Customer Service Advisor

About the Role

This is a full-time permanent position based at PDSA's National Customer Service Centre in Sunderland, a vibrant hub supporting thousands of people annually. You'll work as part of a welcoming team of around 60 colleagues, located just 600 metres from the PDSA Pet Hospital. This fast-paced, rewarding environment puts you at the heart of PDSA's mission to provide vital veterinary care for pets of people experiencing financial hardship.

As an Inbound Customer Service Advisor, you'll be the first point of contact for many of the people who rely on PDSA. You'll handle a variety of inbound telephone calls and emails, providing warm, professional and efficient support that reflects PDSA's values and helps keep people and pets together when times are tough.

Key Responsibilities

• Handle inbound telephone calls and emails, providing accurate, friendly and helpful support to clients, supporters, volunteers and retail customers
• Manage first-line customer complaints professionally and empathetically, aiming to resolve issues positively on first contact
• Promote PDSA products and services by identifying customer needs and recommending suitable solutions
• Accurately record customer information and process payments and refunds
• Work towards individual and team performance targets, including KPIs and service levels, whilst maintaining excellent quality standards
• Keep your knowledge up to date with PDSA services, policies, campaigns and fundraising initiatives

Requirements

• Excellent communication and listening skills with confidence speaking on the telephone
• Experience working within a customer service or contact centre environment
• Strong computer skills with excellent attention to detail when recording customer information
• A positive, proactive approach and genuine desire to provide exceptional customer service
• Ability to show empathy and professionalism, particularly when dealing with sensitive or challenging conversations
• Calm under pressure and able to speak comfortably with a wide range of people
• Experience with written customer enquiries via email and cross-selling or upselling would be beneficial but not essential

Benefits

• Salary: £24,528 to £25,264 per annum
• 25 days' holiday plus Bank Holidays
• Three paid special days off annually: Volunteering Day, Celebration Day and Wellbeing Day
• Flexible working options to support work-life balance and individual circumstances
• Generous pension options with PDSA contributions starting at 5% and rising to 10%
• Life assurance providing four times your annual salary
• AXA Health Employee Assistance Programme with 24/7 wellbeing support
• 10% discount on PDSA Pet Insurance plus access to staff veterinary services
• Enhanced maternity, paternity and adoption leave
• Retail, holiday and lifestyle discounts through the staff Fetch benefits platform

About the Practice

PDSA is a leading UK veterinary charity with a century of history providing vital veterinary care for pets of people experiencing financial hardship. The National Customer Service Centre in Sunderland has grown significantly over the past decade and now supports thousands of people every year through a wide variety of enquiries.

PDSA is committed to embedding a culture of diversity and inclusion within teams that reflect the communities served. The organisation offers family-friendly, inclusive employment policies and opportunities for flexible working arrangements to support team members from different backgrounds.