Customer Service Representative - Level 1

Client Service Representative / Veterinary Receptionist (Full-Time)

Highland Pet Hospital & Animal Emergency Clinic of McLean County – Bloomington, IL

Hourly Pay: $17.00 – $22.00

Schedule: Full-time. This role works in both departments, Highland Pet Hospital and the Animal Emergency Clinic. One weekend day shift is required.

About the Role

Highland Pet Hospital and the Animal Emergency Clinic of McLean County operate as two departments under one roof. We are hiring a Client Service Representative to work in both. The CSR is the client’s first and last point of contact and owns the non-clinical flow of the front desk. The role covers scheduling, client communication, records, check-in and check-out, and payments, and keeps the clinical team informed without making clinical decisions. This is a dedicated client service position. The CSR works comfortably around dogs and cats, greets and checks in patients, and obtains routine weights when it is safe to do so.

Schedule and Department Requirements

• This position works in both departments, general practice and emergency. The ability to work both is a condition of the role, and training is provided for each.
• One 12 hour weekend day shift is required.
• The two departments operate differently. General practice is appointment-based and largely routine. Emergency medicine is unpredictable and frequently involves clients in acute distress.
• Adhere to dress code dependent on department scheduling (pewter scrub pants and wine, ceil, and red scrub shirts)

Scope and Clinical Boundary

This is a non-clinical role, and the boundary is defined deliberately.

• The operating rule is stop, defer, and call. If a patient is fearful, in pain, unstable, unsafe to approach, or cannot be weighed without force, the CSR stops, protects the space, and calls a Veterinary Assistant, Certified Veterinary Technician, or veterinarian. Asking for help is the standard here, not a failure to meet it.
• The CSR does not perform clinical triage, restrain difficult patients, interpret clinical findings, authorize medications, or advise on treatment.
• The CSR is trained to distinguish between gathering information and providing clinical advice, and to escalate appropriately.

What We Are Looking For

• Customer service communication that is warm, concise, factual, and calm under pressure, with the ability to set expectations without overpromising.
• Comfort working around dogs and cats, and the ability to follow low-stress, safety-first handling instructions for routine lobby contact and weighing.
• The ability to recognize a possible clinical or safety concern and escalate promptly.
• Asks when unsure. Every time. We would much rather answer a question than fix a guess.
• Reliable attention to detail across identity verification, records, scheduling, payments, privacy, and follow-through.
• Keyboard proficiency and the ability to learn multiple computer, phone, records, messaging, and payment systems.
• Coachability, accountability, and a willingness to ask when unsure.
• Dependable attendance and the ability to work the posted schedule.
• High school diploma or equivalent, or comparable demonstrated work capability.

Preferred Qualifications

• One or more years in veterinary reception, medical reception, high-volume hospitality, banking, or another accuracy-sensitive service role.
• Experience with veterinary practice management software, particularly EzyVet, along with phone, messaging, and payment systems.
• Experience navigating grief, distressed clients, complaints, financial conversations, and service recovery.
• Familiarity with veterinary terminology.

Responsibilities

Client Welcome and Lobby Flow

• Stand to personally greet clients and their pets on arrival
• Follow the established communication priority: clients present in person first, then phone calls, then digital communication including voicemail, email, Vello, and Weave
• Operate the paging system, both overhead and to specific stations
• Understand which responsibilities belong to your assigned position on a given day
• Keep reception and waiting areas organized, calm, clean, and ready for safe patient movement

Scheduling and Coordination

• Schedule exam, Prompt Care, surgery, Hospital Admit, and technician appointments according to current protocols
• Schedule establishment visits for new clients and collect the required deposit
• Complete surgery and Hospital Admit checkout and schedule rechecks in accordance with surgery team instructions
• Follow the established process for dental, mass removal, and orthopedic surgery scheduling requests
• Create and maintain accurate client and patient profiles and locate clinical records correctly

Communications and Records

• Check and respond to general and medication voicemail
• Check and respond to hospital email
• Field and facilitate communication between clients and doctors. Create communications accurately, including where to verify information first, what details are required, and when a veterinarian must be involved
• Process prescription refill requests and route them appropriately, setting the 24 to 48 hour advance expectation with clients
• Identify which medications may be filled without a communication to a veterinarian
• Complete the specimen drop-off procedure
• Protect client privacy and prevent duplicate or misplaced records

Payments and Checkout

• Check clients out using cash, credit, check (HPH only), CareCredit, and Affirm
• Apply credits and enter discounts
• Collect referral information and apply the associated credit
• Collect deposits
• Protect client information, payment data, medical records, and system access at all times

Aftercare Communication

• Call owners to notify them that their pet’s ashes have returned, and document the call
• Return ashes and belongings to owners and document the return properly

Health and Safety

• Canine and Feline CPR training: If a critical patient arrives, all team members are expected to assist with CPR if needed.
• Basic Low Stress Animal Handling training: We will equip you with the necessary skills to safely interact with patients, within the CSR role scope. We utilize low stress animal handling techniques to keep patients and staff safe and comfortable.
• All staff are expected to learn and follow OSHA guidelines
• Follow infectious disease protocols and cleaning procedures, including proper use of cleaning supplies, proper use of PPE, and client education/instruction.

Levels and Advancement

• CSR Level 1: routine independent ownership of greeting and lobby flow, scheduling, phones and digital communication, documentation, payments, and correct escalation. Reached after the onboarding checklist and defined performance metrics.
• CSR Level 2: Level 1 CSRs have the opportunity to advance to a higher level, dependent on performance and good standing. Level 2 training program completion and exam completion are required to advance. Some advanced responsibilities include: Tracking and merging duplicate client accounts, proficiency in all clinic workflow platforms and payment platforms (EzyVet, Vello, Weave, CareCredit, and more), payment dispute investigations, client complaint fact-gathering, and pricing recall. Level 2 also covers professional de-escalation: creating safety in a conversation, separating fact from story, identifying common goals, and matching tone to the situation. This training is provided by the hospital.
• Level 2 qualifies a CSR to work solo emergency shifts. Advancement requires management approval; outside experience does not confer Level 2 status automatically.

Compensation and Benefits

• Hourly pay of $17.00 to $22.00, starting at $17.00
• Scheduled raise system with evaluations every 1000 hours worked
• Health insurance for full-time employees, beginning the first day of the following month after hire. Highland pays 70% of the premium. Dependent and spousal coverage is available at employee expense.
• Employer-paid life, short-term disability, and long-term disability insurance beginning the first day of the following month after hire
• Paid time off and paid holidays under current policy
• Annual uniform support and veterinary career educational assistance
• Up to $500 per year in approved continuing education, with hourly pay during attendance
• Employee pet care membership and discounts, generally after 90 days

How to Apply

Veterinary experience is preferred but not required. We also encourage applicants from other accuracy-sensitive service roles. A few questions we will ask:

• Do you have veterinary or medical front desk experience? If so, please describe it.
• This position works in both departments, general practice and emergency. Are you able to do that?
• One 12-hour weekend day shift is required. Does that work with your availability?
• Are you comfortable working around dogs and cats throughout your shift?
• Can you pass a background check?
• Do you have reliable transportation?
• Were you referred by a current employee?

The front desk is demanding work. The phones are constant, the lobby can fill quickly, and some of the clients you assist are having a very difficult day. If you are steady with people and careful with details, this is a role where both qualities matter to someone every day.

Highland Pet Hospital and the Animal Emergency Clinic of McLean County are equal opportunity employers. Employment decisions are based on job-related qualifications and business needs, without unlawful discrimination. Applicants may request reasonable accommodation in the application or interview process.