Telephone Collections Officer

**About Bristow & Sutor Group**

As a leader in the debt recovery enforcement sector, the Bristow and Sutor Group of companies have been operating for over 40 years' supporting hundreds of local authorities, Transport for London and National Highways. You will be joining Bristow & Sutor during an exciting time to become part of a team that contribute to achieving our visions for the future. We have made our company a place where we look after our people, making sure you're happy in your work and given everything you need to succeed. We've created friendly, welcoming workplaces where everyone is working towards the same cause, providing the best possible services for our local authorities, Transport for London and National Highways.

With offices based in Redditch, close to both the M40/M42 motorway network, we are easily accessible from Birmingham, Worcestershire, and Warwickshire.

Due to expansion, we are looking to recruit Telephone Collection Officers to join our contact centre team. If you are a strong communicator, self-driven and motivated, engaging, and influential; we can offer you a unique career with additional earning potential. Based at our modern and easily accessible offices, you'll be joining a fast-paced customer focused team that answers telephone calls relating to Council Tax arrears and Penalty Charge Notices on behalf of local authority clients throughout England and Wales, Transport for London and National Highways.

**Our Company Values**

**We are all accountable** - we act responsible manner and take ownership of our decisions and actions

**We are transparent** - we are open and transparent in everything we do in relation to customers, colleagues, members of the public and stakeholders

**We are respectful** - we show respect and understanding to all people and cultures, and always act in a firm but considerate way, appropriate to individual circumstances

**We always behave with integrity** - our staff are honest, trustworthy, and behave according to the highest ethical and professional standards.

**Job Details**

Pay: £23,810 - £24,700 (depending on experience) + Commission. OTE £28-£34k+
37.5 hours, Permanent, Monday to Sunday (Pro rata weekend work)
Location: Redditch

**Benefits**
- Welcoming working environment
- Casual dress
- Company pension
- Colleague discount scheme
- Christmas Savings Scheme
- Free on-site parking
- Employee Assistance Programme
- Birthday holiday allowance
- Attractive bonus, incentives and performance rewards
- Death in service benefit
- Hastee

**About the role**

This is a full time & permanent position, based in our Redditch office. Working 37.5 hours per week to cover business opening hours.

This role requires you to remain professional, polite and understanding towards customers, some customers may be more challenging than others, but you will be fully trained before we ask you to make your first phone call. You will receive ongoing support and training within the role to enable you to continue to grow and succeed.

**A day in the life**:

- Answering calls from customers that owe money to our local authority clients, Transport for London or National Highways, or third parties acting on their behalf.
- Occasional outbound calls to those who have failed to make payment / contact.
- Occasionally negotiating with customers on all digital platforms.
- Taking payments.
- Completing basic affordability checks and income and expenditures forms
- Negotiating payment arrangements where a customer cannot pay in full
- Identify vulnerable customers
- Sign-post customers with financial difficulties to non-profit debt advice agencies
- Deal with customer queries and handle disputes
- Update accounts and ensure all notes are correct on our systems

Previous experience in a fast-paced office environment, contact centre or similar role would be an advantage. Our training team will provide a bespoke training programme to ensure you have the skill sets and knowledge you require to be successful.

**To be successful in the role you would need to demonstrate**:

- Customer service or contact centre experience (2 years preferred)
- Excellent communication skills - able to interact effectively at all levels
- A positive attitude and strong work ethic
- Confident, professional phone manner
- Able to work in a fast-paced environment with the ability to provide information quickly and clearly
- Confident in dealing with customers over the telephone - often in difficult circumstances
- Friendly and empathetic, with good active listening skills
- Ability to problem solve and provide customers with options in line with our client and company guidelines
- Confident negotiator to achieve the shortest arrangements to fulfil client requirement
- Previous practical office administration experience
- Attention to detail
- Being comfortable in using a variety of technologies and software systems
- You will work to procedures and policies designed for the team

**It's great to k