The Charter Account Specialist Lead plays a key role in delivering an exceptional experience to our recurring charter customers. This position manages customer relationships, coordinates charter bookings, monitors customer satisfaction, and identifies opportunities to grow existing business.
The successful candidate will be proactive in recognizing changes in customer needs or satisfaction and taking appropriate action to maintain strong relationships. This role also works closely with internal teams and location partners to coordinate charter services and may provide informal mentorship and training to other team members.
Responsibilities
- Manage a high volume of inbound and outbound phone calls and emails from recurring customers looking to book new or recurring charter services or obtain information about upcoming trips.
- Build and maintain strong relationships with recurring customers while delivering a high level of customer service.
- Understand customer needs, gather all required booking information, and use effective sales techniques to identify upselling and additional business opportunities within Charter and First Student.
- Coordinate internally with locations and other teams to ensure upcoming charter requirements are communicated and supported.
- Send booking requests to locations with available capacity using the appropriate communication channels based on urgency.
- Maintain accurate and up-to-date customer records, including changes to key contacts and other relevant account information.
- Enter and maintain information in SharePoint and monitor responses from locations.
- Monitor customer satisfaction, pricing concerns, booking patterns, and changes in customer behaviour, taking proactive action when potential issues are identified.
- Respond to customer questions and concerns in a timely and professional manner, escalating issues to supervisors when appropriate.
- Stay current on policies, pricing, procedures, and other information relevant to customers.
- Serve as a resource and positive role model for other team members and provide support when needed.
- May facilitate classroom training for new and/or existing employees.
- Perform other duties and special projects as assigned.
Qualifications
- 5+ years of customer service or sales experience; previous experience in a call centre environment is preferred but not required.
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills with a professional, positive, and customer-focused approach.
- Strong customer service skills with a demonstrated ability to assess customer satisfaction and identify changes in customer needs or behaviour.
- Ability to actively listen, identify solutions, and create positive outcomes for both internal and external customers.
- Strong sales skills with the ability to identify upselling and additional business opportunities.
- Excellent attention to detail and ability to enter and maintain information accurately and efficiently.
- Proven ability to develop and maintain strong professional relationships.
- Ability to learn quickly and adapt to changing priorities in a fast-paced environment.
- Strong organizational and time-management skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities, assess urgency, and work independently with minimal supervision.
- Strong problem-solving and decision-making skills, including the ability to effectively navigate situations where established processes may be limited.
- Strong computer skills, including proficiency with Windows, Excel, Outlook, internet browsers, and the ability to navigate multiple systems.
- Collaborative mindset with a willingness to seek input, share ideas, and support team success.
- Previous experience supporting, mentoring, or training team members is considered an asset.
Physical Requirements and Working Conditions
- Ability to work in an office/call centre environment and remain seated for extended periods.
- Ability to move throughout the office and between floors, use standard office equipment, and access filing systems and cabinets.
- Ability to communicate effectively and efficiently in person, by telephone, and electronically.
Apply today and get your career on the road with First Student!
First for a reason:
At First Student, we are a family of 60,000+ employees who take pride in safely transporting more than 5 million students and passengers to and from their destinations each day! Our family of brands include Transco, Total Transportation, Maggies Paratransit, and GVC II. Our employees are at the forefront of safety and innovation; they create and implement the most advanced training and technology the transportation industry has to offer.
Skills Required
- 5+ years of customer service or sales experience
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills
- Strong customer service skills and ability to assess customer satisfaction and changing customer needs
- Ability to actively listen, identify solutions, and create positive customer outcomes
- Strong sales skills, including identifying upselling and additional business opportunities
- Excellent attention to detail and accurate information entry and maintenance
- Ability to develop and maintain strong professional relationships
- Ability to learn quickly and adapt to changing priorities
- Strong organizational and time-management skills
- Strong problem-solving and decision-making skills
- Strong computer skills, including Windows, Excel, Outlook, internet browsers, and multiple systems
- Collaborative mindset and willingness to support team success
- Previous call centre experience
- Previous experience supporting, mentoring, or training team members
What We Do
As the leading pupil transportation solutions provider for school districts in North America, First Student provides the best start and finish to every school day. Our teams complete five and a half million student journeys each day, moving more students than all U.S. airlines combined. We operate more than 44,500 vehicles in 41 U.S. states and 8 Canadian provinces/territories. What makes First Student the right choice for your school district's needs? Our partnerships: We believe great transportation is always the result of close, trusted partnerships with the school districts we serve. Understanding that needs change sometimes throughout the school year, our goal is to remain responsive to your district's needs. We work closely with school districts to ensure the transportation solutions we provide represent a collective, forward-thinking response to the needs of your district and community. Our engagement: We believe education offers a child – and their family – the foundation needed to lead a productive and successful life. We support education by making sure children have a safe and reliable way to get to and from school each day. Students start and end their school days with us, and we recognize the opportunity we have to impact each student’s day in a positive manner. Our people: Our people are our advantage. With a team of highly-trained drivers and the industry’s strongest safety record, we’re able to leverage the best practices, technologies and processes needed to deliver quality, consistent service. Visit http://www.firststudentinc.com for more information about how First Student is Caring for students, today, tomorrow, together.®







