Customer Services Team Lead

As the Shoprite Group expands both its traditional supermarket and digital commerce online services across brands, the Customer Contact Centre (CCC) is a key customer experience differentiator for the Group. The purpose of the Customer Services Manager role is to provide managerial leadership and functional operational excellence in the evolution of our CCC service delivery. The Customer Services Manager manages all aspects pertaining to the operational customer interfacing aspects of the Customer Contact Centre and specifically the Customer Services Team. The role motivates and develops the Customer Services delivery team that continuously seeks to meet and exceed the needs of our customers. The role co-creates solutions, service scripts and standards with multiple stakeholders by placing the customer experience at the centre and evolving the service delivery model. Being in direct contact with our customers means we're able to consistently surprise them with outstanding service – the mission of this role is to create a best-in-class customer service experience. The role reports into the Senior Manager Contact Centre Operations and manages directly reporting Team Leads who in turn ensure that their Customer Service Agents are equipped with the right tools and development offerings to deliver customer service excellence.

To ensure that we optimise our service delivery to our customers and align with our teams, this role the working hours are a 40-hour work week scheduled according to a planned weekly schedule (any five days from Monday to Sunday (shift work), including public holidays) within legislative requirements.

Customer Centric Delivery

• Supporting and participating in the design and development of the CCC strategy for the Shoprite Group in collaboration with other functional leaders and teams to ensure that we place the customer at the centre - delivering on our goal of being customer centric in everything we do
• Operationally driving a customer centric culture – underpinned by best-in-class customer service experience.
• Being a role model to the team in terms of what great customer service looks like – interacting directly with customers to support escalations and develop the team's capacity to deal with a variety of service requests with a first call resolution.

• Maintaining and improving customer services operations by setting targets and effectively collaborating with other role players in the team to understand and execute effectively on the below operational impacting focus areas:

• • Effectively ensuring compliance with operational guidelines and updated all team documentation to ensure the team is aligned with the company and team's values and policies etc.
• Identifying and working with other cross-functional stakeholders to remove barriers to great customer services.
• Resolving repeat call type escalations at the source to prevent future escalations.
• Effective scheduling - design, deliver and maintain all processes and policies relating to workforce. management to ensure the most efficient workload forecast and resource scheduling.

People (Self, Team & Organisational)

• Aligning with the Shoprite Group values and leadership behaviours.
• This role is all about PEOPLE – customers and team members Motivating and effectively performance managing the customer services team to ensure customer service delivery excellence. Removing any barriers to achieving great customer services.
• Focus efforts on the Team leads to enable them to lead and manage their smaller teams effectively.
• Leading and developing the customer services team to deliver on evolving services to our customers against set KPI's and service standards and taking responsibility for learning and development initiatives across the customer service team.
• In partnership with the People Team, ensure succession development plans are in place and take responsibility for the development of an operational talent pool by optimising the skills of the existing team.
• Supporting the enablement of an innovative, agile and customer centric culture where employees are supported, empowered, and valued within the customer services team.
• Supporting the enablement of an employee wellness culture to ensure that employees are supported mentally, physically, and emotionally.
• Supporting the enablement of a culture of open and transparent communication to ensure that employees are informed of developments timeously.

Financial, Reporting and BI

• Supporting with developing financial objectives by providing cost estimates and budget inputs.
• Managing where applicable the customer service team's operational costs and budget.
• Providing and sharing relevant insights to shape customer experiences and respond to their preferences.

Governance & Compliance

• Ensuring that the customer services team complies with relevant regulations (people, customers etc.) and organisational governance frameworks and standards.
• Support with the operational implementation (where relevant): structures, policies, processes, procedures, and frameworks as aligned with organisational and team requirements.
• Ongoing participation in the identification and mitigation of risks related to customer service delivery team.

Future-Fit

• Providing inputs and writing resource motivations with supporting information to ensure that the Customer Services team is appropriately structured and resourced to deliver on its mandate with the right people in the right roles with the right capabilities at the right time. (Including a solid succession plan to ensure leadership / specialised knowledge readiness across the Customer Services function).
• Providing inputs and ideas re: technology requirements to enable a seamless customer experience.
• Operationally overseeing the customer services integration with, and effective flow of work with other functional areas across the Group.
• Managing strong foundations on which to build the continuous development, improvement, efficiency, and success including an environment that fosters innovation and delivery.

Degree in Consumer behaviour, Communications, Business or equivalent - (beneficial).

Essential

• +2 years in a customer service operational, team management capacity in a Group Call Centre, Customer Interfacing, Customer Support Centre, or equivalent role.
• We value practical experience and exposure, if a candidate does not have a degree, demonstrable relevant experience will be considered. An extensive and proven track record in a customer service operational, team management capacity managing a Group Call Centre, Customer Interfacing, Customer Support Centre function (or equivalent role) - demonstrating knowledge of trending practices in this context.

Preferred

• Experience within the FMCG, retail sector or similar.

Essential

• Demonstrable passion for People Knowledge of Customer Contact / Call Centre practices within the FMCG, retail sector, understanding of the practicalities and challenges of a customer services environment in this context.
• Exposure to statutory requirements, applying and monitoring relevant laws, regulations, and best practices as they relate to Customer Service Delivery. Knowledge of Customer interaction policies, procedures, legislation, and regulations.