Guest Services Associate

Advocate Health Care; Oak Lawn (IL); On-site; USD 20,664,000 - 27,552,000; Full time

Job summary

Advocate Health Care in Oak Lawn is seeking a dedicated Guest Services Associate to welcome patients and visitors, provide information, and coordinate with hospital departments to resolve issues. You will participate in rounds, support service standards, and act as a liaison for guests and staff.

Requirement includes a high school diploma; CPR knowledge is a plus. The role emphasizes courtesy, clear communication, and maintaining a safe, patient‑centered environment across units.

Qualifications

• High school diploma required.
• Strong customer service and communication skills.
• Ability to handle multiple tasks and assist guests calmly.

Responsibilities

• Assist in establishing customer service standards and policies.
• Act as a resource person for hospital associates and guests on service matters.
• Support development of customer service excellence standards and service recovery.

Skills

Customer service

Communication

Problem solving

Teamwork

Education

High school diploma

Job description

Major Responsibilities

• Assist in establishing “customer service standards” policies and procedures.
• Act as a resource person for all hospital associates and partners in customer service matters as well as acting in the role of guest advocate for all internal and external guests.
• Assist in development of “customer service excellence” standards that not only meet but exceed customer expectations.

To emulate the concept of "customer service" while performing all related job duties.

Major Responsibilities

• Assist in establishing “customer service standards” policies and procedures.
• Act as a resource person for all hospital associates and partners in customer service matters as well as acting in the role of guest advocate for all internal and external guests.
• Assist in development of “customer service excellence” standards that not only meet but exceed customer expectations.

To partner flexibly with all team members in Guest Services and all departments in the medical center in order to meet the needs of our customers.

• As a department under the umbrella of customer service, guest services associates will serve as liaisons for our patients and provide support to all departments as needed, by assisting with patient needs and concerns presented to us, resolution of patient issues when possible, application of service recovery when appropriate, connection with appropriate individual who can resolve the issue when necessary and other duties as needed.
• Guest Services team members will serve as a “voice of the customer” by conducting rounds on the inpatient units to assist patients who may feel that they are not receiving service that meets their expectation and responding to these needs by resolving the issues or getting in touch with the appropriate person who can. It is also the role of guest services to follow up on patient’s rounded on to assure action has been taken.
• Assume responsibilities for concierge outcomes as a whole and participate in evaluations and action plan design and implementation activities in order to maintain high standards of service.
• Attends team meetings and brings pertinent information to team group (i.e. monitoring indicators results, recommendations for improvements, problem solving recommendations, and general information of overall service).
• Acts as a customer service excellence and information team resource person to hospital associates
• Promotes patient safety by reporting of issues through established channels and participating as requested in safety initiatives.

Provides information to guests, associates and partners as needed, required or determined per individual situations.

Provides information regarding scheduled meeting dates, times and location, ACH education programs information, etc.

Accepts and disseminates guest, associate suggestions, concerns and questions to appropriate area and/or person.

Acts as a liaison between guests and all other hospital areas to include such things as directing guests to Cashier/business office area, informing valet service of vehicle retrieval request, communication with outpatient areas notifying of patient arrival or particular patient needs, communication with security in order to inform of on-going or potential security situation.

Coordinates ACH guest information needs with external services or resources such as information regarding bus, train, or taxi schedules or requests, dining establishments, hotels, airline reservation systems, religious service locations and schedule, requests for flowers, personal care items or services, or any other requested services.

Assists guest in contacting needed places or areas such as insurance companies for approval for care, PCP referrals, or tests and procedures authorization numbers, patients schedule tests and procedures while at the hospital, hospital business departments, patient rooms, etc.

Accesses information via a variety of vehicles (multiple computer systems, phones, maps, signs, etc.) and provides information such as place and time of appointment for tests/procedures, location of destination, availability of transportation services, inpatient information, ER patients’ information, visiting hours information, etc.

Acts as a liaison and works with volunteers staff with visitor pass system and provides information to guests regarding visitor hour information, acquisition of special visiting hours, emergency or critical visitor access to patient care areas, receive and communicate messages or instructions as provided by patient care areas, notifies patient care areas of guest arrivals, greets and directs guests to patient pick up areas (i.e. discharge lounge, holding areas, etc.).

