APM’s primary goal is to help people. We inspire clients to turn difficult situations around and live better, healthier lives, through our dedicated and purpose-driven approach.
The culture here is positive and collaborative, and we’re committed to supporting growth and ongoing progress. Our employees are given all the building blocks for a successful career, and ongoing opportunities to upskill and keep learning.
APM’s people are passionate about what they do and it really shows. We thought it would be interesting to delve into the roles of our fantastic Client Services team to find out, in their own words, why they enjoy working in our Contact Centre and the unique environment it offers to make truly meaningful contributions to peoples’ lives. You can read what they have to say below.
Clay Seo, Client Service Officer
Hi Clay, can you tell us about your role at APM, and what makes it different to 'typical' contact centre work?
I am a Client Service Officer (CSO) for RAS assessments on the My Aged Care Program. My role involves scheduling assessments, assisting with client's inquiries and requests, and liaising with both internal and external APM stakeholders.
For me, the thing that makes a huge difference compared to other contact centres, is that I’m working closely with people that are in need. I listen to each person’s story and assist with a compassionate heart while remaining professional.
Every time a case is resolved, I get a sense of joy and achievement because as a CSO, I have helped to change that client’s life.
What makes APM's Contact Centre such a great workplace? Why would you recommend it to others?
Definitely the team culture! This place has one of the best team cultures I've ever worked in. Each team member is kind, caregiving and compassionate towards others. It naturally shows when anyone is speaking to clients or internal stakeholders.
I believe this positive environment leads to better employee wellbeing as well as to our great outcomes. The RAS team is really celebrated at APM.
APM also gives me so many opportunities to upskill and get more insight and knowledge on aged care - it offers great career progression in this industry.
Jackson Bazley, Client Services Team Leader
Hi Jackson, can you tell us about your role at APM, and what makes it different to 'typical' contact centre work?
My role as a Team Leader at APM sees me managing a diverse team of ten people across multiple work streams to deliver the best possible customer experience. We're given the freedom to solve problems our way and to be innovative. We’re also encouraged to be vocal with suggestions for improvement.
This encouragement from our leadership and operational teams empowers me to succeed in my role and makes me feel like I am in charge of my own career and growth. Having worked in contact centres prior to joining APM, I can say that my experience here is unlike anything I have experienced before.
What makes APM's Contact Centre such a great workplace? Why would you recommend it to others?
When I first started at APM, we were a small team in a very small office in Melbourne. In the four years that I have been here, I’ve seen us expand massively - we now have contact centres all around the country.
What has kept me at APM is the team culture, our people and my own personal development.
I have had the opportunity to lead so many great people, and help develop and launch multiple new contracts. This experience has helped me develop professionally and personally, which is an aspect of this role I cherish.
We have worked hard to establish a culture that is inclusive, diverse and promotes everyone’s ideas and opinions.
Navneet Shergill, Client Services Officer
Hi Naveet, can you tell us about your role at APM, and what makes it different to 'typical' contact centre work?
I work as a Client Service Officer. I recently moved from the Regional Assessment Service (RAS) team to the jobactive (JA) team. My current role is taking calls from job seekers to try to resolve their issues, and if it’s not in our scope, to transfer them to the relevant consultants. The role also involves booking re-engagement appointments for the job seekers.
What makes the work different from other contact centres I’ve worked in is that the main focus is giving the best possible customer service to everyone we speak to, not just hitting KPIs and getting through calls - I really like that.
What makes APM's Contact Centre such a great workplace? Why would you recommend it to others?
It’s a very rewarding job overall. I have been working with APM for over two years now and I have never thought of switching companies. I would definitely recommend working here because the team leaders and all of my colleagues are so supportive. We get feedback every month and there is a lot of encouragement to keep growing.
Also, because all we are focused on is one thing – great customer service – it doesn’t feel like you are under huge pressure.
