Customer Experience Specialist

The Rapid is looking for a full-time Customer Experience Specialist to join our team!

The Customer Experience Specialist plays a vital role in supporting The Rapid's mission by serving as a welcoming and knowledgeable point of contact for our customers and community. As a public transportation organization headquartered in Grand Rapids, Michigan, The Rapid provides safe, reliable, and accessible transit services throughout Grand Rapids, East Grand Rapids, Grandville, Kentwood, Walker, and Wyoming. In this customer-facing role, you will help ensure positive rider experiences by delivering accurate information, assisting with fare media sales, supporting trip planning, and responding to customer inquiries, compliments, and concerns with professionalism and care. If you are ready for a career where every day you are making a positive impact on our community, then it is time you explored The Rapid!

Position Summary:

The Customer Experience Specialist is responsible for providing positive, empathetic, and professional service to all customers while accurately processing fare media sales and handling cash and electronic transactions with precision. This role ensures the proper management of cash balances, reconciliation of sales, and monitoring of online orders while maintaining compliance with finance procedures. The Customer Experience Specialist delivers timely and accurate information about transit services, assists customers with trip planning, and produces identification cards for ADA and reduced fare-eligible passengers. Serving as one of the points of contact for compliments, complaints, and service requests, the position plays a critical role in supporting customer satisfaction and operational excellence. This role requires strong communication skills, attention to detail, a high level of responsibility and reliability, and the ability to build and maintain effective working relationships across all levels of the organization.

What will you be doing in this role:

• Provides a positive, empathetic, and professional service to all customers.
• Accurately sells fare media (transit passes and tickets), handles cash and electronic transactions with precision, maintains a proper balance of cash and fare media throughout each shift, and reconciled all sales at the end of the day.
• Monitors online sales, prepares bulk ticket orders and completes all required paperwork accurately. Works with the Finance Department as needed to ensure compliance and accuracy.
• Delivers clear, timely, and accurate information to customers regarding services, operations, and fare options.
• Serves as the telephonic and real time contact for customers compliments, complaints, and requests for service, ensuring issues are documented and escalated to the appropriate person or department for timely resolution.
• Provides wayfinding information regarding routes, schedules, and trip planning for customers.
• Produces identification cards for ADA and reduced fare-eligible passengers.
• Establishes and maintains effective working relationships with coworkers, leadership, and staff across all levels of the organization.
• Other duties as assigned.

To be successful in this role you will need:

• High School Diploma, or GED, PLUS;
• Two years of experience providing in-person customer service and performing currency transactions using computers and other related equipment and programs.
• Basic computer skills including Microsoft Office. Ability to learn systems as required.
• Ability to deliver exceptional customer service with a positive, empathetic and professional attitude at all times. Works with a sense of urgency and delivers expedient customer service.
• Excellent oral communications skills, strong interpersonal skills, demonstrating tact and diplomacy.
• Ability to deal with frustrated customers, remaining composed in tone and temperament.
• Strong cash handling skills, including accurately processing transactions, maintaining balanced cash drawers, and reconciling daily sales.
• Effective verbal and written communication skills to provide clear and accurate information to customers and coworkers.
• Strong organizational and problem-solving skills for assisting customers with trip planning and special programs such as ADA and reduced fare eligibility.
• Ability to work independently and manage time effectively while maintaining a customer-first mindset.
• Proficiency in establishing and maintaining positive working relationships across all levels of the organization.
• Flexibility to adapt to changing needs and perform a variety of tasks while maintaining a high standard of service.
• Demonstrate reliability by consistently reporting to work on time, meeting deadlines, and maintaining dependable performance with minimal supervision.
• Takes personal responsibility for the accuracy and quality of work performed, ensuring tasks are completed thoroughly and on time.
• Must be able to sit for long periods of time at a desk which requires all day use of computers and other cash-handling equipment.

Physical Demands:

Employee must occasionally lift or move up to 25 pounds for movement of boxes, files or other items. May also include frequent bending, stooping, squatting, pushing and pulling. Employee is required to perform job duties in accordance with existing health and safety procedures and policies.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to sit for extended periods. The employee is frequently required to walk and stand. Use of hands and arms is necessary to reach or use various tools or objects. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision and ability to adjust focus.

Here's what you can look forward to as a valued member of our team:

• Hourly rate: $18.92
• Health Insurance - We offer three medical plan options through Priority Health for you, your spouse, and/or children. A Health Savings Account with an employer contribution and match is available with our High Deductible Health Plan!
• Dental Insurance - The Rapid offers two dental options through BCBSM, including orthodontic coverage.
• Vision Insurance - Is offered through the VSP network.
• Retirement Contribution - You are eligible to participate in a 457 Retirement Saving plan on your first day. We offer a 10% employer contribution!
• Life Insurance and Short-Term Disability - life insurance and short and long-term disability insurance are provided by The Rapid.
• Wellbeing and Fitness - We provide an employee assistance program. You can enjoy our onsite fitness center and gym membership reimbursement.
• Explore your community - Your employee badge is your ticket (and your eligible dependents) to riding The Rapid for FREE!
• Paid Time Off - Vacation and sick time accrues monthly.

The Rapid is an EEO Employer. Minorities, veterans, and women are encouraged to apply. The Rapid is committed to employing people with disabilities and making reasonable accommodations for them. Let our recruiter know if you need to request an accommodation at any point during the application/interview process