Part-Time Customer Service Representative

POSITION SUMMARY The Part-Time Inbound Customer Service Representative will be the liaison between Newsday and its current, former and potential customers for our morning shift. The successful candidate will be able to accept ownership for effectively manipulating customer issues, complaints and inquiries, keeping customer satisfaction at the core of every decision and behavior. THIS POSITION IS 100% REMOTE. PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES Improve customer retention – understand company programs, services, and offerings provided to customers. Resolving client issues - effective problem solving skills to retain customers. Handle a high volume of outgoing calls for subscriber win back and retention. Attempt to resell subscription to customers wishing to cancel using customer service techniques while maintaining retention goals for saved subscribers’ accounts. Escalate high priority complaints to Division Mangers, Team Leads or Supervisors ensuring immediate and sustained resolution. Manage call center database by entering information. Fulfills requests by clarifying desired information and completing transactions. QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENTS To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to consistently perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skills and/or abilities required. Customer Focus – Develops and maintains positive customer service relationships. Demonstrates urgency and ownership. Shows interest, listens, empathizes and responds appropriately Team Work – Strengthens the Customer Service Team by promoting, building and maintaining a strong sense of teamwork throughout the organization as the opportunity arises. Cooperates and maintains positive attitude as part of a team. Supports team members in furthering departmental goals through open and honest communications promoting team interests over self-interest. Supports and motivates team to meet metrics established by management Decision Making – Demonstrates strong ability to make sound decisions and to identify, analyze and solve problems Quality Orientation - Displays commitment to quality and excellence Communication – Provides complex updates and recommendations with little to no assistance KNOWLEDGE/ SKILL REQUIREMENTS Customer focus and understanding of the customer service process. Stress tolerance, professional interpersonal skills, probing skills, effective negotiation techniques and multi-tasking abilities. Must demonstrate a high level of proficiency in computer skills from a user perspective. Demonstrate analytical abilities to understand billing procedures and make adjustments to customer’s accounts. Consent to monitoring of business calls by supervisors/managers in order to assist in training, and to ensure customers are receiving prompt, courteous service and accurate information. EDUCATION / EXPERIENCE Requires a high school diploma or equivalent and prior experience working in the customer service role, handling customer issues and customer retention. Basic PC skills including Microsoft Word, Excel, and basic ability to navigate around a complex database systems. Capacity for listening, dealing and confrontation, and overcoming objections. 30wpm minimum typing requirement Spelling and simple mathematical computation Proficient utilizing email Prior sales and negotiation experience a plus. Must be able to work weekends and holidays and adheres to daily schedule. ESSENTIAL JOB KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS Requires a high school diploma or equivalent One year or more related experience or training with a focus on high volume customer service, handling customer issues and customer retention, computer skills or-data entry 30wpm minimum typing requirement Spelling and simple mathematical computation Some sales experience a plus Customer focus and understanding of the customer service process. Stress tolerance, professional interpersonal skills, probing skills, effective negotiation techniques and multi-tasking abilities. Must demonstrate a high level of proficiency in utilizing email and computer skills including Microsoft Word, Excel, and basic ability to navigate around a complex database systems. Demonstrate analytical abilities to understand billing procedures and make adjustments to customer’s accounts. Consents to monitoring of business calls by supervisors/managers in order to assist in training, and to ensure customers are receiving prompt, courteous service and accurate information. Ability and willingness to work a flexible and varied schedule to include extended hours, weekends and holidays and adheres to daily schedule. Ability to handle and diffuse conflict and challenging customer service situations. Excellent customer service orientation and develops customer service relationships. Demonstrates urgency and ownership. Shows sincere interest, listen, empathize and respond appropriately. Excellent verbal and written Communication skills. Expresses oral and written ideas clearly. Exercises good listening skills and requests clarification if unsure how to proceed. Teamwork-Strengthen the customer Support Team by promoting, building and maintaining a strong sense of teamwork throughout the organization as the opportunity arises. Cooperates and maintains positive attitudes as part of a team. Supports team members in furthering departmental goals through open and honest communications promoting team interest over self-interest. Decision Making-Incumbent may exercise decision making when determining whether call should be referred to a supervisor when resolving customer concerns. Quality Orientation-Displays commitment to quality and excellence. PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS This is primarily a sedentary job. Must have ability to sit for extended periods of time, up to full shift. Close visual acuity required to perform an activity such as: preparing and analyzing data and figures; transcribing; viewing a computer terminal; extensive reading. Talking - ability to converse and engage in dialogue with others via telephone and in person throughout the entire shift. Ability to reach, bend, lift as necessary with or without accommodation. Ability to type 30 wpm Requires continuous use of computer navigation and typing. Newsday Media Group is an Equal Opportunity Employer and maintains a drug-free and smoke-free workplace.