National System
Introduction of service delivery under the national system kicked off a whirlwind of enquiries from commercial operators, putting the folks at AMSA Connect through their paces during the transition period. We chatted with Eliza, Josh and Krystal, who coordinate the team that field calls on all things maritime, from certificate exemptions to advice on transporting a giraffe! By Desiree Caira
In the past 12 months, AMSA Connect took more than 167,000 calls.
AMSA Connect gets down to business It’s likely that the AMSA Connect team have heard every sailor joke, storm story and fishing tale around. Yet the team—made up of around 50 national staff—are well regarded for their patience, composure and the ability to make strong connections with callers. In the past 12 months, AMSA Connect took more than 167,000 calls, with a large portion involving matters on domestic commercial vessel safety since AMSA rolled out service delivery on 1 July last year. That’s almost triple the number of calls the team managed in 2017–18 at around 64,000 the same time last year. This was a busy time for Connect staff—many new to AMSA—who were the first point of contact for every enquiry no matter how small or complex.
‘As AMSA took on service delivery, lots of people thought all their certificates would expire on 30 June and we could reassure them they were ok,’ said Eliza. Hiring the right team meant finding a unique mix of people with great communication skills, empathy and the ability to make quick connections with people seeking answers. ‘We’ve retained so many staff since the transition even though it was a really hectic period, which is a great reflection on how well the team members work together and communicate,’ said Josh. There have been some interesting moments in AMSA Connect—calls to renew car registrations, a school wanting to register an underwater drone, and there was the zoo who wanted same-day shipment of a giraffe to New Zealand. Handwritten letters, cards and return calls to AMSA Connect staff are testament to their dedication.
‘It’s important that customers know AMSA listens to them … we see some very complex issues and AMSA’s business areas have been supportive of us wanting to get the right information for customers,’ said Josh. The Connect team also understands no problem is insignificant. ‘It’s not uncommon for a caller’s situation to be their whole world and we have to remember that,’ said Krystal. ‘They might have been in business for 50 years, or never been on a vessel before, but you’ve got to remember people are working under enormous pressure so they could lose a season’s worth of business and it could be the end of their livelihood’.
AMSA Connect is open Monday to Friday from 8am–7pm. 1800 627 484 amsaconnect@amsa.gov.au Working Boats July 2019
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