Meghan Santamaria, Client Services Officer
Hi Meghan, can you tell us about your role at APM, and what makes it different to 'typical' contact centre work?
As a Client Service Officer, I am the first point of contact via phone and email for APM clients, and all stakeholders including APM personnel, government departments and private enterprises we work with. I coordinate with APM workgroups and assessors to ensure effective delivery of customer satisfaction.
I also provide administration support when possible to my business unit. This involves determining eligibility for incoming referrals, creating client records, allocating referrals to APM assessors required in appropriate timeframes, scheduling appointments and handling ad-hoc email enquiries.
APM is different from typical contact centre work. The department’s vision is to ensure consistent quality, with a culture that empowers not only the staff, but also the clients. It’s sole focus is to help others, which is the same focus I have in my own personal life.
What makes APM's Contact Centre such a great workplace? Why would you recommend it to others?
I would recommend anyone joining the APM Contact Centre for its strong team-building culture and its values of always empowering others and making a difference.
Additionally, the contact centre consists of many dynamic tasks within the business units it manages. The opportunities for career progression are high – not only within the service centre, but also through encouragement from our team leaders to develop professionally which can lead to another department at APM.
APM’S vision inspires me to accomplish things each and every day and I am proud to be part of it. I’m always inspired because I feel like I’m making a difference.
Rich Blasius, Client Services Officer
Hi Rich, can you tell us about your role at APM, and what makes it different to 'typical' contact centre work?
The biggest difference that I have noticed at APM is that you never feel just like a number. Our team leaders and everyone else I have come across have gone out of their way to make me feel a part of something. We are like a family here, you feel supported from day one and are always encouraged to share an opinion and be heard.
The focus is on the customer experience and getting it right, not on getting through the call as quickly as you can. You can always take the extra step and really help your caller. Also, feedback is always constructive and again, you feel like it's a collaborative effort to improve every call.
What makes APM's Contact Centre such a great workplace? Why would you recommend it to others?
I would absolutely recommend it! As someone who has worked in places that don't understand how important their people are, APM is a refreshing change.
The support and team culture we have even through such a tough time and working remotely, is great. Each morning when I wake up, I don’t sigh and think 'Oh no, work', I think 'Sweet, another day doing something that feels positive and spent with other positive, like-minded individuals'.
Career progression is always available too, as APM is always moving and changing. If you want to, you can move around into many areas of the business.
Chloe Newman, Client Services Officer
Hi Chloe, can you tell us about your role at APM, and what makes it different to 'typical' contact centre work?
My current role as a Customer Service Officer within our service centre involves the handling of comments and private messages on APM's social media pages, any inbound web queries and two of our email inboxes. I also take care of employment vacancies and voicemails with my amazing colleague.
APM is different from other companies. They support a bright future by giving you the opportunity to explore and expand your own skills whilst discovering more of what the company has to offer you as an individual.
I’ve only been with APM for a year, but I have already been given so much trust and so many opportunities to be trained in other areas of the business. That kind of support just doesn’t come around often within a company.
During my time here, I have been given all the knowledge to be able to step into different roles if I wanted to, continuously checked on to ensure I am happy, and offered flexibility around work hours and working from home. It allows for a positive work/life balance which again, is hard to find at a lot of companies.
The fact that this company supports people with injuries, illnesses and disabilities is also important to me because I have a disability myself. I know first-hand how much this company cares for its people. Experiencing the care and understanding around my own personal circumstances has shown me how much APM makes its people top priority.
What makes APM's Contact Centre such a great workplace? Why would you recommend it to others?
The roles within the contact centres are amazing stepping-stones that lead to greater education, knowledge and career progression.
You hop along those stepping-stones towards your future in an environment filled with fun, positivity, empathy and support. We also have regular events hosted by our social committee, including fundraising, birthday celebrations (that always involve lots of cake) and foodie days.
Megan Lovie, Client Services Officer
Hi Megan, can you tell us about your role at APM, and what makes it different to 'typical' contact centre work?
