# The missed bins after the breakdown

“The missed bins after the breakdown” is a customer services officer job simulation on FinderK. You work at Northbrook Borough Council, an original fictional company, and complete 3 assignments in about 55 minutes. It is for anyone who wants to practice customer services officer work. No previous work experience is required.

- Role: Customer services officer
- Industry: Local government services
- Career: Public and nonprofit services (https://finderk.com/careers/public-and-nonprofit-services)
- Level: Early career
- Time: About 55 minutes, 3 assignments
- Access: Included in Plus
- Created by: FinderK
- Work tools: Mail, Office documents and spreadsheets, Tables, Chat
- Page: https://finderk.com/simulations/the-missed-bins-after-the-breakdown
- Last updated: 2026-10-10

## Summary

Fourteen missed bin reports after a breakdown and a short staffed route. Decide who gets a crew back under the policy, reply honestly to residents, and answer a councillor without promising special treatment.

## Full brief

You are a customer services officer at a borough council, working the waste queue on a Monday morning. You check fourteen missed collection reports against the crews' tablet records and the published policy, book the returns it allows, and flag the assisted collections that were missed. Then you reply to a resident whose recycling was tagged and pass a dispute to the supervisor, and you answer a ward councillor who wants special treatment for his street. Automated checks confirm your counts and saved work; your judgement is reviewed against the standard for the role.

## What is Northbrook Borough Council?

Northbrook Borough Council is a fictional borough council that collects household waste from about 61,000 homes, including assisted collections for residents who cannot move their bins. A published policy says when crews return to a missed bin. This case runs on Monday 16 November 2026, after a vehicle breakdown and a short staffed route.

## Who do you play?

You are the customer services officer in the Customer services, waste team. You handle residents' reports about waste collections. You may book return collections the policy allows and tell residents what the record and policy say. You may not book returns the policy does not allow, waive charges, share crew names or promise special treatment. Disputes about crew records go to Tony, the waste supervisor. Councillors are answered under the members' enquiry procedure.

## What will you do?

1. 1. Check the fourteen reports (20 minutes)
2. 2. Reply to Mrs Marsh and pass on what Tony must decide (18 minutes)
3. 3. Answer Councillor Haigh (17 minutes)

## Which skills will you practice?

- Apply a published service policy case by case
- Protect vulnerable residents through escalation
- Reply to residents honestly without blame
- Answer an elected member within the rules

## Frequently asked questions

### How long does “The missed bins after the breakdown” take?

About 55 minutes, across 3 assignments. When the time is up, you get 10 minutes to round up and submit. Pausing stops the clock.

### Is “The missed bins after the breakdown” free?

No. It is included in FinderK Plus. With a free account you can also do it without grading.

### Do I need customer services officer experience?

No. No previous work experience is required. The listed level is early career.

### What do I get when I finish?

You get feedback on each assignment you submit. Completing all required assignments earns a completion certificate. It records participation and is not professional accreditation.

### Is Northbrook Borough Council a real company?

No. Northbrook Borough Council is an original fictional company made for practice. Its coworkers may make mistakes, so check their suggestions against the evidence.