Whenever you call us to report a repair, ask a question or get support, you’ll speak to a member of our contact centre team.

The 14-strong team always try to put your mind at ease and help with your query, but what is the job really like, what type of calls do they get, and who are the people behind the headset? We went to find out: 

Alisha and Lauren are busy talking on the phone when we arrive – fielding two of the 300 calls the team deal with every day. Once they finish, they and team leader Naomi, tell us a bit more about the job. 

“We’re often the first voice people hear when they call Tai Tarian, and we could be asked absolutely anything”, said Alisha. “It’s important we know exactly what is going on throughout the organisation so that we’re in the best position to help the caller.” 

Lauren adds: 
“There’s quite a lot of responsibility involved in the job, especially when someone phones in to report a repair. We have to work with the caller and try to diagnose the problem, so we know how to deal with it – is it an emergency? Can it be assigned to our in-house trades? Do we have to employ a contractor to deal with it? There are a lot of things to consider.

But it’s not just on the phones that the team works, as Naomi explains:
“Answering calls is just one part of the job. We get a lot of queries and repair requests via e-mail, so team members have to be adaptable and deal with them too. We’ll also be launching a new customer portal this summer, available as an app, which will make it easier for tenants to get in touch with us, so the team will need to adapt again to deal with the queries that come in that way.” 

The unpredictability of the job is what excites Alisha: 
“When the phone rings, you have no idea what you’re about to be asked to deal with. It can be daunting. I remember answering the phone for the first time, I was terrified. But thanks to my training the nerves soon settled.”

For Lauren, it is the support of the team that helps her:
“We have a great team and we’re all there for each other. If I don’t know the answer to something, then one of the team will. Some of the team have been doing this job for years and they’re like an encyclopaedia when it comes to dealing with any issue. We know we can always rely on them for help.” 

As you can imagine, the phones are constantly ringing, but as Naomi explains, some days are busier than others: 
“Mondays are usually the busiest times as people ring in to report an issue that has come up over the weekend. Fridays are also busy as that’s when people who are applying for housing with us can bid on properties, so we get a lot of requests for help with that. Tuesdays and Wednesdays are usually quieter days, so if your call isn’t urgent and you can wait until then, it should be easier to get through to us on those days. Our call positioning system will also tell you where you are in the queue, so should also give you an indication of how long you’ll need to wait before your call is answered.” 

Alisha then sums up what working in the contact centre is all about:
“It’s a very worthwhile job. Knowing you can help people who need it and that you can make their day that little bit better is very rewarding. If they put the phone down knowing that we’ve helped them in some way, then that’s all that matters.”

With that, it’s back on with the headset and to take the next call of the day – whatever it will entail.