What does a contact representative do?
As a contact representative, you will mostly work at agencies that oversee programs involving benefits, pensions, privileges, or taxes. This job involves a lot of interaction and aids in administrative and technical support to individuals and businesses primarily in person or through telephone inquiries. Moreover, contact representatives provide needed information and assistance to the public by answering a broad range of inquiries regarding the complexity of the laws, regulations, and other related administrative. The main purpose of contact representative work is to answer to a variety of inquiries.
Contact representative responsibilities
Here are examples of responsibilities from real contact representative resumes:
- Perform outbound telemarketing, marketing products and services to members and attain sale goals.
- Lead contact center in consultation to patient's/doctors inquiring about Medicaid/Medicare coverage and claims.
- Contact doctor offices to schedule Medicade and Medicare risk adjustment chart reviews.
- Create common knowledge documents (CKM) to help agents resolve technical blackberry problems.
- Answer questions relating to VA and treasury offsets on collection procedures for past due accounts.
- Investigate and initiate corrective action on delays or errors and explain determination on individual cases and appeals.
- Assist taxpayers in understanding their eligibility for different IRS tax repayment programs.
- Assist veterans and their families with account management in a resource center environment
- Assess individual circumstances and advise taxpayers on specific issues that generally require accessing multiple IRS systems.
- Handle all relate investigation and settlement of claims and partner closely with in-house counsel when arbitration are required.
- Collaborate with medical groups and providers across a geographically diverse network and verify compliance regarding Medicare policies and procedures.
- Order laboratory tests per physician instructions for incoming patients, and ensure all require laboratory work is completed before appointment.
- Interview patients to obtain registration information relating to third party alternatives and determine eligibility of patients seeking health care services.
- Interview and counsele veterans in person or via telephone of available benefits including insurance, compensation, loan and education benefits.
- Demonstrate superb organizational and multitasking abilities
Contact representative skills and personality traits
We calculated that 24% of Contact Representatives are proficient in Customer Service, Technical Assistance, and Sound Judgment. They’re also known for soft skills such as Communication skills, Computer skills, and Customer-service skills.
We break down the percentage of Contact Representatives that have these skills listed on their resume here:
- Customer Service, 24%
Answered inbound member calls/Processed member requests within a timely manner; Transferred calls to appropriate department when necessary; Provided customer service
- Technical Assistance, 6%
Provide technical assistance to individuals and/or businesses primarily through telephone interaction in a dynamic call center environment, and/or face-to-face contact.
- Sound Judgment, 5%
Make determinations and use sound judgment concerning controversial matters regarding whether individuals records/accounts reflect honest mistakes or fraudulent intent.
- Patients, 4%
Interviewed patients to obtain information to initiate a new health record or communicated with Medical Records to reactivate a retired/stored record.
- IRS, 4%
Assessed individual circumstances and advised taxpayers on specific issues that generally required accessing multiple IRS systems.
- Inbound Calls, 3%
Receive inbound calls from Defined Contribution (401k) participants and Brokerage participants regarding retirement and investment inquiries.
Common skills that a contact representative uses to do their job include "customer service," "technical assistance," and "sound judgment." You can find details on the most important contact representative responsibilities below.
Communication skills. The most essential soft skill for a contact representative to carry out their responsibilities is communication skills. This skill is important for the role because "customer service representatives must be able to provide clear information in writing, by phone, or in person." Additionally, a contact representative resume shows how their duties depend on communication skills: "set and confirm appointments with current policyholders ability to handle difficult customer phone calls good verbal and written communication skills"
Customer-service skills. contact representatives are also known for customer-service skills, which are critical to their duties. You can see how this skill relates to contact representative responsibilities, because "representatives help companies retain customers by professionally answering questions and helping to resolve complaints." A contact representative resume example shows how customer-service skills is used in the workplace: "processed tax forms and directed customers through proper procedures for obtaining refunds. "
Interpersonal skills. A big part of what contact representatives do relies on "interpersonal skills." You can see how essential it is to contact representative responsibilities because "representatives should be able to create positive interactions with customers." Here's an example of how this skill is used from a resume that represents typical contact representative tasks: "developed strong interpersonal communication skills providing quality service to thousands of patients, clients, and customers. "
Listening skills. Another crucial skill for a contact representative to carry out their responsibilities is "listening skills." A big part of what contact representatives relies on this skill, since "representatives must listen carefully to ensure that they understand customers in order to assist them." How this skill relates to contact representative duties can be seen in an example from a contact representative resume snippet: "utilized keen listening skills to problem solve customer issues on first contact. "
Patience. Another skill commonly found on contact representative job descriptions is "patience." It can come up quite often in contact representative duties, since "representatives should be patient and polite, especially when interacting with dissatisfied customers." Here's an example from a resume of how this skill fits into day-to-day contact representative responsibilities: "detail compassionately with medicaid beneficiaries on a one-on-one basis and focus on their needs through careful listening and patience. "
The three companies that hire the most contact representatives are:
- MCI World97 contact representatives jobs
- Humana90 contact representatives jobs
- Regions Bank53 contact representatives jobs
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Compare different contact representatives
Contact representative vs. Associate customer service representative
An associate customer service representative is responsible for providing high customer service by assisting customers on their inquiries and concerns, as well as resolving and escalating high-level complaints to the supervisor or tenured customer service representative. Associate customer service representatives also process orders and payments from the customers, replacing defective items, and issuing refunds as needed. They must have excellent communication and organizational skills, especially on handling data processing procedures to the database for reference to customer concerns.
