ABOUT THE ROLE
The Customer Service Manager will be responsible for delivering high-quality customer service experience. They will organize and motivate Customer Care Agents, take ownership of cross-functional customer experience initiatives, drive strategic improvements in customer experience and communicate customer behavioral trends and needs to the management.
KEY ACTIVITIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE ROLE
Ensure the retention of customers as per defined KPI
Co-design and oversee implementation of an overall customer experience journey to maximize customer satisfaction, loyalty, trust, and retention.
Monitor/measure customer satisfaction and take or recommend appropriate action that will help maintain lasting relationships with high-value customers.
Instilling in employees the need to actively listen to customers, be empathetic towards their problems, and be efficient in providing worthy solutions.
Improve aftercare service by reducing the average time for closure of customer care tickets as per defined KPI
Ensuring Customer Care Agents diagnose product tickets correctly by rigorously reviewing and improving the first line troubleshooting guide and ensuring the Agents are well trained.
Reduce the average days of open tickets stemming from customer complaints.
Grow the Customer Care Agent base to match the needs of the department
Adequately staff the Customer Care function with sufficient suitably qualified and experienced recruits to deliver the Customer Care department’s plan of work.
Create and update training programs for new recruits as well as existing agents.
Effectively manage direct reports to optimize function performance in support of corporate objectives by setting individual targets, developing and motivating staff, coaching and mentoring, and providing formal and informal feedback and appraisal.
Institutionalizing Customer Care Service excellence by building best practices into effective, repeatable processes
Formulate, plan and execute Call Center policies and procedures such as call-scripts and KPIs & ensure all Customer Care Agents execute diligently against established policies, procedures & plans.
Ensure that all call center tools and equipment are working well.
Regularly perform quality call audits.
Drive the Value of Customer Centricity in the organization
Represent the customer in cross-functional initiatives and ensure that all projects/programs have adequately factored in customer experience.
Represent the customer in process development ensuring that all processes and policies affecting the customer adequately factor in positive customer experience.
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KEY CROSS-FUNCTIONAL RELATIONSHIP & INTERFACES
Logistics & Inventory Management
Collaborate to forecast for replacement items and ensure inventory is readily available for aftercare initiatives. Provide regular feedback on problematic conditions in order to control the distribution of faulty product batches.
Sales & Field Operations
Collaborate to ensure that all in-progress tickets are well prepared for and that communication with customers and technicians is effective in managing expectations of technician visits.
Product Development
Collaborate to ensure that troubleshooting guides and checklists are documented in detail. Provide regular feedback to the product team on customer complaint trends related to product that can drive product improvement.
Corporate Development
Support Corporate development initiatives in the implementation of customer-facing projects and programs which typically include market research and communication with customers.
Requirements
Required Education & Certifications
Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Customer Care Management, Marketing or similar.
Preferred Education
M.B.A or other relevant advanced degree.
Required Experience
Applicant should worked in a field-service oriented customer service environment for at least 4 years.
A track record of success in managing call center teams.
A reputable track record in building processes and Key performance indicators.
Preferred Experience
Experience working in a field-service oriented customer service environment for at least 6 years.
A track record of success managing cross functional teams
Track record in building processes and Key Performance Indicators.
Prior working experience in the off-grid solar sector.
Significant prior working experience in East Africa.
Significant prior working experience in Multi-cultural rural environments.
Technical Requirements
An expert in the customer service acumen, understanding and application of theoretical and practical approaches to Customer Service Management.
Strong general management skills.
Candidate should demonstrate strong etiquette in communication over the phone with good listening skills.
English & Swahili fluency.
Ease of comfort with information technology.
Fluency in the use of Microsoft Office Suite and Google Suite.
Experience in Project proposition and Management.
Very strong reporting and presentation skills.
Experienced people manager with a record of performance managing and development of employees.
Strong knowledge of Customer care systems and field service management workflows ( CRM’s, Helpdesks, FSM software, etc.)
Behavioral Requirements
Analytical ability: Ability to analyze data/reports and produce actionable insights that drive business performance, generally and in specific problem areas.
Strategic Thinking Ability, i.e.:
To think about a complex system in a holistic, integrated fashion.
To link strategy to implementation and develop strategically-focused plans
Ability to bring structure to unstructured problems or situations.
Leadership: Strong leadership skills and ability to motivate diverse cross-functional teams.
Entrepreneurship: Energetic self-starter who demonstrates strong resourcefulness and personal initiative. Requires little hand-holding to deliver tasks. High level of energy and motivation
Flexibility, Adaptability and comfort in a fast-changing start-up environment: Comfortable in uncertain and/or ambiguous situations, fast learner and willing to contribute in areas beyond the formal job description.
Uncompromising integrity.
Cross-cultural skills: Ability to operate effectively in a cross-cultural environment.
Communication: Strong oral and written communication skills.
Comfort with presenting to senior management and large groups.
Benefits
At Pawame, we are a diverse team of highly energized local and international people, committed to listening to the needs of our consumers in the rural populations in East Africa without access to clean energy. Everyone from our intern to the founders contributes to our success in different ways.
Every team member in Pawame has the same drive and excitement towards achieving our goals. Working hard and being creative are synonymous in our startup life.
You will have the opportunity to directly impact low-income off-grid consumers, dramatically improving the lives of many families.