My line of business: the customer 1st programme manager
Do you find the multitude of roles that exist in the call centre sector a bit mind-boggling? Luckily, Call Centre Helper is on hand to give you the low-down on the variety of jobs that exist. In the last of our series, we profile Susan Allder, customer 1st programme manager at the technology firm Touchpaper
Every job I have ever had has involved fixing problems, helping people and, most importantly, transforming unhappy customers in to happy customers.
I’ve been working in a customer service environment for more than 18 years. This was not a pre-chosen career path; it was more a case of the help desk finding me. It was while I was working in the HR department of the HFC Bank plc (now part of HSBC) that I first found I had a natural flair for fixing things. If colleagues had a problem with their computer it was me that they would come to.
I was obviously not the only person to notice this. When the bank formed its Information Technology Help
Susan’s advice for being successful in her line of business
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Desk, I was invited to become a help desk operator, providing front line IT support to all computer users within HFC’s head office and branches. This transpired to be a good move. Within four months of joining the team I was promoted to helpdesk team leader.
Since then I have held positions including UK operations manager, technical support centre manager, implementation services manager and head of customer care, including issue and problem management. The same thing has been at the heart of every one of these roles: customer satisfaction.
I joined Touchpaper in 1997. During my time at Touchpaper I have returned to the call centre as interim manager several times and built the necessary skills that allow me to provide solutions to people’s problems, culminating in my current role as managing Touchpaper’s Customer 1st Programme.
The role of manager sees me working across all areas of Touchpaper’s business worldwide with the aim of raising the quality and standard of our customers’ experience and to ensure we are always exceeding their expectations.
In order to achieve these objectives I have devised four key principles: set standards for our customers’ experience with Touchpaper; monitor and report against these standards; improve these standards; and listen to and act upon customers’ views and needs.
No two days are ever the same – and this gives me the greatest buzz of all. Of course I have a list of clients that I want to touch base with, but you never know what is going to come in. One day I can be focusing on our customer satisfaction surveys, compiling analytical reports based on their findings, and then, perhaps most importantly, coming up with a specific improvement programme. The next I can be looking at ensuring consistent pricing worldwide, automation of ITT responses, root cause analysis and improvement programmes for issue and problem management and lost customers. The list goes on, and planning any kind of schedule rather goes out of the window.
But this is what appeals to me, and I think to everybody that works in customer services - be it in a call centre, on an IT support desk or within customer care programmes. To be able to work in this kind of environment you have to thrive on the unexpected; you can never predict the query that the next telephone call will bring. The challenge is to ensure that you can solve it.
It is not only the day-to-day tasks where variety is indeed the spice of life. With each project comes a different team. I call it my virtual team. I work with individuals across the business with diverse skills applicable to the task in hand. I like to compare it to making a movie - a director, producer, cameramen and actors, if you like. We make the film and then go back to our day jobs. It’s my task to ensure that each venture is of course an Oscar-winning production.
Needless to say, communication is the key to success in this kind of environment, coupled with an ability to deal with differing viewpoints in order to encourage buy-in from groups with different goals.
The things that make my job different
A major aspect of my role and a core part of supporting the overall Customer 1st initiative is the customer reference programme. This function is very much a proactive way of ensuring our customers’ happiness and satisfaction. It is hugely important for our customers to be able to talk to each other, especially during the sales process in the case of prospective customers. It is my responsibility to enable this dialogue and imperative that I match customers intelligently. I have to ensure an even use of customers and select those best placed to illustrate the Touchpaper functionality most applicable to the prospect.
The reference programme has been received exceptionally well and is expanding rapidly. We are now receiving requests from prospects outside of the United Kingdom, as far afield as Australia. Not only has it benefited the organisation, it has also transformed my position from a reactive role to one of a much more proactive nature.
Without a doubt it is the sense of satisfaction and achievement that drives me. I can look back over my week and say to myself that I have turned five unhappy customers back to satisfied, happy customers. Yes, it is hard work, and many other people would run a mile from frustrated, dissatisfied people, yet the sense of achievement at the end of the process is inescapable. If you can lead by example with a ‘can do’ and practical attitude, then that is half the battle won.
Working in a company like Touchpaper has been integral in the progression of my career. Operating in an open management structure has meant my ideas have been heard. In terms of personal development, I have learnt a great deal from observing various individuals throughout the organisation.
The product training I have received has also been invaluable. When working in a customer service environment in any industry you have to be able to speak knowledgeably about your organisation.
This has become increasingly important in recent years where a notable shift has emerged. Customers are getting smarter, both in a business and technological sense. As such the skill set required to address their problems has evolved and it is now more important than ever to treat customers with an appropriate level of respect and not underestimate them. In an increasingly crowded market space, keeping the customer happy is integral in retention, putting even more onus on the customer care representative.
So what does the future hold for me? I can safely say I will always be involved in customer service. Within the Customer 1st Programme, I look at the issues facing Touchpaper customers and, rather than fix them once, I am able to ensure a continual improvement in the service we provide. The end result is what’s important - happy, satisfied customers.
Susan Allder is the customer 1st programme manager at the technology firm TouchpaperTel: +44 1483 744400
Website: www.touchpaper.com