I recently became a Program Administrator after working in the contact centre for over a year.
My previous contact centre role helped me improve my customer service skills immensely. It involved answering calls and providing the customers with as much information as I could to accommodate their needs, or I would transfer them to the correct person if necessary.
It was a really friendly atmosphere, and everyone was there to support one another if a difficult call came through that needed careful handling. However, most of the customers were lovely and it was rewarding being able to assist them over the phone.
What makes APM's Contact Centre such a great workplace? Why would you recommend it to others?
APM is a great environment to work in and everyone is so welcoming. I have always felt so supported since starting here and have met such wonderful people along the way. The team leaders and managers are fantastic, constantly checking in, ensuring you have had adequate training and helping you move forward in your career.
They offer great incentives too! I received a generous cash bonus when I referred my friend for a position at APM.
Sophie Ulcoq, Client Services Officer
Hi Sophie, can you tell us about your role at APM, and what makes it different to 'typical' contact centre work?
I work in employment services in the South Melbourne office, and my role is to take calls from our job seekers, advise and help them where I can and ultimately get them the support they need.
I think one thing that really stands out to me is that we don't just feel like we're a cog in the wheel - we feel like we're helping to turn it as well. We have a lot of chats with our team leader about particular processes that could change and we're all really comfortable to say if we feel something isn’t working. I feel like I’m able to really make a difference.
Another thing I love is that we get notifications when there has been a positive change. We get an ‘iCreate’ email, and it's when one of our jobseekers has had a successful transition into employment services. Although it might not directly relate to our team (i.e. it’s something the employment consultants have done), we still hear about it and get to see the final outcome of the work that we do – I really love that.
What makes APM's Contact Centre such a great workplace? Why would you recommend it to others?
The biggest thing is the career progression. I can definitely see a long-term future here. For example, I worked with APM in Queensland for one of their businesses and I was able to transfer to Melbourne. All I did was send an email to my general manager. That’s the environment they have created – I’m not afraid to send an email straight to the big bosses saying, 'Hey, I want to move', and next thing, the ball is rolling.
It was a completely different role but I had all the support I needed. My general manager was there for me step by step. I’d get calls from my team leader when I was working from home, just to check in that I was comfortable not only with the new role, but also living in a new state. The whole transition was made so simple for me. I didn't even miss a pay check.
The team culture is awesome too, really engaging and we have a lot of fun. Before COVID, in our office we had a wellbeing table and puzzles in the office and at two o'clock we would stand up and move around to do squats!
In this particular company, I really feel like we’re making a difference. And we’re kept updated about things being implemented right across APM, so we always feel part of the whole business.
Rebekah Quinnell, Client Services Officer
Hi Rebekah, can you tell us about your role at APM, and what makes it different to 'typical' contact centre work?
I take inbound calls in our contact centre. It is different from more typical contact centre work as the clients are choosing to call us, it’s not us calling them trying to sell them something or get them to sign up for something.
There are no high-pressure KPIs, so we can make sure that we address and try to resolve any issues the clients have without feeling like we have to rush them or leave things unchecked to keep on top of call queues.
What makes APM's Contact Centre such a great workplace? Why would you recommend it to others?
There is a wide range of opportunities here. You can be placed in teams dealing with employment services, aged care, NDIS, online training, social media, health services and IT.
If a position that interests you opens up in any area you are actually encouraged to apply, so you never have to feel stuck with limited options. It is also a great place to start if you are unsure what direction you would like to go, as you can see what happens in each team and find the best fit for you.
It’s also a fun workplace. We try to do something fun each month. For example on September 1st, we had a make your own juice bar for the first day of spring. In June, it was a soup day to mark the beginning of winter.
Sally Clarke, Client Services Team Leader
Hi Sally, can you tell us about your role at APM, and what makes it different to 'typical' contact centre work?
