Customer Services Team Lead - Shoprite Group

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 Team Lead role is to provide team leadership and functional operational excellence in the evolution of our CCC service delivery.

The Customer Services Team Lead manages and coordinates aspects pertaining to the operational customer interfacing aspects of the Customer Services Team (between 10-18 Customer Service Agents). The role motivates and develops the specifically allocated Customer Services delivery team that continuously seeks to meet and exceed the needs of our customers.

The role aligns with and supports the Customer Service Manager to co-create 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 as measured by the performance of their team within the bigger picture.

The role reports into the Customer Service Manager and manages directly reporting Customer Service Agents to ensure they 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.

Job Category: Customer Service

Job Objectives

Customer Centric Delivery

• Supporting and participating in the design and development of the customer service strategy for the Shoprite Group in collaboration with other contact centre 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!
• Within the context of the smaller team of Customer Services Agents assigned to the team - operationally overseeing and embedding a customer-centric culture – underpinned by best-in-class customer service experience.

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 coaching the customer services team to ensure customer service delivery excellence. Removing any barriers to achieving great customer service. Ensuring timeous escalation to the Customer Service Manager as required.

Financial, Reporting and BI

• Ensuring support and input (where relevant) to financial objectives by providing cost estimates and budget inputs.
• Providing input on the customer service team’s operational costs and budget.
• Providing and sharing relevant insights to shape customer experiences and respond to their preferences.
• Together with other stakeholders, support the preparation of performance reports and report to the Customer Services Manager as required on a daily/weekly/monthly on:
• Customer escalations/complaint trends
• Reputational risk issues
• Scheduling variances versus performance impacts
• Interactions, trends, and opportunities
• Daily/weekly/monthly insight with recommendations for improvement

Governance & Compliance

• Ensuring that the specifically allocated 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 – and directed by the Customer Services Manager.
• 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.
• Providing inputs and ideas re: technology requirements to enable a seamless customer experience.
• Ensuring alignment with the customer services team and effective flow of work with other functional areas across the Contact Centre

Qualifications

• Grade 12
• Degree in Consumer behaviour, Communications, Business or equivalent - (beneficial).

Experience

• +2 years in a customer service operational, team lead capacity in a Group Call Centre, Customer Interfacing, Customer Support Centre, or equivalent role - (essential).
• Experience within the FMCG, retail sector, or similar - (preferred).
• 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- (essential)

Knowledge and Skills

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- (essential).

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 lead capacity in a Group Call Centre, Customer Interfacing, Customer Support Centre function (or equivalent role) demonstrating knowledge of trending practices in this context - (essential).