Brightmere Energy has begun a major recruitment drive at its Filton contact centre after taking on households from failed suppliers. The campaign, launched on 10 January, is intended to bring hundreds of advisers into the operation as the company deals with an enlarged customer base.
The Bristol-founded supplier was appointed to receive about 108,000 Clearwell Energy accounts in October and about 72,000 Pennant Power accounts in December. Welcoming those households means answering questions about readings, previous balances and the information customers receive as records are brought across.
Director of Customer Operations Joanne Pryce said Brightmere was looking for people able to explain a complicated account without losing sight of the person asking. 'A customer may be calling because the last letter did not make sense to them,' she said. 'The job is to listen to what they are asking, check the information and help them understand what can happen next.'
The recruitment announcement is welcome news for people looking for work in north Bristol, but some applicants want to hear more about the preparation before joining a live customer-service team. Fraser Trevall, who is considering an application after working in retail, said the practical details would influence his decision.
'I am used to dealing with people when something has gone wrong,' he said. 'I have not dealt with an energy account before. I would want to understand how the training works and what you do if somebody asks a question you cannot answer yet.' He said a vacancy title alone did not tell him how a normal working day would feel.
Brightmere says the Filton recruits will join general service, working with customers whose needs range from ordinary account tasks to questions arising from the transfers. The company also operates in Swansea and has home-based adviser teams. The current campaign is focused on adding capacity at Filton.
Local employment adviser Helena Wetherell said a large campaign could attract people with useful experience from other customer-facing work. She said applicants should ask about the work itself, including the working pattern, learning support and the route for raising a question during a difficult conversation.
'Someone can be very good with customers and still need time to understand a different system,' she said. 'I would encourage an applicant to ask for an example of a call and how a new starter would be helped through it.' Her advice was directed at job seekers rather than a judgement on Brightmere's programme.
Pryce said the company recognised the importance of bringing new colleagues into the work carefully. She said experienced staff would have a part in helping recruits understand customer questions. For Trevall, the next step is to read the vacancy information and decide whether the working arrangements fit around his responsibilities at home.