Posting Details

Position Information

Job Title Customer Support Specialist I Department OpenStax Full Time/Part Time Full-Time Requisition Number S19676 Open Date 06/13/2019 Close Date 06/27/2019 Salary Information

Salary Commensurate with Experience and Qualifications

Work Schedule

May require hours outside the normal work day for peak periods and busy seasons and/or coverage of the desk in the evenings.

Benefits Eligible Yes Eligible for Overtime Yes Position Summary

OpenStax (part of Rice University) is a non-profit textbook publisher, learning software producer, and platform for learning research. Our mission is to provide every student with free or low-cost access to high-quality learning materials and tools that help them succeed in their education and career. We have created a library of 29 free and openly licensed college textbooks that have served 6.2 million students, resulting in $576 million dollars in savings. We have created software to help college students in three of those subjects read with more engagement and practice more effectively, incorporating our research team’s expertise in cognitive science and machine learning.

We are seeking a committed and dynamic Customer Support Specialist to work with faculty and other college and administrative staff at colleges and universities across the world to provide answers to their questions and respond to any additional customer service needs for our products, OpenStax.org, CNX.org, and OpenStax Tutor Beta.

This position will use the phone and an online customer support system as well as a customer relationship management database to provide answers to technical questions as well as questions about the organization, collect, upload and analyze data; and provide a high level of customer service to OpenStax users and potential users.

This position is grant funded and continuation of this position is dependent on funding and need.

Education Required HS Diploma or equivalent Major/Discipline Substitution for Education Requirement

Experience may not be substituted for the education requirement.

Education Preferred

Bachelor’s degree in business, marketing, sales, communication, or a related field.

Experience Required 6 months Type of Experience

Related customer service and/or technical support experience.

Substitution for Experience Requirement

May substitute additional related education, above and beyond what is required, on an equivalent year for year basis in lieu of the experience requirement.

Experience Preferred

Two or more years of customer service experience, specifically with software and product support.

License/Certification Required License/Certification Preferred Skills Required

- Good computer, office, telephone and presentation skills
- Ability to work in a team environment
- Ability to communicate effectively in English both verbally and in writing with individuals and groups of diverse backgrounds
- Strong attention to detail and accuracy
- Clear and effective oral and written communication skills
- Strong and effective interpersonal and customer service skills
- Ability to multi task
- Strong computer skills such as Microsoft Office (Outlook, Word, Excel, and PowerPoint)

Skills Preferred

- Ability to anticipate and meet needs prior to customers expressing needs
- Demonstrated critical thinking skills
- Demonstrated problem-solving skills
- Demonstrated customer dispute resolution skills
- Excellent internet search capabilities
- Strong data entry skills with an emphasis on detail and accuracy
- Demonstrated emphasis on metrics and data reporting
- Advanced computer skills specifically database, word processing, internet, and spreadsheets (Microsoft Office applications)
- Ability to use Salesforce or another customer relationship management database
- Ability to use online support and ticketing system
- Familiarity with databases including creating reports and uploading data

Internal / External Contacts

Internal:
- Frequent contact with fellow OpenStax employees including the sales, marketing, and development teams

External:
- Frequent contact with faculty members, instructional designers, bookstore managers, and support staff from colleges and universities across the world

Physical Demands

- Requires working at a computer terminal for numerous hours at a time. (up to eight hours per day)
- Requires the ability to use computer tools and phones to assist customers and other users

Working Conditions

- The office work area is open to allow for collaboration with other members of the team
- Work schedule is Monday through Friday, from 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.
- Occasional travel to work with partners or attend conferences and meetings.
- Occasional extended hours in evenings and/or weekends throughout the year to meet job expectations, goals and objectives

Security Sensitive Yes Special Instructions to Applicants Quick Link for Posting http://jobs.rice.edu/postings/20065 Job Duties

Job Duty Name Essential Functions Description of Job Duty

- Provides basic information meeting specific metrics outlined
- Answers incoming calls and places outgoing calls to acquire appropriate information from customers
- Enters information into appropriate computer programs and maintains files
- Composes correspondence to answer customer inquiries that require a written response
- Coordinates with other departments, supervisor, or colleagues to ensure timely and appropriate responses and escalates to higher level if needed
- Keeps track of correspondence and interactions with customer using a customer relationship management tool (e.g. Salesforce)
- Represents Rice University at public events
- Performs other duties as assigned

Job Duties

Job Duty Name Job Specific Functions Description of Job Duty

- Develops reports about customer service levels and key accounts (using data from online ticketing system, customer relationship management system, and the Internet)
- Uses these reports to keep supervisor informed
- Processes customer complimentary OpenStax College book requests and sends out complimentary copies
- Enters names and contact information into the customer relationship management system, Salesforce
- Searches the Internet for information such as a faculty member’s email and phone, what classes they are teaching, and any additional useful information

Applicant Documents Required Documents

1. Resume
2. Cover Letter

Optional Documents

Supplemental Questions

Required fields are indicated with an asterisk (*).

1. * Do you have a high school diploma or equivalent?
   • Yes
   • No
2. * Do you have six months of related customer service and/or technical support experience, or additional related education, above and beyond what is required, on an equivalent year for year basis in lieu of the experience requirement?
   • Yes
   • No
3. * Please provide the salary or range that you would require or consider for this position.

   (Open Ended Question)