Audience Services Representative

POSITION OVERVIEW

The Audience Services Representative will serve as a frontline customer service representative to WETA’s members, viewers, and listeners. Primary duties include assisting/problem-solving questions and concerns from members, viewers and listeners. Primary subjects for calls and emails include WETA’s fundraising programs; member benefits such as WETA+ and PBS Passport (our membership video on-demand streaming service); the WETA Magazine; and questions and requests related to WETA’s television and radio programs, including PBS News Hour.

To excel in this role, the Audience Services Representative should always have a customer-centric and positive attitude, and an ability to display a knowledge of all aspects of WETA’s Television and Radio programming and membership programs. Staff are expected to work in the office at least two days a week and from home the remaining weekdays. Access to high-speed Internet in the home is required for this position.

Primary Responsibilities

• Answer and respond to member/audience telephone lines and respond to email correspondence.
• Perform research and follow-up work to solve member/audience problems regarding contributions, member benefits such as the PBS Passport streaming video service, and delivery of WETA Magazine, thank you gifts, address changes, tax record information and WETA’s entire range of television and radio programs.
• Provide customer service help in support of PBS News Hour fundraising initiatives.
• De-escalate situations involving dissatisfied members, offering patient assistance and support.
• Record all member and audience interactions in database to assure accurate reflection and analysis of audience feedback.
• Maintain and market WETA membership benefits, encourage donations and sustaining pledges to inbound callers, when appropriate.
• Check, complete and follow-through on ticklers, special questions or premium delivery as needed.
• Absorb and assist with training of new staff as needed.
• Perform related special projects or other duties as assigned.

Additional Skills And Qualifications

• Outgoing, upbeat personality with strong desire to assist and educate the general public.
• Experience downloading and using video streaming apps; basic understanding of how sign in and search processes work with video streaming services.
• Strong research, Internet and typing skills; experience with Microsoft applications (especially Word and Outlook).
• Excellent verbal and written communications skills; excellent listening skills and ability to demonstrate compassion, professionalism, enthusiasm, and cheerfulness even with the most challenging callers.
• Organized, detail-oriented self-starter who can work independently and as part of a team; ability to juggle multiple tasks and solve unanticipated problems quickly and efficiently.
• Database/data entry experience preferred, though not essential.
• Able to work from home with access to high-speed Internet.
• Strong ability to multitask and change focus based on caller needs.
• Good time management skills and can promptly respond to incoming emails and quickly resolve caller issues.

Education

AA (2-Year College)

LOCATION

WETA and NewsHour Productions are Washington, DC established media and news organizations. We are a largely local workforce based out of the Campbell Place office in Arlington, VA. WETA and NewsHour Productions value employee flexibility when possible. Most positions based in our Arlington, VA office will be onsite or hybrid, depending upon the role.

Company Overview

As the second-largest producing station for the public media system, WETA creates programming to explore history, arts, and culture, partnering with acclaimed filmmakers such as Ken Burns and Dr. Henry Louis Gates, Jr. National WETA productions include The American Revolution and Finding Your Roots, among many others. WETA is also home to PBS News, the primary daily, breaking, and special news producer for PBS. Its broadcast productions include PBS News Hour, Washington Week with The Atlantic, Horizons from PBS News, and Compass Points from PBS News, as well as specials, documentaries, and a robust footprint across digital platforms. Locally, WETA serves audiences across Washington, D.C., Virginia, and Maryland, through television, radio, and digital platforms. Audiences access WETA on broadcast channels WETA PBS, WETA UK, WETA Metro, WETA World, and WETA PBS Kids, and digitally through the free streaming platform WETA+

Benefits

WETA and NewsHour Productions are equal opportunity employers committed to diversity and inclusion in the workplace. We prohibit discrimination and harassment of any kind based on race, color, sex, religion, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, genetic information, pregnancy, or any other protected characteristic as outlined by federal, state, or local laws. This policy applies to all employment practices within our organization, including hiring, recruiting, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, leave of absence, compensation, benefits, training, and internships.