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- [Text on screen: Think we’re all about tax?]
- [Seth, Customer Service Advisor, HMRC] So HMRC definitely isn't just about tax. There's a lot of wider ranging things that we are a part of. The money that HMRC brings in helps to support all of the essential public services in the UK and it also allows us to give benefits to those who most need it in our society.
- [Michael, Customer Service Advisor, HMRC] Essentially, we at the Customer Service Group are the first point of contact that we have with the public. So we try to help as many people as we can via the phone calls or post. And at the end of the day, we want to make sure for both our and the public sake that it is all done in one go.
- [Jenni, Customer Service Advisor, HMRC] But at the end of the day, it's all about people and working with people, and helping people and supporting people.
- [Seth] So there's calls, webchat and a number of different types of offline work. It's quite good at keeping you interested and focused.
- [Christopher, Customer Service Advisor, HMRC] Something I found within HMRC is everybody, whether they're on your team or not, are always prepared to help you, which is really good when you are on the phones you can sometimes, you may think you've seen something on this particular call and it's always good to have a second pair of eyes to look over something that you may have missed.
- [Kathryn, Customer Service Advisor, HMRC] There is opportunities there that will help you with your career and help you progress. And there's that level of support. So although you might be apprehensive, go into it with that open mind because you will feel all that support behind if you did that.
- [Michael] The feeling that you get of actually being able to help people regardless of their situation is a feeling that cannot be matched.
- [Jenni] You could be 16, you could be 60 and they will take you on. It's what you've got as a person that they want. So when I first started, I was quite nervous because you've got all these screens to work off and I thought oh I could never do that. Oh, no, no, no, no. Now, looking back, I've gained a lot more confidence. I'm more, I think, assertive as a person than I was. But that's what you get from working with HMRC.
- [Christopher] I personally think this is the best career move I made and I think it would be the best career move anyone would make.
- [Text on screen: A great place to work needs great people like you]
- [Text on screen: Apply for a Customer Service Advisor role today]
Our Customer Services Advisors
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- [Text on screen: Why no two days are the same]
- [Kathryn, Customer Service Advisor, HMRC] I may log in at the start of my shift and take a pay as you earn call about someone querying their tax code. But the following call that I may take might be about someone filing their self-assessment tax return and where I have the knowledge to do both, I can assist all customers. It's always varied. So no two days are the same, which keeps it exciting. A common self-assessment call that we might receive is around misconception. So if people assume that self-assessment is about self-employment purposes, it's not entirely true. You could also have property income. So it's making sure they have that clarification then to know why they need to register for self-assessment. I always try and make sure that I'm interacting with the customer and not just reading the information on the screen. I'm taking into consideration, but I'm listening to what they're saying. So if they have a query, it's about trying to find out what they're upset about, what they're unsure about. For example, they had an issue with their tax code. You could go through the guidance and read word for word what the guidance says, but it wouldn't explain it in a term the customer would necessarily understand always. So it's about relaying the information in the appropriate way to the customer. So for more challenging calls, you are aware that you have that support there from your team and your manager, which is always good because they can be difficult to deal with sometimes. But it's also just knowing that you have those resources there to help you deal with the calls. Since starting my role at HMRC, I've definitely grown as a person in terms of my confidence and that was assisted through the Spring Development Programme, which is one of the internal development programmes here. Before that, I wouldn't have even considered leading a team meeting, but after completing the programme, I was networking with new individuals at higher, more senior levels and it developed my communication, my confidence, but also just my internal almost belief in myself. The team of people in my area is very diverse. There's people of all ages, all backgrounds, and I think that's what makes it such a good team because we all come together and we'll have that level of support. It's more just as a team, what we reflect and that we'll always bring that each day. My advice to anyone who is considering joining the Customer Service Group is to go into it with an open mind, although it might be apprehensive because you're worried about the challenges that you might face. It's an exciting opportunity to challenge yourself, but also learn from that. The work and the service that we provide brings good for the public,so it has an impact and it has an impact for myself. I come away from the day, feeling like I've accomplished stuff and helped others, but also working as part of a team. That level of interaction always makes me feel happy at the end of the day.
- [Text on screen: Want to enjoy a varied, fulfilling role helping people everyday?]
- [Text on screen: Apply for a Customer Service Advisor role today]
Our Customer Services Advisor role
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- [Text on screen: Everything you need to know]
- [Text on screen: about working as a Customer Service Advisor in HMRC]
- [Text on screen: You don’t need any previous experience as full training is provided]
- [Text on screen: This lasts between four and eight weeks depending on which team you join]
- [Text on screen: It’s a varied role and no two days are the same]
- [Text on screen: Our customer service teams deal with a whole range of tax and benefits]
- [Text on screen: mostly on the phone, with webchat and email too]
- [Text on screen: To support our customers we work between 7:45am – 8:00pm Monday to Saturday]
- [Text on screen: This means you’ll work until 8pm one day a week, and six Saturdays throughout the year]
- [Text on screen: with occasional working until 10pm during peak times]
- [Text on screen: With over 20 professions in HMRC]
- [Text on screen: including digital, operational delivery, finance, commercial and compliance]
- [Text on screen: we’ll invest in you by giving you the necessary learning and development opportunities]
- [Text on screen: for you to build your career with us]
- [Text on screen: Apply for a Customer Service Advisor role today]
All you need to know
What makes a great Customer Services Advisor?
As first point of contact for our customers, our advisors provide a first-rate service by telephone, email and webchat, using their brilliant communication skills to give our customers the best possible experience.
The primary role is handling contact from customers effectively and efficiently across different lines of business.
What does the role involve?
Duties depend on the line of business you join; however, within all business areas you will be required to:
- speak to customers on the phone, helping them with their questions or issues
- take payments by phone, letter and our online services
- create customer records and keep them up to date
- use webchat and email to support our customers online
What do we look for in an advisor?
It’s our ambition to be the best customer service organisation in the UK and we need fantastic people to help us achieve this. We like our advisors to have:
- great communication skills, both written and verbal
- numerical skills, with the ability to do basic calculations
- commitment to providing a brilliant service for our customers
- ability to handle both enjoyable and challenging conversations
- ability to provide information quickly and clearly
- can-do attitude and a real passion for helping people
When joining us, we give you all the necessary training, tools and skills to get up to speed in the world of HMRC and Customer Services. From call handling to managing customer information, your training will ensure you are equipped to do a brilliant job.
Once you join a business area we continue to support you throughout your learning journey. As such, the duration of training can vary.
You don’t require any previous tax knowledge to become an advisor, just a willingness to learn.
Our Customer Services Advisors are part of our Operational Delivery Profession, which provides a route to professional skills, recognition and a community of colleagues to network and share experiences.
Our advisors have the opportunity to apply for HMRC accelerated development programmes like Spring and Embrace and gain access to an extensive suite of online resources. These enable you to build expertise in customer service, increase your digital skillset and learn about leadership.
You can access mentoring opportunities to suit your skills and ambitions and can make a difference and support others by developing your coaching skills using our Coaching Connections learning.
From day one, our advisors are supported with learning to have quality career conversations with their manager and have access to schemes like the CSG Firelighters, who work with the senior leadership teams to promote change.
We have plenty of opportunities to inspire your future career path.
Our advisors work up to 37 hours per week, covering various shifts between 7.45am and 8pm, Monday to Saturday.
Start your HMRC journey today by looking at the vacancies we have available.
Discover more about what we do, our business areas and life at HMRC.
Ask our employees questions for an insight into what it’s like to work at HMRC.
Find out about our Customer Services Group, and the work involved.