My role is to recruit, train, mentor and lead a team of Customer Service Officers (CSOs), who take inbound calls from jobactive job seekers. In the majority of cases, their job seeker payments have been suspended.
For me there are two outliers in comparison with other contact centres:
- We take a personal approach to each individual call and callers, so while there may be some mandatory questions asked, we are able to personalise the call, and direct each call in a manner that best suits the caller and their situation.
- There is good scope within the Customer Service Centre (CSC) for CSOs to move within the different contracts that we service. Each contract is quite unique, requiring a different set of skills, so we are able to offer our CSOs other job opportunities within the CSC as they arise, which may better align with their skill set and role preference.
What makes APM's Contact Centre such a great workplace? Why would you recommend it to others?
Firstly, the great opportunities to move roles within the CSC, including interstate. In addition, given the size and scope of APM as a company, we are always keen to link an employee with another site within the company if they are looking to relocate and have a skill set that aligns with one of our other business units.
The other reason is the amazing support. Feedback I have received from new CSOs following their induction period is that they have never felt so supported in previous workplaces - either from managers or peers. They mention the CSC and team culture being inclusive, with everyone going above and beyond to assist.
Brandon Nguyen, CSC Operations Manager
Hi Brandon, can you tell us about your role at APM, and what makes it different to 'typical' contact centre work?
I am the Customer Service Centre (CSC) Operations Manager. My role is to ensure the entirety of my team performs at its optimum, in pursuit of the delivery of service excellence for our customers and stakeholders. I ensure that we recruit the right staff and provide clear working instructions and a system that supports the work functions in a fluid manner.
The diversity of the role and a supportive leadership group stands out. Additionally, working within an industry that actually makes a difference to those we are servicing makes the job really fulfilling.
Finally, we focus on a positive and supportive culture between colleagues, and an active approach to change, that involves all staff in the journey. We like to make sure everybody is on board!
What makes APM's Contact Centre such a great workplace? Why would you recommend it to others?
The team culture is second to none as we really focus on attracting and retaining the best possible talent by living our CSC culture every day. This is displayed by all staff having a voice and being encouraged to be themselves in a supportive and inclusive environment.
Our leaders drive the culture strongly in each team and we don't settle for anything less. By committing to ongoing individualised development of our people through a suite of development including cross skilling, upskilling, offboard courses and shadowing or training workshops, we will achieve our objective of growing our people in their current and future roles, up and across APM.
Petar Topalovic, Client Services Officer
Hi Petar, can you tell us about your role at APM, and what makes it different to 'typical' contact centre work?
I have worked on various contracts within APM as a Client Services Officer. In this role, we generally serve as APM’s first point of contact for calls; whether that be from clients, stakeholders, or government departments/service providers. As the first line of contact for the company, it is imperative that the rapport we establish with these parties are both productive and positive, to ensure the satisfaction of those engaging with our services.
APM’s approach is emphatically client-focused, and our priority is always to ensure the best possible experience we can. By contrast, other contact centre environments can be inflexible in their focus on optimising financial success – and this is often to the detriment of client experience and employee well-being.
In the CSC, we are given the room and direction that we need to action our tasks efficiently, secure in the knowledge that we have the support of management and our peers.
What makes APM's Contact Centre such a great workplace? Why would you recommend it to others?
CSC at APM is characterised by a culture of cooperation, geniality, and positivity. We’re in it together in the CSC, and while it’s always professional, we like to keep things relaxed. New people coming in don’t take long to feel part of the team.
This is made possible thanks to the support and stability provided by management, even with all the uncertainties brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic, I feel that we in the CSC have been safeguarded, with the office able to retain staff and support smooth transitions between office work and working from home.
APM has also afforded me the chance to be part of initiatives and assignments that didn’t necessarily fall within the purview of my typical duties: examples include newsletter writing, assisting in the developing and archiving of new processes, training new staff, etc. These opportunities have given me the chance to showcase my talents, leave my own mark in terms of developing APM processes and culture, and allowed me to further develop my own professional experience.
