At a Glance
- Tasks: Handle emergency calls and provide vital information to pet owners in need.
- Company: Join Vets Now, the UK's leading emergency pet care provider.
- Benefits: Enjoy competitive pay, flexible hours, and great perks like a health cash plan.
- Other info: Flexible shifts available, including evenings and weekends, with excellent career growth opportunities.
- Why this job: Make a real difference in pets' lives while developing your customer service skills.
- Qualifications: Strong communication skills and a passion for helping others are essential.
Vets Now are the UK’s leading provider of emergency pet care, providing a trusted service to more than 1700 veterinary practices – from 60 plus dedicated out‑of‑hours clinics and two 24/7 pet emergency hospitals. You will be joining our team of dedicated call handlers in our Dunfermline based Contact Centre.
Vets Now are recruiting call handlers for our out of hours emergency service within our Contact Centre, Dunfermline. You will be required to work a variety of shifts covering our opening hours. We are looking for people who are flexible about the days and hours that they work to enable us to be there when our clients and their pets need us most.
- Weekday evenings from 18:00-01:00
- Saturdays from 12:00-01:00
- Sundays and Bank Holidays from 07:00-01:00
Please note before applying that weekend and bank holiday working is a pre‑requisite of accepting this position and you will be expected to work public and bank holidays.
Start date: Monday 15th June 2026
Training dates:
- Week 1 – 15th June Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday 5pm – 10pm
- Week 2 – 22nd June Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday 5pm – 10pm
- Week 3 – 29th June Various shifts throughout the week including weekend will be confirmed at start date
- Week 4 – 6th July Monday or Tuesday 6pm – 10pm
Contracted Hours: Various contracts available – 10, 16 and 20 hours a week. Shifts will vary in length (typically 3–8 hours).
Shift Patterns:
- Candidates under 18: can work until 23:00 (in line with working time regulations).
- Candidates 18 and over: may be required to work shifts finishing as late as 01:00.
Please note 10 hour contracts are weekend only, other contracts will have shifts throughout the week.
Pay Rates:
- Standard rate: £13.45 per hour.
- Enhanced night rate: £15.60 per hour (for hours worked between 23:00 and 08:00)
Do you have strong customer service skills and a passion for helping others, especially in urgent or high‑pressure situations?
Experience of working within a client or customer service environment. Ideally some of this experience will have been gained in a contact centre environment.
Excellent customer service and communication skills.
Computer literacy with knowledge of MS Office packages and comfortable learning new systems.
Good general language skills.
Able to quickly collate information and relay it in speech and text.
Able to work well under pressure, maintaining the tact and diplomacy required in challenging situations.
Ability to adapt quickly and professionally to a rapidly changing environment.
Demonstrate problem solving skills.
A passion for delivering service excellence.
Your role and responsibilities:
- Handle calls as presented and manage according to agreed call flow to establish the nature of the call/emergency.
- Offer a consultation.
- Gather and analyse information provided, using judgement, knowledge, and pre‑determined algorithms to determine the most appropriate course of action.
- Explain who Vets Now are and ensure customers have all necessary information for their clinic/hospital consultation including location, fees, time taken to travel from their destination and arrival procedure.
- Use our practice management system (Helix) to send an SMS with clinic/hospital information and directions to the customer.
- Accurately and efficiently log all calls.
- Using our telephony and PC systems to book consultations, log cases and alert clinics/hospitals to incoming patients.
- Process all personal data in accordance with our Data Protection Policy and all Data Protection legislation and comply with all Information Security policies.
Our benefits:
- 7 weeks pro rata annual leave
- Your birthday as a paid day off
- Health cash plan provided by Simply Health
- UK standard Pension contributions – 5% Employee/3% Employer
- Up to 50% discounted staff pet care
- Death in service of two times annual salary
- Membership of employee wellbeing programme
- Company sick, maternity, paternity and adoption pay schemes
We welcome applications from candidates of all backgrounds, including those from diverse and minority groups. As a Disability Confident Employer, we encourage candidates with disabilities and health conditions to apply and are committed to providing reasonable adjustments throughout the recruitment process.
Call Handler – Part time in Fife employer: Vets Now
Vets Now is an exceptional employer, offering a supportive work culture that prioritises employee wellbeing and development. Located in Dunfermline, our Contact Centre provides flexible part-time roles with competitive pay rates and generous benefits, including 7 weeks of annual leave and a health cash plan. Join us to make a meaningful impact in emergency pet care while enjoying a rewarding career with opportunities for growth and a commitment to diversity and inclusion.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Call Handler – Part time in Fife
✨Tip Number 1
Get to know Vets Now! Familiarise yourself with their services and values. When you understand what they stand for, you can tailor your conversations during interviews to show you're a perfect fit for their team.
✨Tip Number 2
Practice your customer service skills! Since this role is all about helping pet owners in emergencies, think of scenarios where you might need to stay calm under pressure. Role-play with friends or family to get comfortable with handling tough situations.
✨Tip Number 3
Be flexible with your availability! Vets Now needs people who can work various shifts, including weekends and bank holidays. Highlight your flexibility in interviews to show you're ready to jump in when they need you most.
✨Tip Number 4
Apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets noticed. Plus, it shows you’re serious about joining the Vets Now team. Don’t forget to follow up after applying to express your enthusiasm!
We think you need these skills to ace Call Handler – Part time in Fife
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Your Passion:When writing your application, let your passion for helping pets and their owners shine through. We want to see that you genuinely care about providing exceptional service, especially in those high-pressure situations.
Tailor Your Experience:Make sure to highlight any relevant experience you have in customer service or contact centres. We love seeing how your skills can translate into the role of a call handler, so don’t hold back on sharing those stories!
Be Clear and Concise:Keep your application clear and to the point. We appreciate well-structured responses that get straight to the heart of what makes you a great fit for our team. Remember, clarity is key when dealing with emergencies!
Apply Through Our Website:We encourage you to apply directly through our website. It’s the best way to ensure your application gets to us quickly and efficiently. Plus, you’ll find all the details you need about the role right there!
How to prepare for a job interview at Vets Now
✨Know Your Stuff
Before the interview, make sure you understand what Vets Now does and their commitment to emergency pet care. Familiarise yourself with their services and values so you can speak confidently about how your skills align with their mission.
✨Showcase Your Customer Service Skills
Since this role is all about handling calls and providing exceptional service, prepare examples from your past experiences where you’ve excelled in customer service. Think of situations where you handled high-pressure scenarios effectively.
✨Flexibility is Key
Be ready to discuss your availability and willingness to work various shifts, including weekends and bank holidays. Highlight your adaptability and how you can fit into their schedule, as this is crucial for the role.
✨Practice Communication
As a call handler, clear communication is vital. Practice articulating your thoughts clearly and concisely. You might even want to do a mock interview with a friend to get comfortable relaying information under pressure.