These skill sets are where the common ground ends though. The responsibilities of a contact representative are more likely to require skills like "technical assistance," "sound judgment," "irs," and "provide technical assistance." On the other hand, a job as an associate customer service representative requires skills like "sales floor," "customer orders," "product knowledge," and "customer care." As you can see, what employees do in each career varies considerably.
Associate customer service representatives really shine in the finance industry with an average salary of $37,473. Comparatively, contact representatives tend to make the most money in the government industry with an average salary of $43,279.associate customer service representatives tend to reach similar levels of education than contact representatives. In fact, associate customer service representatives are 3.7% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 0.3% less likely to have a Doctoral Degree.Contact representative vs. Customer relations representative
A customer relations representative is responsible for providing the highest customer service by interacting with customers to respond to their inquiries and concerns, process their requests, and resolve their complaints. Customer relations representatives assist the customers with their needs by offering products and services according to their requirements and budget limitations. They may also sell newly launched products to the customers, discuss features and usability, and generate payments and delivery details. A customer relations representative must have excellent communication and organizational skills to maintain healthy business relationships with the customers to achieve the company's long-term goals and objectives.
While some skills are similar in these professions, other skills aren't so similar. For example, resumes show us that contact representative responsibilities requires skills like "technical assistance," "sound judgment," "patients," and "irs." But a customer relations representative might use other skills in their typical duties, such as, "customer relations," "team-oriented environment," "propane," and "customer retention."
Customer relations representatives may earn a higher salary than contact representatives, but customer relations representatives earn the most pay in the finance industry with an average salary of $42,057. On the other hand, contact representatives receive higher pay in the government industry, where they earn an average salary of $43,279.Average education levels between the two professions vary. Customer relations representatives tend to reach similar levels of education than contact representatives. In fact, they're 2.7% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 0.3% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Contact representative vs. Customer service representative
Customer service representatives are the first point of contact of the customers, acting as the frontiers of the company and help in driving customer loyalty and retention by leaving a great impression and resolving all of their concerns. They accommodate customer queries by providing useful and comprehensive information about any products or services. Some would use that as an opportunity to market and promote more sales. The most challenging issues they use to handle are customer complaints and processing of refunds and returns. They also assist in basic troubleshooting or accounts and payment setup with the use of specific guidelines or step by step procedures. At most, they help and solve customer issues on their own, but sometimes they would need support from supervisors or other departments.
There are many key differences between these two careers, including some of the skills required to perform responsibilities within each role. For example, a contact representative is likely to be skilled in "technical assistance," "sound judgment," "irs," and "provide technical assistance," while a typical customer service representative is skilled in "cleanliness," "pos," "sales floor," and "home health."
Customer service representatives make a very good living in the insurance industry with an average annual salary of $34,074. On the other hand, contact representatives are paid the highest salary in the government industry, with average annual pay of $43,279.When it comes to education, customer service representatives tend to earn similar degree levels compared to contact representatives. In fact, they're 4.4% less likely to earn a Master's Degree, and 0.2% less likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.Contact representative vs. Guest service representative
A guest service representative is responsible for supporting the front desk operations, assisting guests with their needs, and handling guests' inquiries. Guest service representatives duties' include processing payments, leading the guests to their respective rooms, responding to the guests' requests, escalating high-level complaints, maintaining the cleanliness and orderliness of the common areas, performing administrative duties, and suggesting recommendations for improving the guests' experience. A guest service representative should have excellent customer service and communication skills to increase the business's positive feedback.
Types of contact representative
Updated January 8, 2025
