Support Services Specialist - Concierge

The Concierge will coordinate and implement services in order to enhance the patient/family/guest experience at University of Iowa Health Care and UI Stead Family Children’s Hospital. Primary responsibilities include responding to inquiries on-line, in person and on the telephone regarding hospital and community services, programs and amenities; respond to information requests in accordance to privacy and confidentiality policies; develop and maintain informational materials; proactively identify and respond to guest complaints, identify and implement process improvements to enhance patient and guest satisfaction; coordinate activities associated with special events for patients and families which may require working off-hours; coordinate activities of Concierge Volunteers and the Volunteer Gift Guild; coordinate In-Kind donations; actively participate on hospital and community committees to improve services; coordinate logistics and assist event planners in accordance with Use of Public Space guidelines; communicate and collaborate with departmental and community stakeholders to enhance the delivery of services and improve the patient and family experience. Uphold departmental best practices, quality, and professionalism standards and policies. Serve as a mentor, coach, role model and customer service specialist for co-workers, staff, patients and visitors. Complete special projects for the department of Guest Services. Requires a valid driver’s license and authorization to drive UI Fleet Services vehicles when necessary. Serve as a Notary Public for patients and families.

Primary Schedule: Monday - Friday 8a.m. - 5p.m. 

Key Areas of Responsibilities

Provide Support Services to Clinical and Non-clinical Departments: Provide services for patients such as interpretation, support in obtaining care, navigating the delivery system, or addressing care/service issues. Perform tasks/inspections to meet compliance goals, patient/customer satisfaction expectations.

• Coordinate and implement Concierge services to internal and external customers to assure expectations are met and/or exceeded including but not limited to hospital and community services and amenities.

• Timely and courteously respond to all inquiries via on-line, in person and on the telephone regarding hospital and community services and amenities.

• Respond to complaints

• Ensure marketing materials (brochures and on-line) promoting hospital services and amenities are accurate and up-to-date. Communicate with relevant stakeholders.  Monitor inventory and distribute to user groups in a timely manner.

• Develop and maintain accurate informational resources (e.g. A-Z Book, Concierge Resource Manual).

• Serve as a program liaison with hospital leadership, faculty and staff.

• Promote safety and security measures by keeping entrances free of clutter; reporting facility-related repair and safety issues in a timely manner.

• Maintain proficiency with technology (AV equipment in lobbies, etc) in order to engage patients and visitors and assist staff.

• Promote safety and security measures by communicating issues to patients, families and staff as necessary (e.g. inclement weather protocols, etc).

• Serve as a Notary Public to patients, families and staff. Assist with training new Notaries.

• Develop related content for event promotion using approved template on digital flat screens.

• Provide intra hospital patient transportation via wheelchair and/or escorting patients and families to their destination as required.

• Serve as the Concierge on Duty at the Rossi Guest House as necessary; which may include weekend and holiday coverage.

• Uphold departmental best practices, quality and professionalism standards and policies.

Communicate/Collaborate with Internal and External Constituents: Collaborate with peers and co-workers to enhance the delivery of health care. Provide feedback to management on means to achieve goals and resolve service issues.

• Proactively identify and respond to guest complaints, implementing service recovery practices when appropriate; acting with discretion and notifying department personnel when appropriate.

• Proactively seek out process improvement opportunities.

• Communicate and collaborate with the Office of the Patient Experience and other departmental stakeholders to resolve patient issues and enhance the patient/family experience.

• Serve as a mentor, coach, role model and customer service specialist for co-workers, staff, patients and visitors.

• Develop and maintain effective working relationships with hospital stakeholders, community representatives (e.g. Volunteer Services, Convention & Visitors Bureau, local hoteliers).

• Actively participate on hospital and community committees and at times, serve in a leadership capacity.

• Ensure marketing materials (brochures and on-line) promoting hospital services are accurate and up-to-date.

Develop Programs, Policies, Practices that Enhance Patient/Staff Environment: Provide input/suggestions regarding policies, practices, and programs that improve services.

• Gather input, review data and recommend proposals to improve patient satisfaction.

• Actively participate with gathering and analyzing patient satisfaction survey data for feedback and future planning. 

• Articulate concerns, comments and suggestions from patient population regarding services provided.

