Customer Service Advisor Review

My role in my apprenticeship is to be a customer service advisor in the London Transport Museum. My job consists of many elements of which aim to provide a friendly, warm experience for all visitors in the Museum. I am involved in selling tickets to visitors as well as working in the Museum shop providing good customer service as well as selling merchandise. I also work in the Cloakroom where I am responsible for taking care of people’s belongings. Finally I also supervise different parts of the Gallery in the Museum making sure people are safe, happy and to answer any queries they may have. I mostly interact with any visitors and my colleagues but I do contact other departments if a guest wants to meet or have a particular purpose. I am responsible and accountable for my actions as I work for many managers including the Head of Customer Services.

I have done some courses which has made me more aware on how to conduct manual handling appropiately as well as learning how to be a fire marshal and what to do in the event of an evacuation. I have learnt that customer service is more professional and complicated than I expected because I meet different clients who have different priorities. For example some visitors may not speak English fluently while some people can have accessibility issues meaning that you have to adapt yourself to deliver customer care effectively. This has increased my confidence as well as developed my skills in public speaking as I have delivered some presentations where I have received positive and constructive feedback.

I absolutely enjoy the programme working in the Museum because the staff that I work with in my team are positive, friendly and supportive ensuring I get all the help I need as well as teaching me the role enabling me to work hard. Furthermore the teams in other departments are equally welcoming and I enjoy communicating with them as they give suggestions on certain opportunities I may be interested in. Overall it exceeded my expectations as TFL always strive to make sure we get the best quality training to help me progress.

I feel very valued by Transport for London. The managers at the Museum also support me by teaching me certain elements of the role as well as praising me when I perform well. They are very patient and understanding meaning that I feel confident to keep trying to work hard and be as effective in my role as possible. Senior managers from different departments at Transport For London have given us advice on how to get the best from our experience as well to progress in our future careers which boosts my confidence because I know that there are a lot of people who want me to do well in my job.

My programme is very well organised as my Line manager is very approachable as I have regular meetings to discuss my apprenticeship. I knew who my regular contacts would be at the start of my apprenticeship and my induction was planned in advance so I knew what I was doing on which day as well as who I was meeting so I learn and prepare any questions in advance. I am always told what I will be doing on the day as I work in different parts of the Museum throughout the day. My studying is organised between my employer and my College which is useful because when they work together it delivers a better and clearer plan meaning I will know what I need to do.

My tutor is very supportive during my apprenticeship as he always holds meetings to discuss any updates or any issues or queries I may have. He gives us support as we work in our units. I enjoy working with my tutor as he has a positive and determined attitude to solving problems and gives me confidence to work hard. He also makes himself available by giving me his email address meaning I can contact him at any time which is quite helpful.

My mentor is always eager to hear my experiences and feedback from my job which is very useful because it means I can be honest without fear of feeling guilty or upset by what I say. My managers also ensure I understand my job role and are always friendly when I need help or answers to questions. Even if my managers don't have an answer they are proactive as they would recommend what action I should take or which person I should meet to get the help I need.

My salary is very fair and generous as it meets all my necessary costs. I am able to eat good affordable meals which helps me to work well and I save money by using concessionary travel which makes me really happy. The location does not take long to travel meaning that I don't feel stressed before or after work. I also have enough money to enjoy myself and to socialise which shows that Transport For London is a great company that cares for you inside and outside the workplace.

The opportunities that Transport For London provide outside of London are endless. There are volunteer roles where I can help at tube stations by helping passengers on their journeys when there are events in the capital. The company also allows me to undertake work experience in various departments which benefits me because I am able to gather a better insight into how Transport for London operates.

Yes

Transport For London is the best company to work for as they value you from the first day you work for them. By giving me unique opportunities, fantastic benefits and all the support I need for my training it would be a massive mistake not to apply to Transport For London. The job is fun as well as engaging combined with the fact that you can earn while you learn to achieve a qualification feels quite rewarding.

The best tip for the application process is to be honest and describe yourself accurately. I recommend that writing about your personality, skills and why are you are interested in working for Transport for London will help. In the interviews it would be good to be prepared and confident and this can be achieved by researching about the organisation. Transport For London likes candidates with ambition and commitment so it would be good to talk about what skills you possess as well as what you like to learn and how this would benefit in your career and reaching future opportunities.