Customer Care Advocate I

Join the organization that received Outstanding Public Transportation System Achievement Award from the American Public Transit Association in 2018 & 2020!

Central Ohio Transit Authority (COTA) is central Ohio's public transportation provider, providing nearly 19 million passenger trips per year servicing Franklin County and parts of Delaware, Fairfield, Licking and Union counties. Guided by our 2019-2024 Strategic Plan, our vision is to move every life forward. Our mission is to provide solutions that connect people to prosperity through innovation, dedication and teamwork.

Salary: $19.11 per hour

Location: 1600 McKinley Avenue, Columbus, OH, United States

Benefits: COTA offers competitive benefits including: supplemental insurance, life insurance, employee discounts, employee bus pass; wellness initiatives, on-site cooking classes & chair massages, on-site Health Coaches & Dietitians, and retirement benefits through OPERS & Ohio Deferred Compensation.

Position Summary:

Performs responsible work disseminating complete and accurate information regarding COTA's operating system to the public through various outlets. This includes trip planning, assisting customers with mobile application navigation, scheduling reservations and providing information regarding COTA-specific programs, rideshare services and first-and-last mile service. Other responsibilities include distributing transit schedules, and COTA Mainstream and reduced fare applications, as well as assisting COTA's Customer Care Department in handling customer complaints/commendations.

• Incumbents in this position are assigned to COTA's Customer Care Center.

Performs duties in alignment with the 2019-2024 COTA Strategic Plan and in support of the organization's vision to Move Every Life Forward.

This Position is Responsible For:

• Utilizes all available tools to disseminate accurate transit information regarding routes, schedules, time points, rideshare services including COTA//Plus, Bus on Demand and first-and-last mile service, and other COTA information to the public while achieving call center volume and departmental objectives;
• Operates Cisco/Finesse phone system, multi-display computer, copier and other office equipment. Uses COTA email and other software to schedule reservations, plan trips and handle general inquiries. Assists customers with account status, verification of funds, etc. and instructs on the navigation and utilization of Masabi and Transit;
• Handles customer contacts and ensures accuracy when relaying information to Customer Care personnel; exhibits empathy and understanding when interacting with customers regarding contacts;
• Disseminates transit information to the public through map utilization, GPS and use of line trip/turn sheets;
• Partners with Radio Central personnel to obtain pertinent transit vehicle information in order to effectively assist customers; provides information to customers regarding late arrivals, no shows, service interruptions/re-routes and lost articles;
• Works closely with COTA's Transportation Department and the Customer Experience Center in determining Lost & Found items; coordinates with personnel on the delivery of schedules and informational pamphlets to various community organizations; assists customers with locating lost items;
• Enters interaction data in available software using specific tags and categories;
• Assists in other areas within COTA to help promote marketing through community activities while continuing to provide multimodal transportation solutions to customers; and
• Builds travel itineraries utilizing internal and mobile applications daily to assist customers including, various internet search engines (Google), as well as GPS tracking and Trapeze transit software.
• Mails schedules, transit maps, program information and other material, as requested.

At Minimum You'll Need:

• Requires a High School diploma or equivalent, and one (1) year customer service experience. Call center, reservations and/or dispatching experience preferred.

COTA is an Equal Opportunity Employer and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any kind. Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion are of core importance and essential to the success of the organization. All employment decisions are based on job needs, job requirements and individual qualifications, without regard to race, color, religion or belief, sex, sexual orientation, age, genetic information, gender identity, national origin, veteran or disability status. COTA believes that diverse and inclusive organizations gain the benefits in creating a stronger and more effective workforce resulting in services that better meet the needs of consumers and in result Move Every Life Forward.