State of Maryland

A Customer Care Agent Supervisor is the supervisory level of work providing customer support on the customer care team in the Division of Family and Medical Leave Insurance (FAMLI) at the Maryland Department of Labor. Employees in this classification respond to inquiries from claimants and employers, provide assistance with account creation, and provide support to claimants that seek to file for FAMLI benefits. Employees in this classification supervise lower-level Customer Care Agents and may supervise other paraprofessional or clerical support staff.

Employees in this classification receive general supervision from a Customer Care Manager or other designated administrator.

Positions in this classification are evaluated by using the classification job evaluation methodology. The use of this method involves comparing the assigned duties and responsibilities of a position to the job criteria found in the Nature of Work and Examples of Work sections of the class specification.

The Customer Care Agent Supervisor is differentiated from the Customer Care Agent Lead/Advanced in that the Customer Care Agent Supervisor has supervisory responsibility for lower-level Customer Care Agents while the Customer Care Agent Lead/Advanced assigns, reviews, and approves the work of and trains lower-level Customer Care Agents or responds to resolves complex inquires and manages customer claim escalations. The Customer Care Agent Supervisor is differentiated from the Customer Care Manager in that the Customer Care Manager has supervisory responsibility for lower-level Customer Care Supervisors.

Plans, coordinates, supervises, and evaluates the work of lower-level Customer Care Agents;

Develops and implements training programs for lower-level Customer Care staff;

Supports and maintains customer care quality assurance processes;

Conducts regular audits of customer care activities by reviewing metrics including but not limited to first contact resolution rate, average response time, and resolution turnaround time to ensure quality, timeliness and compliance with customer service goals;

Tracks and analyzes customer issues to research and identify trends and make recommendations for improvement;

Prepares reports of customer care activities for management;

Evaluates customer service procedures to identify areas of improvement and make recommendations to management;

Tracks customer service metrics that include, but are not limited to call volume, types of inquiries, and resolution times to evaluate and make recommendations for improvement;

Responds to inquiries relating to claims, employer account creation, and general questions regarding FAMLI policies and procedures to ensure the appropriate interpretation of FAMLI rules and regulations;

Resolves escalated customer inquiries and issues related to FAMLI program eligibility, claim status, and documentation requirements;

De-escalates situations with irate customers by applying appropriate customer service techniques;

Records and updates customer interactions using the Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system to maintain accurate records of customer inquiries, complaints, and resolutions;

Provides accurate information to customers regarding FAMLI regulations, policies, and procedures;

Assists claimants and employers by explaining available self-service resources and tools and providing instructions on how to navigate the FAMLI program;

Provides guidance to ensure the accurate submission of required documents and completion of registration;

Works with other customer care agents and/or team members to provide resolutions to customer complaints, concerns, and issues;

Adheres to data protection and privacy policies to ensure confidentiality and security of customer information;

May provide guidance to team members by providing assistance with training and sharing best practices;

May supervise lower-level paraprofessional or clerical support staff;

Performs other related duties as assigned.

Knowledge of FAMLI program policies and procedures including eligibility requirements, claims processes, and benefits;

Knowledge of high-quality customer service principles, practices and standards;

Knowledge of how to respond to customer complaints, escalations, and inquiries in a professional manner;

Knowledge of data protection policies and procedures;

Knowledge of handling sensitive information in compliance with privacy laws and regulations;

Knowledge of the CRM system and data entry procedures;

Skill in communicating effectively with a diverse range of clients in both verbal and writing;

Skill in using multiple communication channels, such as phone, email, and live chat;

Skill in problem solving;

Skill in critical thinking to analyze customer complaints, troubleshoot issues; and identify solutions;

Skill in time management and multitasking;

Skill in conflict resolution;

Ability to provide high quality customer service;

Ability to handle sensitive information and manage customer interactions with care;

Ability to read and understand regulations, policies, and procedures regarding the FAMLI program;

Ability to work independently and with a team;

Ability to handle a high volume of customer interactions;

Ability to maintain organizational excellence;

Ability to assess and evaluate the work effectiveness of subordinate personnel;

Ability to supervise and coordinate the activities of subordinate personnel.

Education: Graduation from an accredited high school or possession of a high school equivalency certificate.

Experience: Four years of customer service experience, including handling inquiries, resolving issues, and providing information in a call center environment, and one year of experience providing advice and guidance to staff in a team lead or supervisory role.

Notes:

1. Candidates may substitute 30 college credit hours from an accredited college or university on a year-for-year basis for up to four years of the required general call center or customer service experience.

2. Candidates may substitute U.S. Armed Forces military service experience as a non-commissioned officer on a year-for-year basis for the required experience.

Class specifications are broad descriptions covering groups of positions used by various State departments and agencies. Position descriptions maintained by the using department or agency specifically address the essential job functions of each position.

This is a Skilled Service classification in the State Personnel Management System. All positions in this classification are Skilled Service positions. Some positions in Skilled Service classifications may be designated Special Appointment in accordance with the State Personnel and Pensions Article, Section 6-405, Annotated Code of Maryland.

This classification is assigned to Bargaining Unit S, Supervisor classes. As provided by State Personnel and Pensions Article, Section 3-102, special appointment, temporary, contractual, managerial and confidential employees are exempt from collective bargaining. Additionally, certain executive branch agencies are exempt from collective bargaining and all positions in those agencies are excluded from collective bargaining.

Employees in this classification are eligible to receive overtime compensation. An employee who works more than the normal workweek is entitled to be compensated for that overtime, as provided by the State Personnel and Pensions Article, Section 8-305.