superior for advice and decisions.
Prepares recommendations for changes needed in operating procedures of section; submits such proposals to superior for discussion and approval.
Confers with taxpayers or their representatives on complex revenue collection problems or irregularities; explains the technical requirements of various laws, ordinances, policies and procedures; investigates complaints from citizens; determines and implements billing adjustments; drafts letters to affected citizens informing them of actions taken.
Performs related work as required.

REQUIRED KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES

KNOWLEDGE OF:

call center operations and activities for the Call Center Specialty
general call center operations, protocols and practices for the Call Center Specialty
the principles and practices of office management as applied to large-scale billing and collection functions for the Revenue Collections Specialty
the methods and techniques used in billing and collection activities for the Revenue Collections Specialty
the laws, rules, regulations and procedures concerned with municipal revenue collections
supervisory practices, principles and techniques
the functions, operations, and activities of the large service delivery departments
employee development and performance management
administrative processes and practices
customer service principles and practices
telephone etiquette
correct English usage and grammar
record keeping and clerical procedures

SKILL IN:

investigative and independent problem solving
orally communicating in an effective and customer-service oriented manner

ABILITY TO:

supervise subordinate personnel or manage contractors providing customer service work for client departments
train others in appropriate protocols, practices and techniques in performing customer service work in a call center environment or voice mail programming and installation
resolve performance, behavior and interpersonal disputes
apply policies, procedures and guidelines relating to emergency and non-emergency situations
provide timely and appropriate services in a customer-service oriented manner
handle stress levels, complexity, volume and diversity of customers in a call center environment
handle difficult and irate customers
learn to operate automated communications and information systems equipment
utilize a computer software and equipment
speak clearly and distinctly, using good diction
react quickly when receiving and routing calls and messages and/or requests for services
follow instructions and standard procedures involved in communications and information systems
search on the state- of- the- art software system for a wide variety of diversified information necessary to ensure proper communication services to callers
maintain routine records of activities
speak and understand the designated non-English language for the bilingual specialty

MINIMUM ACCEPTABLE TRAINING AND EXPERIENCE (The following statement represents the minimum training and experience standards which will be used to admit or reject applicants for tests. Applications submitted by candidates for this class will be reviewed based on training and experience requirements as approved on 5/04.)

EDUCATION

BOTH SPECIALTIES

Education equivalent to the completion of the twelfth school grade.

CALL CENTER SPECIALTY:

GENERAL EXPERIENCE

Two years of customer service experience working in a centralized call center handling in-bound call volume at least 90% of the time, giving information and eliciting information from the public by telephone or through an automated call distributor telephone system.

AND

SPECIFIC EXPERIENCE

Two years of experience as a supervisor managing a staff engaged in performing customer service and communication work in a departmental or centralized call center operation providing, eliciting, and routing information for the general public.

REVENUE COLLECTIONS SPECIALTY:

GENERAL EXPERIENCE

Two years of customer service experience giving information and eliciting information from the public, in person, by telephone or through an automated call distributor telephone system, or two years of field work investigating tax and/or water/sewer delinquents and gathering facts in order to effect the collection of municipal revenues.

AND

SPECIFIC EXPERIENCE

Two years of experience supervising employees engaged in high-volume utility or municipal revenue billing and/or collections or two years of experience supervising employees investigating tax and/or water/sewer delinquents and gathering facts in order to effect the collection of municipal revenues.

Any equivalent combination of education and experience determined to be acceptable by the Personnel Department that has included the specific experience described above.

PHYSICAL AND MEDICAL REQUIREMENTS

Ability to physically perform the duties and to work in the environmental conditions required of a position in this class.

PAY RANGE: EP17

Class Established: 3/53

Latest Spec. Revision:
CSC: 3/04, Ad Board: 5/04

CN/sb

END OF JOB CLASS SPECIFICATION - 6J27

6J27CUSTOMER SERVICES ASSISTANT MANAGER

6J27
CUSTOMER SERVICES ASSISTANT MANAGER