Customer Service Representative

Job Summary: Meet and greet clients and their pets. Coordinate and represent all facets of client services. To serve as a good will ambassador for the hospital.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

• Excellent client service skills.

• Excellent phone skills.

• Computer skills preferred.

• Must be friendly, outgoing, “people-oriented.”

• Excellent communication skills.

• Ability to work in a team oriented environment.

• Well groomed, organized and detail oriented.

• Ability to take direction.

• Ability to handle money accurately and honestly.

• Must possess sound decision making skills and multi-task while working in an environment of stress.

Education and Experience:

• High School Diploma.

• Must have experience working with the public, i.e. restaurant, retail or service business.

• Experience in a veterinary hospital or other doctor’s office is a plus.

Authority:

• Scheduling appointments.

• Effective determination and scheduling of emergencies.

• Authority to delay disputed charges until further reviewed by supervisor.

• Authority to resolve client service issues within established guidelines.

Physical Requirements:

• Dependable attendance is required.

• Any allergies to animals must be controllable through medication.

• Must be able to lift 40 pounds.

• Must be willing to work long or irregular hours under pressure conditions.

• This position requires the ability to walk, bend, stand and reach constantly during a minimum 8-hour day.

• Visual acuity sufficient to maintain accurate records, recognizes people and understands written directions.

• Ability to speak and hear sufficiently to understand, give information in person and over the telephone.

• Fine motor skills adequate for utilizing office equipment such as computers, telephones, copiers, fax machines, etc.

Duties: The following is a list of essential job requirements. This list may be revised at any time and additional duties not listed here may be assigned as needed. Job functions and Job Responsibility include:

1. Client Service

2. Answer Telephones and Make Appointments

3. Maintain Charts and Computer Records

4. Pharmacy and Retail Sales

5. Marketing Implementation

6. Maintenance/Housekeeping

7. Financial Responsibilities Client Service:

• Agrees to practice the principles of the VCA Mission Statement, Three Steps of Service, and VCA Standards of Client Service in the daily performance of job duties.

• Demonstrate excellent relations with clients/pets in waiting and/or exam rooms:

• - Ensure that clients and pets feel welcome and comfortable.
• - Serve as “Ambassadors”
• - creating and maintaining goodwill for the hospital.
• - Build rapport with clients.
• - Immediately greet clients and pets by name.
• - Quickly understand client needs and initiate the process of meeting those needs.
• - Help new clients completely fill out the registration form. Inform new clients about services, etc. that your hospital offers.
• - If there is a delay, i.e., the doctor is behind schedule, keep clients informed of expected waiting time. - Know enough about general animal husbandry and pet care to be able to educate clients and to answer non-medical questions that the client may have or to inform them of things their pet may need:
• - General dietary requirements and feeding schedules.
• - Vaccines.
• - Dental care instructions.
• - Routine laboratory tests (i.e. stool exams, heartworm tests, urinalysis, leukemia tests, etc.).
• - Heartworm preventatives.
• - Housebreaking techniques.
• - General flea and tick control.

• Generate, present and explain fee estimates for treatment/surgery to clients.

• Handles client complaints with concern and diplomacy.

• Accurately communicates medical/surgical information to clients.

• Send client cards and letters, i.e., thank you notes, sympathy cards, welcome cards, as directed by management team.

• Prepare, distribute and explain client education materials.

Answer Telephones and Make Appointments:

• Exhibit a “come in now” attitude towards clients and patients.

• Answers telephone promptly.

• Encourage the client to make an appointment if the pet has any problem that is concerning to either the client or you.

• Schedule appointments and other patient visits in appointment book, including re-check appointments, surgeries, and drop offs.

• Reschedule any missed appointments.

• Understand and use excellent telephone etiquette.

• Call clients to confirm appointments, remin