Customer Services Team Leader

Description:

About the role

Role Summary

To support the development of the Senior Customer Service Advisor/ Repairs Service Advisors and to work with the Senior CSA and Complaints Officer in Epsom to ensure consistency and a drive for continuous improvement in service delivery.

To ensure that key performance indicators, operational processes and recognised customer service excellence processes are being adhered to and regularly reviewed, whilst providing specific support to team members.

Lead on complaints coordination for the Customer Services Team in Kent, ensuring effective handling of all complaints that are processed or responded to by the customer services team.

The Customer Services Team Leader should be a ‘subject matter expert’ for the delivery of a customer centric service to our customers.

Salary: £35,687

Hours: 35

Contract: Permanent

Probation Period: 6 Months

Notice Period: 1 Month

Who are we?

Town and Country Housing are a housing association that covers Kent and Sussex, with our head office in Tunbridge Wells. We provide more than 10,000 homes in 15 local authority areas and became a subsidiary of the Peabody Group in 2019. We currently have over 300 employees based at various locations across Kent and promote hybrid working.

What will you be doing?

Role Specific Responsibilities

Deputise for the Customer Services Manager and provide cover for the Senior officers in periods of annual leave and absence.

To work with HR and the Customer Services Manager to achieve effective recruitment and replacement of employees, to ensure there are correct staffing levels to undertake the required work.

Have oversight of the day-to-day running of the shift, including managing and communicating the workload of the senior advisors.

Act as an effective line manager; conduct monthly 121’s, coaching & catch-ups with the senior customer service/repairs advisors ensuring that their skills and knowledge are kept up-to-date and relevant.

Monitor customer contact and team productivity to ensure team members receive constructive feedback and areas for improvement a highlighted.

Ensure that the team adheres to all processes and policies, regularly reviewing and evaluating them, proposing changes where necessary.

Having oversight of and input into a comprehensive induction programme for all new starters and support the Customer Services Manager to ensure detailed continuous training programmes for all staff.

Ensure that an excellent customer experience is at the forefront of every aspect of the role you undertake, ensuring that your work and that of the team supports the delivery of the organisations’ values, customer experience objectives and service standards, and in turn our regulatory obligations.

Take a lead on working closely with colleagues in other departments and Directorates and with key contractors including our joint venture partners to maintain effective and efficient relationships with internal customers and service delivery partners.

Take an active role in the identification and implementation of new customer service and service improvement initiatives. Ensure the team are listening to customers to understand the resident voice – i.e. themes around customer priorities and gaps in service provision/information.

Participate in projects and workgroups at the request of the Customer Service Manager.

Ensure Customer Service Team processes are regularly reviewed and suggestions for improvements are made.

Ensure full business continuity is achieved by providing cover for the operation where necessary, this may involve working at different offices.

Liaise with outside agencies and other external customers as required.

To support the team to identify vulnerability issues and signpost to support services e.g. Housing teams and external support services.

Ensure efficient application and administration of the complaints procedure in line with TCH’s complaints policy supporting the Senior officers and the wider team to acknowledge and respond to complaints effectively, ensuring targets are met.

To proactively assist in resolving issues to prevent and/or resolve formal complaints, while providing an excellent customer service. Highlight areas of concern to prevent escalation of complaints.

Work closely with the Complaints and Feedback team to ensure that responsibilities for complaint handling are agreed and effective communication is in place at all times, actively collaborating to address training, process and service improvement issues promptly.

Assist with complaint case reviews to extract learning and service improvement opportunities from customer experiences.

Follow up customer insight satisfaction data and ensure any queries or expressions of dissatisfaction are investigated and positive outcomes achieved for the resident.

Communicate with and update customers effectively to assist in the early resolution of formal or informal complaints and ensure customer confidence in the complaints process is maintained.

To promote learning from complaints to ensure continuous service improvement.

General

To adhere to the equality, diversity and inclusion policy and actively promote equality of opportunity wherever possible.

Recognise, respect, and promote the different roles and diversity of individuals.

