Administration - a day in the life of:
A Business Support Officer & A Customer Service Representative
A day in the life of a Business Support Officer in a Division
You may well ask, what is a Business Support Officer and what do they do? In
short, I am part of the administrative support team in a divisional office. I
work at the Southern Division but there are lots of administrative roles in
other nursing divisions and at the Business Centre.
Our Southern Business Support team consists of six administrative staff, with
various titles and job responsibilities, and we collectively support
approximately 70 nursing staff on a daily basis.
Our positions manage and monitor many daily tasks. To name a few –
- Reception to service the Division
- Looking after all aspects of a fleet of approximately 65 vehicles
- Data entry for a roster of approximately 70 staff
- Stock ordering and monitoring
- Client case note administrative management for all nursing staff
- Distribution of client based information to all nursing staff
- Data collection for various business needs
- Financial and budget support to the Divisional Director
- Annual safety inspections on seven premises
- Typing support and the creation of documents to assist the Management Team of five and the Specialist Nurses of twelve.
In the Division, at times, the elevated volume of noise traffic can become quite
consuming first thing in the morning and last thing in the afternoon, as the
hustle and bustle of our nurses arriving and departing attracts many forms of
communication. Fortunately, our team embraces these times as it gives us an
opportunity to communicate face to face with our primary customers, our nurses.
There is a great family atmosphere in the Southern Division, something we
believe mirrors our standing in the community. This is also reflective in the
way that we communicate openly and respectfully with each other. This
environmental atmosphere is the basis for our culture in the division which
allows us to overcome any communication issues that may arise, with positive
outcomes.
Collectively, the Business Support team in Southern has worked for RDNS for over
25 years and most of us plan to choose RDNS as our place of work well into the
years ahead. We take pride in our customer service delivery, enjoy being
acknowledged and appreciated for what we do and the many opportunities given to
build upon relationships with our colleagues.
Karahn
Business Support Officer – Southern Division
A day in the life of a Customer Service Representative, RDNS Direct (call centre)
RDNS Direct is often the first point of contact for external calls, it
represents the face of an iconic nursing organisation, with a long and
successful history in South Australia. It is a vital role that deals with a vast
array of different enquiries on a daily basis. The department employs both
administration and nursing staff.
I have worked for RDNS for approximately 18 months, whilst a large number of
RDNS Direct staff work full-time, I job share on a part-time basis. The
flexibility this provides allows me to enjoy a great lifestyle outside of the
organisation.
My shifts can vary each week, but adequate notice is usually provided which
allows me to plan ahead, and Team Leaders do try and accommodate individual
requirements where possible.
Although the Contact Centre is 24 hours/7 days, generally the earliest
administration staff shift commencement is 7.30am and we do not work overnight.
However, who knows what the future may hold for our growing contact centre.
Staff are rostered to accommodate the workload, the majority of the workload is
through the phones. The phone service demand is statistically monitored and
staffing is adjusted to meet the workload. Importantly we are required to be
logged into the computer/phone systems ready to start on time.
Because the work is clerically diverse, each day provides considerable variety.
Multi-tasking can include responses to the general public, clients, round
nursing staff, hospitals and GPs. Issues we deal with include account enquiries,
new referrals, scheduling of visits, stock ordering, admissions/discharges,
phone text messaging nursing/hospital liaison staff, emailing, faxing, printing,
filing client records and many other, sometimes challenging administration
requirements. Support is at hand from Team Leaders and fellow team members if
needed. Our work is prioritised, with phone call response being of the highest
importance and needing good personal/customer service skills.
Although I don’t have the benefits mobility on the road provides, like the field
staff, the inside working environment is ever changing to accommodate expanding
business needs, and provides pleasant facilities for us to enjoy.
It has been an absolute delight for me to build upon good relationships with
such a great bunch of people in-house, and very importantly, with our busy
nursing staff working the often challenging suburban round. By supporting our
nurses and working together, I aim to satisfy staff needs and gain a successful
outcome for our numerous clients - the crux of my position and our business.
It’s great to work for an organisation that provides such a wonderful service to
the general community.
Edwina
RDNS Direct - Customer Service Representative
For information on other services visit our web site: www.rdns.org.au
