Customer Service Specialist Level 3 Apprenticeship Standard

Induction

This unit will include an initial workplace observation and one-to-one discussion and will cover:

• Understanding of candidate’s duties and responsibilities
• Understanding candidate’s personal development in a healthcare setting
• Understanding key principles of customer service
• Exploration of patient/customer relationship
• Core attitudes and behaviours
• Importance of presentation
• Understanding of how to deliver integrated care in general practice

Skills & Understanding

This qualification includes knowledge and skills units focused on:

1. Business knowledge and understanding

• Understand the practice and localities’ current strategies in relation to their customers/patients and how this impacts on the wider healthcare environment., e.g. GPFV; Making Time in General Practice.
• Understand the concept of continuous improvement
• Ability to make recommendations for change and improvement in service related decisions
• Explore and understand a range of leadership styles in the context of the customer service environment

2. Customer/Patient journey knowledge

• Recognise and evaluate the range of experiences and challenges of the patients/customers
• Identify the impact the organisation’s service offering may have on the customer/patient
• Knowledge and application of all relevant processes and procedures supporting customer service
• Ability to map the patient journey for a range of individuals and signpost appropriately
• Understand balance in healthcare environment between individual’s expectations and commercial and business factors

3. Customer insight

• Understand the locality and the impact of varying cultures on expectations
• Knowledge of patient profile and who are the organisation’s internal and external customers
• Effective use of relevant information and data to provide customer insights and variances
• Understand the factors influencing patient/customer retention and satisfaction in the practice and how this is measured
• Champion the effective delivery of care navigation and signposting.

4. Culture and environment awareness

• Relevant knowledge and understanding of legislation, policies and protocols impacting on customer service in primary care – national and local, e.g. GPFV, GDPR
• Awareness of how to find information on best practice for the healthcare environment and how to present recommendations
• Explore the role of customer service in the organisation, its wider impact and implications of poor customer service

5. Business focused service delivery

• Ability to resolve complex patient/customer service issues
• Suggest recommendations for customer service improvement balancing needs of organisation with patient requirements and expectations.
• Understanding of unique healthcare business environment and how it differs from some other customer service environments
• Insight into issues facing general practice and need for increased resilience

6. Providing a positive customer experience

• Use advanced communication and care navigation to enhance patient experience
• Assist patients in making choices and agreeing next steps
• Act as an escalation point for complex and challenging customer service situations
• Resolve customer complaints and identify key areas of dissatisfaction
• Utilise a range of data and information to provide insights on the service provided and satisfaction levels

7. Working with customers/patients

• Proactively gather and analyse customer/patient information and data and act upon results to make service improvements
• Use information on patient profiles and groups to anticipate needs and expectations of the service

8. Customer service performance

• Use effective communication and negotiation to maintain positive patient/customer relations even when their expectations are not met.
• Effective management of referrals and escalations to achieve resolution
• Understand, uphold and develop complaints procedure

9. Service improvements

• Analyse the entire patient/customer journey and suggest recommendations
• Understand and implement any new relevant legislation, regulations and ways of working
• Review how services are promoted and make recommendations

End Point Assessment

Candidates are supported and coached towards the End Point Assessment, working on collecting evidence and their work-based project. The EPA will comprise of:

• A practical observation in the work place with Q&As
• A work-based project report of 2,500 words & interview
• A professional discussion supported by portfolio evidence

Completion of the Level 3 qualification leads to eligibility to join the Institute of Customer Service.

A PMA Tutor/Assessor will be assigned to work with you throughout the duration of the course and will support you through your journey. There are normally between 289-375 guided learning hours for the programme and these will be delivered through face-to-face learning with your Tutor, group teaching, workplace learning and observations.

The time commitment to achieve your City & Guilds Level 3 Diploma is in the region of 4 hours a week which includes the off the job element, this is flexible, and should you have more time available your PMA Tutor/Assessor will be able to adjust your pace of learning accordingly.

Depending on the employer, the candidate and the pace of work, the course will typically take a minimum of 15 months to complete.