Acknowledges and welcomes guests, associates and partners to medical center at all major points of entry

Assesses guest’s immediate needs and transports or arranges if necessary for transportation to destination.

Provides escort for guests to their initial destination as needed.

Rounds in waiting/common areas to ensure all guests are receiving the care/services/information needed and/or expected.

Addresses guests, associates and partners according to service standards.

Provides directions to hospital areas (departments, POB, DTC, Christ Hospital, MRI, Rehab, Floors, etc.) according to service standards.

Answers questions, solves problems for guests independently or with the assistance of the guest services staff, coordinator or manager.

Alerts departments, patient care centers and/or other hospital areas of guest’s arrival if appropriate.

Establishes and maintains a high level of skill and knowledge of hospital personnel, departments, information systems, processes and general hospital information in order to be considered the “experts” in customer service and to meet the needs of ACH guests, associates and partners.

• Attend seminars, conferences and/or educational activities in order to establish and maintain a high level of skill and knowledge in all facets of the position.
• Implements action plans in response to performance monitoring results as directed by the manager or coordinator.
• Establishes and maintains a high level of competency in regards to information and telecommunication systems that are utilized in daily activities.

Provides a variety of other services and/or performs a variety of other tasks in order to assure that guest’s needs are not only met but exceeded and to ensure that the hospital environment is safe, clean, friendly, efficient and supportive of hospital activities in general.

• Performs light housekeeping duties in assigned area (i.e. pick-up papers, inspect furniture and wheelchairs, wipe up small spills, inspect surrounding furniture, etc.).
• Notifies appropriate departments of work environment needs, housekeeping needs, emergency situation response needs such as leaks and significant water spills, physical building needs (i.e. painting needs, floor cleaning needs, light fixture repair or replacement needs, etc.).
• Acts as a “runner” in order to expedite work or service flow.
• Performs additional duties as assigned by the guest services staff and/or Coordinator or manager.
• Utilizes a multitude of information/communications systems in order to obtain information and/or communicate information.
• Maintains a highly competent skill and knowledge level of all information communication systems utilized to include all applications on universal workstation and universal printer, telephone system, paging system, etc.
• Accurately identifies and accesses appropriate computer application in order to obtain or provide required or requests information.
• Performs basic computer trouble‑shooting procedures.
• Certain designated Guest Services associates provide interpretation as needed.

Education/Experience Required

High school diploma. 2 Year hospital experience in a high contact customer service area/department or 2 years of comparable customer service experience. Some knowledge of medical terminology preferred. Basic CPR qualified preferred Valid Drivers License

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities Required

Basic computer skills and knowledge and skill working with Microsoft office Basic telecommunication system skills and knowledge (receiving/making mullet line calls, paging system, etc.). Basic office skills (fax, copy machine, on-line services). Excellent organizational, communication, and customer service skills. Excellent problem-solving skills. Excellent problem-solving skills and the ability to calmly communicate with patients and family members who may be angry and stressed both in person and over the phone Business Writing skills Bilingual skills preferred.

N/A

Physical Requirements And Working Conditions

Ability to make quick and sound decisions based on individual situations in regards to meeting customer needs. Ability to work week-days, week-ends, holidays, and off shifts in order to serve customers in a medical center environment. Ability to maintain composure and professional behavior in extremely stressful situations. Must present a clean, well groomed, professional appearance at all times. Must be able to perform physical tasks such as standing for the majority of shift, lifting, pushing, moving patients, wheelchairs, carts, etc. Must be able to accommodate all customer areas in various locations of the hospital Must be a team player at all times

If position has direct patient care or direct patient contact the following lifting requirement supersedes any previous lifting requirement effective 06/01/2015. Ability to lift up to 35 pounds without assistance. For patient lifts of over 35 pounds, or when patient is unable to assist with the lift, patient handling equipment is expected to be used, with at least one other associate, when available. Unique patient lifting/movement situations will be assessed on a case‑by‑case basis.

This job description indicates the general nature and level of work expected of the incumbent. It is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities required of the incumbent. Incumbent may be required to perform other related duties.