Customer solutions Apprentice Review

I speak to many customers regarding; renewals, amends (including change of vehicles and change of addresses) and general enquiries. It is a very fast paced environment and there is constant change in which we need to keep on top of. There are a lot of KPIs and is very target driven.

I have learnt many new skills and developed existing skills. I have further developed my people skills and am constantly learning how to resolve customer conflict. I have learnt how to use the internal systems and resources after rigorous training. i am also working towards a level 2 in customer service

The program is fairly enjoyable but it is very demanding, It is a 37.5 hour week which can be overwhelming and can affect the work-life balance. The company culture and team are amazing and it is a very friendly environment in the grand scheme of things. The time that we get for our vocational section doesn't seem to be enough to stay on top of the work load.

The induction and training was very well thought out and structured and there was ample support from my peers and the training staff. Once we left training and started the actual role we were taking on the workload of a normal 37.5 hour week full of customer calls. The structure of the programme at present could be a bit better thought out in terms of vocational time.

I would say that if i needed support i would know where to find it. However, in terms of the qualification side of the apprenticeship - my employer don't seem to be too concerned if we use our own time to complete this as we only get 3.5 hours a week to do said work.

my employer don't seem to be too concerned if we use our own time to complete this as we only get 3.5 hours a week to do said work. It would be great if they increased this to emphasise the fact that we are doing an apprenticeship and not a regular full time job.

I dont feel that the qualification aids my performance in my job role as we did sufficient training at the start of the job to be able to understand and work to a high level of customer service. I would go as far as to say my job aids the work from my training provider in terms of relatability.

There are many different communities on the yammer service that you can join. there are also frequent charity fundraisers been held to get people across the business to be interactive and emphasise the team spirit and company values. also for example, On yammer there is a bame strand which talks about black and minority ethnic groups and is there to educate and offer a safe place if needed.

Yes

There is a great salary, bonus schemes and discount schemes available to all employees. You go through a great training experience and meet many new people. It is also a place where you can find great apprenticeships and get that important industry experience, especially if you are just starting your career

Some tips and advice that i would give to someone applying to direct line is; be prepared to handle big workloads, be willing to work hard to get opportunities in terms of career progression and also if you are applying to a customer facing role, you have to be very resilient.