We have another entry into our ‘Seven Questions With…’ series today, as we sit down for a chat with our Customer Contact Centre Operatives to find out more about their important role within Schools Plus.
At Schools Plus, our Customer Contact Centre Operatives are the first voices you’ll hear when you get in touch with us. They are primarily responsible for processing our customers bookings, but they also have a lot of other roles and responsibilities within the company.
The team of four operatives as it stands today is Sophie Beresford (Team Leader), Daiva Bumelyte, Paula Christie and Sarah Rutt. Let’s get into the questions….
Q1) What are your daily responsibilities as a Customer Contact Centre Operative?
Sophie: Primarily we focus on answering calls and emails, taking monies and booking our customers into the facilities across our partner schools.
Paula: We are also on hand to provide support for our Venue Managers with both new customers and general enquiries.
Sarah: The job is certainly varied with no two enquires ever the same! One call I’m finding the perfect location for a party the next I’m chasing the lost property department at one of our partner schools.
Q2) How many booking requests do you usually deal with per day?
Sophie: We answer roughly 50 emails and 30 phone calls each a day. We divide and conquer so the phone calls are distributed equally, and the emails are answered on a first come first served basis by the next available operative.
Q3) Which other School Plus staff members do you closely interact with in your role?
Sophie: We report directly to our Director of Operations Wayne Cryer, so I’m often calling him.
Daiva: We also check in frequently with the Venue Managers of our partner schools, as they deal with the operational side of bookings. They are also available to help answer key booking questions about their schools.
Q4) What would you say has been your most memorable booking?
Paula: England Rugby! It was nice to help the national rugby team book some of our pitches and classrooms for specialised training.
Daiva: My most memorable booking was probably a lovely language and culture school, who book multiple classrooms on Saturdays in one of our schools. I helped the customer though the booking process, working closely with the venue manager as well, and made sure all the customer’s questions and worries were answered. Very rewarding!
Q5) Are there any surprising difficulties in the role?
Sophie: One of the most difficult things is managing the competition for slots at our facilities. There was one moment when three separate people rang in at the same time to try and book the same slot!
Sarah: Like Sophie said, it’s always frustrating when we can’t fit our customers in for their time slot at any of our venues.
Daiva: The most interesting difficulties come from trying to find a suitable venue for a customer with very specific requirements – venues that have high ceilings, venues that can fit 1000 people… you name it we’ve been asked it. It is always interesting to learn about quirky events and to try and find the best space for them.
Q6) Have there been any bookings you are proud to have made happen?
Sarah: I feel like I have achieved something when a customer thanks you for your effort and really appreciates what you have done for them. Whether this be finding them a venue, completing their contract or generally answering their questions they have about a venue or facility.
Daiva: I am always proud of finding an available slot for a customer in a busy school, or an alternative that they would like.
Q7) What do you enjoy most about being a Customer Contact Centre Operative?
Paula: I love the team work! I feel we have a great working relationship, which is important for a slightly smaller team like we are.
Sarah: I enjoy the variety the role has to offer, the challenges it can bring and every day not knowing what the calls or emails will bring.
Daiva: I enjoy the work environment, we can always seek advice from each other, and put our heads together when we need to sort a more difficult issue. It is a busy office, but we make the most of it and have fun doing it.
Sophie: Every day is completely different! The bookings and the customers are incredibly varied, and each one offers a new opportunity.
Thanks to the Customer Contact Centre Operative team for joining us today, hopefully this blog has given everyone a better idea of what they do and how important they are to Schools Plus!
Keep checking back to the blog as we interview more members of the Schools Plus Team. If you’d like to get in touch with us, and talk with one of Customer Contact Centre Operatives, then please use the details below.
