TENTATIVE                        

 Occ. Code 2545100

New York State Department of Civil Service

Classification Standard

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF CLASSES

            Call Center Representatives (HESC) serve as customer service liaisons between the Higher Education Services Corporation and colleges, post-secondary schools, lenders, student loan servicers, students and parents. They interpret information and answer questions about Federal Family Education Loan (FFEL) program, the New York State grants and scholarships programs, federal Title IV student aid programs, such as Pell Grants, Federal Direct Student Loans, Federal Perkins Loans and Federal Work Study.

            These positions are found only at the Higher Education Services Corporation (HESC).

DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTICS

            CALL CENTER REPRESENTATIVE 1 (HESC): full performance level; respond to inquiries about student financial aid, utilize various information systems to research and track information, interpret federal and State rules and regulations, interview students and parents to gain appropriate information, and assist financial aid officers with the processing of complex accounts.

            CALL CENTER REPRESENTATIVE 2 (HESC): supervisory level; schedule, assign and review the work of Call Center Representatives 1 (HESC) and may perform all the duties of that title in addition to their supervisory duties.

RELATED CLASSES

            Student Loan Control Representatives 1 perform a variety of collection and customer service activities requiring regular contact with borrowers, lending institutions, and third parties for the prevention and collection of defaulted student loans.

            Agency Services Representatives have substantial contact with individuals seeking agency services or information. They also have contact with individuals in State service and the private sector in  providing service, answering questions on agency programs and getting information for State records.

ILLUSTRATIVE DUTIES

            CALL CENTER REPRESENTATIVE 1 (HESC)

• Utilize various information systems to track and respond to a high volume of telephone and email inquiries from students, parents, schools and lenders regarding the FFEL Program and the New York State Tuition Assistance Program (TAP).

• Interpret and explain federal and State rules and regulations concerning TAP and FFEL Programs.

• Interview students and parents to obtain information regarding household income, family size, State residency, etc. to determine eligibility for loans and grants; determine what documentation is required to process financial aid applications (e.g., State residency records, school transcripts, income tax records, separation/divorce agreements, social services documents, etc.)

• Assist financial aid officers with processing accounts such as determination of renewed eligibility for financial aid and loan cancellations; resolve problem situations which may prevent an application from being processed.

• Advise students and parents on the electronic TAP and student loan application process; troubleshoots electronic application processing problems.

• Research and gather account processing information from HESC operational divisions, lenders and schools to support grants and or loans applications.

• Update account information on-line, including changing school codes, canceling loans, correcting pending records on line, changing disbursement hold and release codes and adding demographic information to student and parent records.

• Assign Help Desk tickets to appropriate HESC staff and track accounts on spreadsheets and databases for possible resolution.

            CALL CENTER REPRESENTATIVE 2 (HESC)

Under the direction of a Higher Education Services Program Analyst 2, supervise Call Center Representatives 1 (HESC) and the daily activities in the Customer Communications Center.

• Supervise and assign work to staff; coordinate schedules and the flow of calls through the Customer Communications Center; analyze and prioritize unit workload.

• Establish performance standards for Call Center Representatives 1 (HESC); review and analyze workforce data reports to ensure that performance goals are met.

• Assist Call Center Representatives1 (HESC) in the resolution of difficult problems and processing issues, including status of TAP or loan applications, NYS residency denials and specialized research for schools experiencing more complicated processing problems.

• Recommend changes to work schedules and staff assignments to ensure Customer Communication Center call answer rate goals are met during peak calling periods; assess agent skills and make adjustments as necessary.

• Prepare reports reflecting individual statistics for Call Center Representatives 1 (HESC) to ensure service levels are met; set performance goals and reviews with staff.

• Update staff on a daily basis on issues such as policy changes relating to the FFEL and TAP programs.

• Monitor the operation of the Customer Communication Center using workforce management software to avoid backlogs and long wait times.

• Assist in various aspects of training, including classroom instruction, one-on-one coaching, account reviews and updates to training manuals; train staff on federal and State policy and regulations.

• Update and maintain student records; utilize databases to monitor account status.

• Complete performance reviews and counsel staff on performance issues.

• Complete special assignments and projects as assigned by supervisor.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

            CALL CENTER REPRESENTATIVE 1 (HESC)

Open Competitive:  Either

            I:  Sixty college semester credit hours and one year of work experience in customer service*; OR

            II: A high school diploma or GED and two years of work experience in customer service*.

*Customer service is defined as dealing with many different individuals on a continuous basis where verbal communication is the primary aspect for accomplishing the duties of the position. Qualifying experience could include call center agent, customer service representative, sales representative providing information and service, or telemarketer. Non-qualifying experience includes cashier, fast-food worker, gas station attendant, or security guard.

            CALL CENTER REPRESENTATIVE 2 (HESC)

Promotion: One year of permanent service as a Call Center Representative 1 (HESC).

Date:  8/10

NOTE:  Classification Standards illustrate the nature, extent and scope of duties and responsibilities of the classes they describe.  Standards cannot and do not include all of the work that might be appropriately performed by a class.  The minimum qualifications above are those that were required for appointment at the time the Classification Standard was written.  Please contact the Division of Staffing Services for current information on minimum qualification requirements for appointment or examination.