Job Specification

Purpose of Position :

To provide information and support services related to designated services or line(s) of business to internal and external customers in English and French, in response to telephone, mail, email and fax inquiries; to perform various transactions and support electronic transactions related to government and partner public/private sector programs, services, legislation, policies and procedures, meeting and exceeding customer expectations and facilitating the professional delivery of fast, friendly and easy access to government information and services. Work is performed in a contact centre.

Duties / Responsibilities :

Acting as a customer gateway, ServiceOntario provides an integrated offering of services through its retail offices, kiosks, online and by telephone. Through the ServiceOntario service channels, members of the general public, business people and other client groups can easily and efficiently obtain information and transactional services provided by the Provincial Government, and can also access information regarding, municipal and federal governments and local community agencies. ServiceOntario is committed to service excellence, professionalism and results, and is committed to continually improving its service to customers by focusing on what is important to them -- providing the best customer experience is of utmost importance. ServiceOntario customer service staff provide assistance to seniors, persons with a disability, those for whom English is not a first language, and people who are unfamiliar with existing programs/benefits and/or their eligibility requirements.

Following are key duties/responsibilities of the position:

1. Greets customers and responds knowledgeably to telephone enquiries from internal and external customers, including the public, business community and/or health service providers; provides various information related designated services or line(s) of business regarding programs, services, legislation, policies and procedures of the Ontario Government and broader public/private sector partner organizations; and encourages voluntary compliance with government programs and initiatives. Acts as the first and single point of contact for customers whenever possible, maintaining a high level of professionalism and quality service. Records pertinent data/information for each enquiry. Refers clients to government/community resources and facilitates liaison with other services, when required, to ensure customer satisfaction.

2. Identifies, monitors, records and escalates potentially fraudulent activities that could result in misuse of resources or other problems.

3. Reviews email, mail and fax inquiries; identifies and researches required information; and composes and types responses.

4. Provides information to customers related to requests for specific government transactions, and proactively provides guidance and support to customers in completing forms and in the use of self-service systems for online Government transactions. Performs revenue-based customer service transactions requiring payments; determines applicable fee; and processes transactions and payments.

5. Confirms eligibility or status of persons in response to specific requests. Verifies identity of client/caller, when required.

6. Researches and verifies information via databases, websites, and resource documents. Updates/corrects reference/resource information and various records in databases and other resources. Identifies frequent requests and recurring complaints, and provides input regarding improvements to websites, information tools, resource databases and related content to achieve service excellence.

7. Maintains a current awareness of government and partner broader public/private sector products, programs and service offerings by attending internal training courses on product and service offerings; exchanging information with internal/external personnel; and reviewing incoming reports, news releases, current publications and other documentation.

8. Identifies, documents and reports/escalates technical problems related to systems applications, telecommunication problems, service interruptions or other problems to the appropriate unit/branch for resolution. May monitor status until restoration of service and apprise customers of progress and pertinent information.

9. Provides on-the-job training and orientation to new staff. Actively participates in meetings, providing input into proposed operational/procedural changes to improve the quality of the customer service experience, achieve service excellence, and to improve the team as a whole.

10. Managers have the right to assign additional duties.

Staffing and Licencing :

• Position requires French and English oral skills at an advanced level, as per OPS Standard;
• Security Clearance may be required based on assigned line(s) of business.

Knowledge :

The position requires knowledge of the following:

• Relevant provincial, municipal (government or community based) or federal products, programs, services, policies, processes, procedures, guidelines and directives; applicable sections of legislation and regulations; and relevant resource/reference materials and tools, to provide information to customers; to provide guidance and support in the completion of transactions and forms; to resolve customer problems; to encourage program compliance; and to correct records;
• Relevant sections of the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act to determine whether or not information can be disclosed to customers;
• ServiceOntario products, services, vision and mandate to direct clients to appropriate services; Contact Centre policies, procedures, priorities and standards to ensure compliance in performing work;
• OPS Customer Quality Service Standards to consistently provide professional, responsive customer service and care;
• Research and information-gathering methods, techniques and tools to collect information from reference materials, knowledge management tools and other resources;
• Analytical methods and techniques to assess the nature of the enquiry and determine the optimum solution or course of action in responding to the customer;
• Record-keeping procedures to access files, and update government databases; and to store, file and retrieve electronic and paper-based information

Skills :

The position requires the following skills:

• Courtesy, professionalism, tact and diplomacy to build rapport with telephone customers, and discuss their information/service needs; to elicit information pertaining to their needs and problems; and to handle customer resistance and objections to solutions offered or information provided;
• Active listening, empathy and sensitivity to understand and placate distressed, irate or confused/frustrated customers in a respectful manner;
• Patience to remain calm and composed when dealing with irate or upset customers; and to resolve difficult situations;
• Political acuity to identify situations and occurrences with political overtones, and respond in a manner that does not compromise service and/or problem resolution;
• Flexibility and adaptability to meet the needs of customers whose service, support and information needs vary; and to respond promptly to customer needs and problems;
• Attention to detail to ensure that forms are completed fully and accurately and that customers' service/transaction requirements are met;
• Oral communication skills and inclusiveness to provide detailed explanations of programs, services, legislation, policies and procedures to customers, and ensure understanding; to obtain or provide information; to liaise with program area staff regarding clients needs; and to report technical problems or service interruptions;
• Written communication skills to prepare correspondence in response to customers' requests for information;
• Planning and organization skills to organize and prioritize workload. Multi-tasking skills to switch rapidly among a number of different tasks
• Use and operation of computers and software such as Microsoft Office, database programs, Ministry/Government applications and the Internet, to access and retrieve information from databases; to prepare correspondence and reports; to conduct revenue-based transactions; to utilize software programs; and to conduct research.

Freedom of Action :

The work is guided by government legislation; policies, procedures and processes of the Ministry, ServiceOntario Telephone Channel and the Contact Centre; and OPS Customer Service Quality Standards. The position refers requests that require extensive research or are unusual, difficult and/or contentious in nature as well as matters outside established procedures to senior staff or to government/partner program areas. The Manager monitors the work of the position by reviewing telephone log reports and by meeting regularly with the position to discuss enquiry matters/issues that need addressing.

The position exercises judgement by determining the nature of enquiries; researching, accessing and providing relevant information; and determining the best resource and/or course of action to meet the customer's information needs, in accordance with established procedures and guidelines. The position exercises judgement by providing client callers with guidance and support on the completion of various forms and the use of government interactive transaction services. The position exercises judgement by determining when to refer enquiries to program areas or escalate enquiries to the Manager or other senior staff, in accordance with established procedures and criteria for referral/escalation. The position recommends procedural and unit resource systems/content changes. The position ensures that the confidentiality, security and integrity of government and customer data/information are maintained at all times.

The position is accountable for the quality of the information, support and service provided to the customer, as well as the accuracy, timeliness and relevance. Inaccuracies in information and support provided could have serious implications for clients, and are difficult to correct, given the transient and anonymous nature of the telephone enquiry process. Failure to identify customer needs and respond appropriately to or escalate enquiries or requests for information, or to ensure that forms are properly completed could impact on the quality and timeliness of the product or service to the customer, and could result in complaints to management/senior management and, to a lesser extent, the Minister's Office and MPP's. Failure to escalate service disruptions or technical problems could affect timely restoration of service to normal levels, and would adversely impact customer service delivery.