At a Glance
- Tasks: Provide top-notch customer service by handling orders, deliveries, and resolving issues.
- Company: Join Hachette UK Distribution, a leader in the publishing industry.
- Benefits: Enjoy 35 days holiday, pension plans, discounts on books, and more!
- Other info: Hybrid working model with a supportive and inclusive culture.
- Why this job: Be part of a dynamic team and gain valuable experience in customer service and publishing.
- Qualifications: Experience in customer service or related fields is a plus.
The predicted salary is between 23299 - 28477 £ per year.
At Hachette UK Distribution we provide leading-edge fulfilment and warehousing services to over thirty publishers, specialising in a wide variety of sectors including trade, illustrated, educational, academic, professional and children's books. With over 80 million units despatched annually, we're committed to our mission of making it easy for everyone to discover new worlds of ideas, learning, entertainment and opportunity.
In our Customer Services team, you will work closely with our publishers and our trade, education and academic customers to provide them with a 'best in class' service experience. What you’ll be doing: On a typical day you will be responding to emails and telephone calls, processing orders, coordinating deliveries, organising collections with carriers, investigating claims (e.g. shortages, damages), and issuing refunds as well as other general administration tasks. You will be working to ensure all targets are met, demonstrating growth mindset by working with your team leader to identify and promote change that improves customer and publisher experience, and ensures that continued high standards of quality and productivity are delivered.
In this role, you work on different tasks within your team and across teams, when there is a need to support other areas. You will also work closely with Operational and Credit Service colleagues when investigating and resolving publisher and customer issues. This role offers the opportunity to become an essential part of a leading Customer Services team and gain lots of experience regarding distribution and elements of the publishing industry. Following your initial training period, which will be based in our offices in Didcot, Oxfordshire, you will be able to make the most of the current hybrid working model (minimum 2 days per week in the office). The hours will be 9am to 5pm (35 hours per week) with a one-hour lunch break working Monday to Friday.
Who we are looking for: Do you strive to provide outstanding service with a personal touch? Do you exceed expectations by taking ownership and being solution-focused? Do you want to build strong and trusted relationships? If so, we would love to hear from you.
Why should you be excited about this opportunity? Well, Hachette UK Distribution has seen real growth in the past 5 years; moved into a new state of the art facility and has built a reputation for being 'best in class' in our industry. You will live and breathe our Customer Service Vision and have a passionate and proactive approach to delivering excellent customer service. You will enjoy liaising with, and collaboratively working with, the Operations team and Credit Services team as well as our client publishers to resolve issues and proactively seek to continuously improve processes and procedures.
It is highly likely that you will already have proven experience of working in the following roles and/or industries: Hospitality, Retail, Customer Service Advisor, Customer Service Assistant, Customer Account Manager, Customer Support, Customer Care Advisor, Complaints Handler, Customer Experience, Customer Excellence, Telesales, Call Centre.
What we offer: Our people are our greatest asset and our benefits reflect this. Therefore, we offer an extensive list of benefits that include:
- 35 days annual holiday including Bank Holidays
- Pension Plan and Life Assurance schemes
- Company enhanced family policy including maternity, paternity and shared parental
- Reward programme giving discounts, savings and cash back at numerous retailers
- 2 Community Days per year
- Cyle to Work scheme
- Eye care vouchers
- Generous discounts on books we publish
- Mental Health First Aiders / Champions and an Employee Assistance Programme (EAP)
- Wide-ranging training library
- Development Programmes including Mentoring
- Staff Events
- Many employee networks to join
- Free onsite parking
- Free tea and coffee
Our commitment: Hachette employs people on the basis of their abilities. We aim to attract and develop talent from a base as broad as the world of readers we want to reach, with a wide and representative range of age, faith, disability, race, gender, sexuality and socio-economic, regional and cultural backgrounds. If you are shortlisted and need us to make any adjustments to help you attend your interview, please let us know. We will notify all candidates of the outcome of their application.