To actively contribute towards the key performance indicators and professional standards.

Work in accordance with the General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR) and Data Protection Law and be responsible for the integrity of personal information you process. This may include identifying anomalies in data and investigating and correcting them where appropriate. Ensure you attend training on data protection regularly.

To be responsible for your own health and safety and that of your colleagues, in accordance with the Health and Safety at Work Act (1974) and relevant EC directives.

To participate in training, attend other meetings, and staff events as required.

Be an effective member of your team, presenting a positive impression of your section and the Group.

Take responsibility for recognising and recording customer complaints, however made, and ensure that any complaints allocated to you are responded to within policy requirements.

Maintain professional curiosity in all interactions with residents, be aware of and report and record any potential safeguarding issues promptly and appropriately.

Maintain awareness of budget requirements and value for money while delivering your role.

Consider and highlight any risk to the organisation or individuals whilst delivering your role.

Consider resident feedback (the resident voice) in all service delivery, using data and insight and actively engaging with residents to understand their needs, views and priorities and tailor services accordingly.

This role may involve visiting other offices and stock and you may be required to have your own car and full driving licence.

This job description is a guide to the nature of the work required. It is not comprehensive, and it is expected that other duties will be undertaken as this role develops and as may be reasonably expected.

About You

Education & Qualifications

GCSE Grade C standard or equivalent education.

Level 4 qualification in Customer Service or equivalent experience (Desirable).

Relevant CIH qualification or willingness to work towards.

Excellent numeracy and literacy skills together with experience of Microsoft Office.

Previous experience of working with spreadsheets and databases.

Key Skills & Competencies

Experience of performance management and developing people.

Excellent evidenced customer care skills with a customer focussed approach to service delivery and a track record of complaint handling.

A flexible approach, able to manage change, adopt new systems and develop working practices.

Knowledge of social housing and the regulatory context and experience of working in a social housing environment.

Working knowledge of customer service best practice.

Excellent verbal and written communication skills including collating varied and sometimes complex information and report writing.

Experience of handling complex enquiries, identifying and offering relevant solutions.

Able to act as a reference point and mentor for colleagues, offering constructive support and guidance.

Behaviours

Ability to work on own initiative or as part of a team.

Prioritise own workload, and support others to prioritise and plan ahead to deliver agreed targets.

Can work well under pressure to meet deadlines.

Can deal with internal & external customers in an empathetic & supportive manner and develop positive relationships with a wide range of stakeholders at all levels.

As the role is based across two different offices (Tunbridge Wells and Epsom) the successful person would need to be willing to travel between these offices.

Self-motivated with excellent organisational skills.

Excellent influencing and problem solving skills with the ability to proactively identify improvement opportunities.

Ability to deal with sensitive information, maintaining discretion and confidentiality.

Committed to continuous professional development.

Able to work flexibly to meet business requirements.

Why Choose Us

* Contributory pension scheme 4% to 10% matched contributions

* Hybrid working

* Free onsite car parking

* Life assurance of 4x annual salary (Terms and Conditions apply)

* 30 days annual leave in addition to bank holidays

* Two volunteer days per year

* Employee assistance programme (24/7 telephone advice, information portal & face to face counselling sessions)

* Corporate eye care scheme providing free eye tests and free VDU glasses or contribution towards VDU glasses

* Extensive annual Staff Wellbeing programme

* Enhanced maternity, paternity, and shared parental leave provision

* Flexible annual benefits (for dental, healthcare, shopping vouchers, technology etc.)

* Annual flu vaccinations

* Access to an extensive range of corporate discounts on shopping, travel & days out

* Social events, including lunchtime walking, rounders, festive Fridays

* Travel loan

Applications

Please complete our online application form by clicking the Apply button below. We reserve the right to bring the closing date forward, so we strongly encourage early applications.

Please note: As an employer, Town & Country Housing does not provide sponsorship as a licensed UK employer.

Key dates

Applications Close: Wednesday, 1 May 2024

Interview Date: Thursday, 9 May 2024