Customer Relations Officer

Our Customer Relations team is expanding, and we have some great opportunities for customer service professionals wanting to make a difference. We continually strive to provide first class service to our customers, who are at the heart of what we do, and we are committed to making the right decisions with complaints.

As a Customer Relations Officer, you will be responsible for reviewing and responding to complex complaints in line with the Housing Ombudsman Complaint Handling Code. The role involves managing a case load of ongoing complaints through to resolution, supporting our residents and colleagues across the business. The aim is to provide the customer with the best outcome that resolves the complaint.

In this role, you will advocate for our residents, communicating with customers via telephone and email to understand their concerns, why they are dissatisfied, where things went wrong and the outcome they seek. You will conduct thorough and impartial investigations of each case you handle, produce excellent written correspondence, and where necessary, award compensation in line with L&Q policy.

We are looking for strong communication skills, both verbal and written, to produce excellent responses, and out the box thinking to resolve complex complaints. You'll need to be caring, understanding and empathetic.

Successful applicants must have a confident approach in reviewing cases and be able to challenge decisions. Complaints could cover multiple areas of the business, and therefore strong and effective diplomacy and stakeholder management skills are essential. Being able to manage your time, workload and be highly motivated, is also an important part of the role.

Duties will include:

Managing and owning a caseload. Volumes may vary but you can expect at least 3-5 new complex complaints per week, and you may have 5 or more ongoing complaints to manage at any time
Conducting thorough impartial investigations
Working within response deadlines and adhering to team SLA's/ KPI's
Liaising with customers and internal departments via phone, Microsoft teams and email
Challenge decisions of internal departments
Calculating compensation in line company procedures
Ensuring information is carefully documented and systems are updated
Being conversant with the Housing Ombudsman code and ensuring that complaint handling and decisions are in line with the code

Do you consider yourself to be a high achiever, who not only meets but exceeds targets?

Do you thrive in a fast-paced environment and work well under pressure?, Strong customer service and complaint handing experience
Excellent written and verbal communication
Inquisitive and investigative nature
Critical thinker and ability to use own initiative
Quick learner
Computer literate
Able to work at a fast pace and meet deadlines
The ability to communicate effectively with residents from a wide range of backgrounds and to recognise vulnerabilities and tailor your approach accordingly
Be supportive, empathetic and willing to think outside the box
Be willing to challenge decisions which do not meet the HOS code and the needs of the resident

We're actively building diverse teams and encourage applications from all backgrounds. We want to create an inclusive environment where everyone can contribute their best work and develop to their full potential. We celebrate our differences and recognise the importance of our teams reflecting the communities we serve.

If you have the passion, drive and skills listed above, and are interested in working for an organisation that can really make a difference to people's lives, then please apply without delay!, Disability Confident
About Disability Confident
A Disability Confident employer will generally offer an interview to any applicant that declares they have a disability and meets the minimum criteria for the job as defined by the employer. It is important to note that in certain recruitment situations such as high-volume, seasonal and high-peak times, the employer may wish to limit the overall numbers of interviews offered to both disabled people and non-disabled people. For more details please go to Disability Confident.