Customer Service Advisor 4-6 month FTC employer: Children's Hospice South West
Children's Hospice South West is an exceptional employer, dedicated to making a real difference in the lives of children with life-limiting conditions. Located in Barnstaple, we foster a supportive and inclusive work culture that prioritises employee well-being, offering generous benefits such as 33 days of holiday and enhanced sick pay, alongside ample training opportunities for personal and professional growth.
Contact Details:
Children's Hospice South West Recruitment Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Customer Service Advisor 4-6 month FTC
✨Get Social with Customer Support Communities
Join customer support groups on platforms like Facebook or Reddit. They often share job openings or temp opportunities. Engaging with these communities can help you learn more about the specific skills and experiences employers are looking for, plus you'll meet folks who might know about openings at companies like Children's Hospice South West.
✨Leverage Seasonal Hiring Trends
Since customer support roles can spike during busy seasons (think holidays and sales periods), keep an eye out for timelines when companies ramp up hiring. Make sure to apply early and stay active; sending a quick follow-up a week after applying can show your enthusiasm for the role.
✨Flex Your Communication Skills
In customer support, communication is key! Prepare for hypothetical scenarios that test your problem-solving and customer interaction skills. Practising answers to common role-play questions can really help you shine in interviews—trust us, it makes a difference!
✨Make the Most of Job Boards
Use industry-specific job boards like Glassdoor or Indeed to find temporary roles. Don’t forget to set up alerts for customer support positions at companies like Children's Hospice South West. The earlier you apply, the better your chances, so keep your finger on the pulse!
We think you need these skills to ace Customer Service Advisor 4-6 month FTC
Some tips for your application 🫡
Highlight Your Communication Skills:In customer support, top-notch communication is key. Make sure your CV showcases any previous experience where you’ve had to clearly convey information or resolve issues. If you’ve handled customer queries via email or chat, mention it! Let’s see those strong verbal and written skills shine through.
Showcase Problem-Solving Experience:Employers love to see how you've handled tricky situations. Include examples in your application where you’ve tackled customer concerns or had to think on your feet. It's all about proving you can keep cool under pressure and find solutions—something super important in a temporary customer support role!
Tailor Your Approach for Temporary Roles:Since this is a temporary gig, make sure your cover letter emphasises your flexibility and eagerness to dive right in. Mention that you're ready to hit the ground running and are adaptable to new tools or systems—this shows that you understand the urgency often needed in temporary positions.
Proof of Customer Satisfaction:If you’ve got any quantifiable achievements from past customer support roles, like improved customer satisfaction scores or successful project completions, make sure to include them. Numbers speak volumes! This not only shows your capability but also gives us a reason to believe you'll bring that same success to Children's Hospice South West.
How to prepare for a job interview at Children's Hospice South West
✨Master the Customer Interaction Game
In customer support, we need to showcase our people skills. Prepare for role-playing scenarios where you'll demonstrate how to handle difficult customers or resolve complaints. Think about the types of issues common in Children's Hospice South West's industry and how you can respond empathetically and effectively!
✨Know Your Products Inside Out
For a temporary role, it's crucial to familiarize yourself with the products or services Children's Hospice South West offers. Brush up on key features, common issues, and FAQs. This knowledge will enable you to respond quickly and confidently to customer queries, showing you’re ready to jump in at a moment’s notice!
✨Flexibility is Key - Emphasise Your Adaptability!
Since this is a temporary role, we're looking to convey how quickly we can adapt to new systems or processes. Be ready to share examples of how you've quickly learned new tools or adjusted to changing environments in past roles. Show them you're the go-to person when the pressure's on!
✨Prepare for Quick Conversational Q&A
You might face a rapid-fire round of questions about customer service principles or how you'd handle specific situations. To ace this, think through different customer scenarios ahead of time, and practice your responses to ensure they're concise and impactful. The aim is to demonstrate your quick thinking and problem-solving skills!
