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From the Frontline - Cara Headon

Radian’s customer service advisor Cara Headon tells Inside Housing about a day on the coalface of resident support

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CARA HEADON 643px

What does your job involve?

I work for Radian Direct, Radian’s customer service centre, responding to enquiries from residents. These can be about repairs, rent, neighbourhood issues, tenancy and anti-social behaviour. On a daily basis I take between 50 and 70 calls or answer 40 digital contacts such as emails. I’m also a member of Radian’s staff forum - a central body for staff consultation and negotiation on a range of different topics.

What would you change about the sector if you could?

As someone who has just spent three years saving up for a deposit for my first home, I would like to see more schemes to help people save for a mortgage deposit and still be able to afford to rent a decent home. I rented through the Intermediate scheme and it really helped me out.

What’s the best thing about your job?

I work with a great group of people who support each other and like to share a joke. I enjoy helping people and find my job very satisfying, especially when I can reassure someone who is scared of losing their home or has an emergency repair.

And the most challenging?

I speak to a lot of residents who have complex personal challenges which, at times, can be more difficult to resolve. I have learned how to get the best resolution I can for the resident. My job has taught me how to be a great listener as well as how to be more resilient.

What does a good day look like?

When I feel I have made a difference and the resident thanks me. It could be telling someone they have a large credit on their rent account and arranging a refund, or getting to the bottom of a tricky query.

How about a bad one?

Bad days are few and far between, but they can happen if there’s been bad weather as there are more repairs to log. I could be taking a call from someone in crisis or a particularly upset resident.

What’s the first thing you’d do if you became prime minister?

I would make money management lessons compulsory in secondary schools so young people could learn about interest rates, credit cards, debt and budgeting.

 

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