This month we speak with Julie Janssan, Team Leader, Customer Service at the City of Onkaparinga.  Julie tells us about her role and what she enjoys most about Local Government.
 

Hi Julie - thanks for speaking with us. 

What is your current role, and what does it entail?

As Team Leader of Customer Service with the City of Onkaparinga, I am responsible for the overall management of our customer service team and developing and implementing strategic customer service initiatives. I lead a team of 38 staff who  handle more than 250,000 call centre and front counter enquiries each year.  I ensure they have the required knowledge, systems, processes and resources to  provide  an excellent service to our customers. It is a fantastic role and I am very fortunate to have a great team who are just as enthusiastic about customer service as I am.

 

What attracted you to local government?

I was amazed with the diversity of services that local government provides. It is progressive, exciting and the opportunities are endless.

 

What's been the biggest surprise about your role?

It is so diverse. Every day is different and brings new opportunities and challenges. That is what I really like about my job.

 

What do you most enjoy most about local government?

I have enjoyed all the opportunities that I have been provided. I have been lucky enough to have participated in the LGMA Challenge and the Emerging Leaders program, which provided me with a greater knowledge of local government, helped me establish new networks and allowed me to learn from experienced mentors. Leading on from this, I have also been fortunate to be a member of the Emerging Leaders Alumni and the Women in Local Government network.

 

What's next for you? Where do you want to be in 5 years?

I am very passionate about customer service, staff development and team promotion . Although I have been in the role for the past 6 years, there is still many opportunities, new projects and process improvements that I plan to implement over the coming years.

 

What do your friends say you are passionate about, and would your staff say the same?

My friends would say that I am passionate about shopping and my staff would say the same. This would be judged by the number of shopping bags I bring back to the office during my lunch break!

 

What sayings at work are you famous for?

I do have quite a few but the sayings I would most use are 'what the', OMG and 'booya!'