Project Coordinator, Customer Experience (Transit)

The Role

Under management’s direction, leads the customer experience program for the Division, focusing on creating a consistent positive experience. Under management’s direction, leads service improvement planning, policy development, project and program administration, and support to staff across the Division.

Delivers on the Region’s strategic vision of a sustainable transportation system by driving continuous improvement and operational efficiencies in customer experience.

Drives collaboration with corporate and divisional partners on the customer experience strategy for transit, aligning policies, training, guidelines, technology adoption, and human-centred design principles to deliver a world-class experience for transit customers and staff. 
 

Duties/Responsibilities

• Provides guidance and instruction to a Customer Experience Analyst.
• Administers tracking, monitoring, and documentation of issues with transit customer service systems (fare system, idea sharing software, Mobility PLUS specialized transit). Coordinates with internal technical staff and vendor for resolution/fixes and communicates to customer-facing direct service staff and the public. Maintains program documents and reference guides. Identifies and analyses trends, gaps, and business processes to develop improvements and enhancements to the customer experience.
• Administers transit customer experience projects spanning the Division. Tests system updates and integration from an internal and external user lens, including developing customer journeys to better understand the customer experience, with the goal of optimizing that experience at every touchpoint.
• Defines projects, develops scope, timelines, resource requirements, risks, and sponsors for projects and programs that involve the customer experience and deals with problems impacting schedules and project success. Ensures recommendations and resolutions are implemented. Works closely with subject matter experts to curate information and develop project teams. Acts as subject matter expert on project teams impacting the customer experience. Builds relationships to maintain awareness of projects and programs.
• Engages leaders across the organization to leverage opportunities for aligning service delivery approaches and building capacity for service innovation. 
• Resolves customer issues related to fare cards. Investigates problems and follows up with customers. Reverses payments and credits customer accounts per criteria and limits. Monitors day-to-day support and management of customer service fare system. Investigates in backend fares systems and advises Finance on credit card chargebacks.
• Identifies, analyses, troubleshoots, and documents service experience trends and follows up with customers for resolution. Analyzes issues trends involving transit technology and evaluates and makes recommendations on strategic options (e.g., fixes, features).
• Partners with transit technical staff and system vendor to review technical issues, exchange information, problem-solve, and coordinate timelines and priorities for timely resolution. Monitors and follows up until issues are resolved.
• Contributes to customer and internal feedback program development, including user input and communications. Administers pipeline innovation activities in the Brightidea Innovation Cloud.
• Documents and tracks system issues and resolutions. Maintains related program data, including resources and job aids used by customer-facing direct service staff. Provides user support.
• Communicates customer issues to other divisional staff (e.g., customer service, marketing, operations, corporate contact centre). Creates and maintains customer notices (e.g., website).  
• Participates on project teams to represent the client and user experience perspective. Works with vendor(s), transit technical staff, and corporate ITS regarding system configuration, testing, troubleshooting, validation, end-user training, and rollout. Provides input into project plans. 
• Assesses current processes and trends and consults with system users for feedback. Recommends changes to transit system applications to improve the customer experience.
• Provides input to management regarding program processes, forms, articles, communications, and policies. 
• Delegates project work to Customer Service Coordinator, Fares and Retail Coordinator, and Customer Experience Analyst. 
• Creates and manages reports and data for performance metrics and the customer experience PowerBI dashboard.

Additional Duties/Responsibilities

• Conducts best practice research and collaborates with internal stakeholders to identify new technologies and opportunities for new service delivery and customer experience approaches. 
• Handles escalations from customers or assigned by senior management.
• Has a p-card and signing authority (e.g., test fares, web transactions, payment reversals).
• Works independently according to priorities established by management. Analyses system issues and customer interfacing processes to confirm issues, identify causes, assess impacts, prioritize issues, and assist with determining solutions. Refers issues that are complex, outside of defined criteria, or that could have widespread impacts to management.    
• Backs up some duties of the Customer Service Coordinator, and Customer Experience Analyst.
• Performs related duties as assigned.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Knowledge and skills are acquired through a 2- or 3-year diploma/degree in a related field plus 2 years of directly related experience, or an equivalent combination of education and experience such as a grade 12 education plus 5 years of directly related experience. 
• Knowledge and skill in client experience and problem management/troubleshooting principles, methodologies, issue resolution techniques (e.g., ITIL), project management, and go-to market strategy.
• Functional knowledge and technical understanding of customer service applications/systems. Ability to learn and apply new software applications to internal processes.  
• Functional knowledge of Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) to incorporate accessibility and inclusive customer service principles into work.
• Understanding of the public role of transit services in the community and within the municipal/ regional government structure.
• Ability to exercise judgement, make data-informed decisions, think critically, and act with a client and citizen-first focus.
• Knowledge of and ability to comply with policies, procedures, legislation (e.g., AODA, privacy), and vendor system agreements. 
• Leadership, communication, human relations, and presentation skills to explain processes, policies, and procedures to other staff and the public; conduct training, lead project meetings, and provide guidance and support to other staff; respond to inquiries and complaints, sometimes involving politically sensitive issues; and participate as an effective team member.
• Organization, analytical, project management, and problem-solving skills to work independently; track, analyze, and troubleshoot issues; monitor and follow up with others for issue resolution; and identify and recommend system changes and fixes to enhance the customer experience. 
• Strategic, analytical, conceptual thinking, and continuous improvement skills to provide expertise to management, and plan and organize activities/projects to meet departmental goals.
• Computer skills with ability to use software such as Microsoft Office and electronic datasets/ databases. Ability to create and maintain spreadsheets and reports.
• Ability to read and understand technical manuals, updates, bulletins, system specifications, and system implementation and testing plans. 
• Ability to write/develop training, user guides, standard operating procedures, test plans, and communications to staff. Ability to write public information resources and communications regarding new/changed products and systems. 
• May be required to alter working hours for systems testing and requested to work weekend hours to meet deadlines.
• Ability to travel within Waterloo Region.
• Ability to support and demonstrate the Region’s values.

Additional Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities