Customer Service Specialist I

The Customer Service Specialist I provides routine customer support across inbound calls, outbound calls, email, web chat, and back-office service functions. This role supports customer satisfaction and service level agreement adherence by completing daily operational tasks, assisting with transaction processing, researching customer issues, documenting interactions, and helping resolve processing errors in accordance with established program guidelines.

 

Key Responsibilities

• Provide routine inbound call, outbound call, email, and web chat support to customers while delivering courteous, accurate, and timely service.
• Perform back-office support activities to assist Customer Service operations and program requirements.
• Support customers in submitting and processing origination and disbursement transactions, or create and submit transactions on behalf of the customer when required.
• Assist customers with award origination and disbursement processing and help identify and resolve related processing issues.
• Conduct customer outreach to support resolution of batch edits, processing errors, missing documents, missing signature pages, and data correction issues.
• Provide monitoring support and follow-up for batch processing issues, edit code rejects, and requested issue resolution activities.
• Log new cases and update existing cases to document each customer interaction conducted by phone, email, or web chat in the web-based agent desktop application.
• Perform the required manual process to link each phone communication to the appropriate open case.
• Perform manual linking and unlinking of award records and promissory notes or agreements to serve notes.
• Analyze COD borrower data integrity issues identified by the customer and support issue resolution activities.
• Research and confirm COD processing status for items such as promissory notes, batch status, entrance counseling, exit counseling, borrower information, grant recipient information, and borrower-servicer data.
• Execute all support services in compliance with customer processing requirements, published program guidelines, quality expectations, and service level agreements.

Required Qualifications

• High school diploma or GED.
• 0 to 2 years of call center experience.
• 0 to 2 years of customer service, public relations, or related support experience.
• Ability to obtain and maintain a security clearance.
• Ability to adapt and perform successfully during periods of high call volume.
• Ability to provide effective customer service and interact tactfully and courteously with the public.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Strong listening skills with the ability to interpret and clarify customer-provided information.
• Strong commitment to providing quality service and resolving customer concerns.
• Ability to build and maintain positive working relationships and rapport with customers.
• Strong attention to detail and accuracy.
• Ability to work effectively under pressure.
• Ability to convey enthusiasm, energy, and sincerity over the phone.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience supporting customers in a call center, contact center, help desk, or service operations environment.
• Familiarity with case logging, case updates, and web-based customer service applications.
• Experience supporting transaction processing, issue follow-up, or customer outreach activities.
• Exposure to batch processing support, data correction activities, or status research in a structured program environment.
• Experience working in an SLA-driven customer support setting.
• Associate degree or additional training in customer service, communications, business support, or a related field.

Job Specific Skills

• Customer service support
• Call center operations
• Case logging and documentation
• Transaction processing support
• Batch processing issue follow-up
• Customer outreach
• Data integrity review
• Status research and issue resolution
• SLA adherence
• Written and verbal communication