Chloe Aranas, Senior Client Services Officer
Hi Chloe, can you tell us about your role at APM, and what makes it different to 'typical' contact centre work?
Working at the APM Contact Centre has been quite a journey for me. I was given the opportunity to be part of the pioneering teams for pilot projects which have their own share of thrill and challenges. With this also comes a range of clientele with different needs and unique situations, which each allow us to explore creative strategies to reach the best resolution.
My role as a Senior Client Services Officer at APM has always been exciting as I am encouraged to try new things and develop systems and processes to enhance team productivity and efficiency. They don’t just improve our numbers but also help minimise errors and time needed to complete tasks, resulting in increased team morale.
It has also allowed me to expand my professional circle as I continue to liaise with our internal and external stakeholders. Within the last year, I have been taking on tasks that hone my data reporting and analysing skills, which I find very interesting as I get to see the results of our hard work in a bigger picture.
What makes APM's Contact Centre such a great workplace? Why would you recommend it to others?
Those who knew me outside of work have noticed how much happier and more confident I have become since joining the APM Contact Centre team. The healthy work environment and supportive team are the main reasons I never have to drag myself out of bed to go to work. I think it has even made me a morning person!
APM also makes sure that we get the support that we need mentally especially during these challenging times. It’s basically R U OK? Day every day here.
As for career progression, I’m one of the many who were supported to explore different contracts and projects. Starting out as a student casual employee, I’m now working full-time doing what I am passionate about – enabling better lives.
Sandi Brown, Client Services Officer
Hi Sandi, can you tell us about your role at APM, and what makes it different to 'typical' contact centre work?
I am dealing with mostly elderly clients and their representatives, scheduling Aged Care Assessments as well as taking inbound calls and assisting clients with a variety of enquiries.
One of the things I love most about working with APM is that while we do have target KPIs and some scripted conversations, we are encouraged to build rapport with clients to ensure that each client feels like they are cared for. To the best of our ability, we try to resolve all enquiries with one call.
What makes APM's Contact Centre such a great workplace? Why would you recommend it to others?
Having never worked in a call centre or even for a big company, it was a little daunting starting work with APM, but I have found the experience to be very rewarding. It can be a high-pressure environment, but I work with a fantastic and supportive team and someone is always there to provide an ear or a hand. Everybody is friendly, helpful, welcoming, and caring, including the team leaders who are good at recognising personal skills and providing opportunities for personal/career growth.
I may be just one bit of a very big business, but with every client I interact with, I do feel like I am playing a part in making a positive difference in someone’s life.
Tony Nguyen, Client Services Team Leader
Hi Tony, can you tell us about your role at APM, and what makes it different to 'typical' contact centre work?
I'm a Client Services Team Leader at APM. I look after the customer service roles in our Allied Health teams, where we provide administrative support to our WorkCare and Allied Health portfolio, and in our Residential Aged Care contract, where we coordinate scheduling and administrative support to our RACA assessors and Department of Health.
We do have KPIs, like all call centres, but what makes APM different from 'typical' call centre work is that excellence, high performance, empathy, integrity, are all part of our work culture, not a means to an end on a monthly scorecard. We work hard to deliver excellent service for our customers, to support each other, and at the same time, celebrate our milestones and develop our people as well.
What makes APM's Contact Centre such a great workplace? Why would you recommend it to others?
APM's Contact Centre is a great, forward-thinking work environment. The team culture both within each team and as a business unit is fantastic. I'm surrounded by an amazing group of peers, and there's genuine care for "enabling better lives" for not just our customers, but for our own people as well. Management is very supportive, and understands that if you look after your people, they'll look after the rest.
From a customer service point of view, there's that genuine desire for exceptional customer service delivery. Whether you come from a retail, hospitality, or administrative background, we just want people who care about servicing our customers. This has made for a diverse workforce in our business unit, which is hugely important.
