Customer Service Representative

Hastings Direct; East Midlands; Hybrid; GBP 25,000 - 28,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading customer service provider in the East Midlands is seeking a Customer Service Representative to deliver exceptional service primarily through telephony communication. Candidates should possess effective communication skills and be self-motivated. After a training period, there are opportunities for salary progression. The role offers hybrid working and diverse benefits.

Benefits

Up to 5% annual discretionary bonus

Hybrid working options

25 days holiday plus bank holidays

Qualifications

• Passionate about delivering exceptional customer experiences.
• Confident in verbal and written communication skills.
• Self-motivated with a focus on customer outcomes.

Responsibilities

• Manage telephony communications and inbound calls.
• Assist customers with inquiries regarding products and policies.
• Adjust and add products based on customer needs.

Skills

Effective communication

Attention to detail

Flexibility

Resilience

IT systems navigation

Job description

Customer Service Representative

Are you passionate about delivering exceptional customer experiences? Are you confident in your communication skills both verbal and written? Can you deliver an exceptional customer experience every time? If so, we'd love to hear from you! Join our Customer Service team and be the first point of contact for our customers when they need us the most, regardless of communication channel.

Working Hours / Shift Patterns

You will work 37.5 hours per week including 3‑4 weekends out of 8. If you work a weekend shift, you’ll get time off in the week.

Our Opening Hours

Monday to Friday 08:00 - 19:00, Saturday 09:00 - 17:00 and Sunday 09:00 - 13:00.

Training

The core training lasts for the first 4 weeks and is delivered in person at the office. You’ll continue working onsite through to week 10 to reinforce your learning and build confidence. After this period, you’ll need approval from a trainer or team leader before transitioning to hybrid working. Your training will consist of learning both our Customer Service journeys (telephony and digital) so you’re fully equipped to support customers across all channels.

Hybrid Working Approach

With hybrid working, you have more flexibility: you usually only have to visit our office once a week and work remotely for the rest of the time. You can always opt to work from the office more frequently if that suits you better. When we organise training and events you may be required to attend in person for the duration.

Salary

The starting salary is £25,150 plus benefits. Upon completing the training and coaching period which usually takes 12 weeks, the salary will automatically increase to £25,500. There will be opportunities for further salary progression to £27,500, which can be achieved in as little as 12 months with the right focus on personal development.

Location

Our vibrant Leicester office is conveniently located in the city centre, just a short walk from the train station and easily accessible via major road routes.

Your Role

Our Customer Service department is searching for a dedicated Representative to manage telephony communications. In this customer‑focused role, you’ll be the first point of contact primarily handling inbound calls. You will assist customers with various inquiries, ranging from providing information about our products and policies to adjusting and adding additional products. As you grow in the role and demonstrate key competencies, you’ll have the opportunity to expand your skillset by engaging with customers through our digital communication channels where business demand requires.

What We're Looking For in a Customer Service Representative

• Self‑motivated individuals who focus on customer outcomes, uphold our values, and take pride in their work.
• Effective communicator both written and verbal to ensure we support customers to make an informed decision.
• Someone who is accountable, thorough, and pays attention to detail.
• Someone who can demonstrate flexibility and resilience through navigating change and continuous improvement.
• Is comfortable navigating and utilising multiple IT systems to achieve work objectives.
• Continually evaluates customer needs to determine the appropriate channel for communication.

What We Offer

We call it the 4Cs – we focus on getting it right for our colleagues, customers, company and community. As one of our colleagues, you’ll be helping to drive our growth, so in return, we’ll give you all the support, training and development you need. That includes initial in‑house training on our products and systems, taking live calls alongside an experienced colleague, and regular, on‑going training tailored to your individual needs. Not to mention plenty of recognition and rewards, and the chance to develop your career across our business, with opportunities for secondments or to become a coach.

Benefits You'll Receive

• Full training with industry experts and friendly coaches guiding you throughout your career with Hastings. We also use a buddying system once training is complete.
• Up to 5% annual discretionary bonus
• Hybrid working (1 day per week in the office with the option to do more depending on your preference)
• A fantastic open‑plan modern office
• We promote a relaxed, friendly & diverse working environment
• Harrys – a great onsite restaurant, wide range of choice at breakfast and lunchtime & an on‑site Costa coffee
• 25 days holiday and bank holidays equivalent (plus buy and sell up to 5 days)
• Pension match up to 10% of your salary
• Life insurance (4× base salary)
• Discounted Hastings Direct products
• Discounts & cashback with well‑known retailers
• Tech scheme, cycle to work, health assessments, and skin check – on completion of probation
• Refer a friend scheme – earn £500 for every friend you refer
• We will provide you with all the tech that you need, including a brand‑new Microsoft Surface laptop

Disability Confident

We are a Disability Confident employer and are committed to ensuring our recruitment processes are fully inclusive. For this position, we are regrettably unable to accept applications through the Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) due to the extremely high volumes of applications we receive. Instead we provide opportunities for all candidates to complete first‑stage assessments in the form of online exercises, with adjustments available on a case‑by‑case basis. If you require any reasonable adjustments throughout the assessment process, please contact the recruitment team prior to starting any assessments so that adjustments can be considered.

Equal Opportunities

Hastings Group is an equal‑opportunities employer. We welcome applications from all suitably skilled persons regardless of gender, age, race, disability, ethnic background, religion/belief, sexual orientation, gender reassignment or marital/family status. Please note that we have a thorough referencing process, which includes credit and criminal record checks.