• Coordinate activities associated with the Use of Public Space program.

• Coordinate activities associated with the In-Kind Contribution program.

• Support activities associated with the Lost/Found Patient & Staff Belongings program.

• Assist with the coordination of activities associated with special events for patients and families which may require working off-hours.

Human Resources Management: Provide direction, assignments, feedback, coaching and counseling to assure outcomes are achieved.

• Functionally supervise Concierge volunteers to ensure service excellence objectives are met.

• Prepare schedules and assign work of Concierge volunteers.

• Develop job descriptions for Concierge volunteers.

• Assist with the coordination of Volunteer Gift Guild activities.

• Assist in the orientation and training of new Concierge volunteers and Information Desk personnel.

• Maintain up-to-date records/data on Concierge programs. (e.g. volunteer hours, etc.)

• Provide support and leadership to Information Desk operations to ensure service excellence goals are achieved.

Positive Impact/Achieving Results Ability to utilize existing resources and learning to achieve or exceed desired outcomes of current and future organizational goals/needs. Able to demonstrate ethical behavior in a variety of situations while producing results.

• Proven problem solver adept at utilizing extensive knowledge and established resources to enhance the patient experience.

• Trustworthy; proven ability to use professional judgement to make decisions independently.

• Demonstrates ability to align UI Health Care’s strategic plan for service excellence with department operations.

• Proven ability to learn new skills in order to enhance the Concierge program.

• Proven ability to deescalate tense situations.

• Demonstrates a willingness to carry out responsibilities and a positive approach to accomplishing work, including during challenging times.

• Proactively identify ways to improve services, procedures, processes.

• Actions automatically incorporate measures to ensure privacy and confidentiality.

Service Excellence/Customer Focus: Ability to meet or exceed customer service needs and expectations and provide excellent service in a direct or indirect manner. Ability to effectively transmit and interpret information through appropriate communication with internal and external customers.

• Present a courteous, helpful and professional demeanor and appearance at all times to internal and external customers as well as co-workers (in accordance with existing Professional Appearance Policy and departmental guidelines).

• Ability to meet or exceed customer service needs and expectations and provide excellent service in a direct or indirect manner.

• Excellent communication skills including verbal and written.

• Promote UI Healthcare and Concierge Services by speaking publicly in front of internal and external audiences.

• Proactively look for ways to go beyond the routine expectations for the position.

• Demonstrates a warm, embracing style of interaction with others; friendly and welcoming.

• Surveys environment for comfort needs for patients, families, and visitors and proactively initiates actions to enhance experience.

• Ensure safety of equipment and facility to meet the needs of patients and families; elevating in a timely manner as necessary.

• With mutual respect and tact, coach and train staff and volunteers on improvement opportunities and service initiatives in order to enhance the patient/family/guest experience.

Collaboration and Embracing Individuality: 

•Contribute to a team environment by positively collaborating with peers, co-workers, customers, departmental stakeholders and external agencies to enhance the delivery of services and improve the patient/family experience.

•Proven ability to empathize with all types of guests including those who are ill, in pain, physically and mentally challenged.

•Demonstrates patience and caring in difficult customer interactions and when communications are challenging.

•Incorporates cultural understanding in addressing and working with others.

•Attempts to help co-workers look at the positive vs negative side of issues.

Technical Competencies

·       Customer Interaction: Knowledge of and ability to utilize practices, tools, and techniques for communicating with a customer including service recovery and defusing conflict.

·       Effective Communications: Understanding of effective communication concepts, tools and techniques; ability to effectively transmit, receive, and accurately interpret ideas, information, and needs through the application of appropriate communication behaviors.

·       HIPAA: Knowledge and understanding of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act and all policies and procedures associated with patient privacy.

·       Lost and Found software: Ability to utilize incident management software to input data and run reports.

·       Mazevo Event Software: Ability to utilize Mazevo Event Software to assist in managing hospital public space events.

As part of performing the key areas of responsibility and competencies described above, staff members are expected to meet reasonable standards of work quality and quantity, as well as expectations for attendance established by their supervisor. Staff members are also expected to comply with policies governing employee responsibilities and conduct, including those contained in the University Operations Manual.