Reporting to the Head of Circulation Marketing this position is responsible for managing all customer service activity in the region, including but not limited to contact centre management for UK and CEMEA newspaper subscriptions functions as well as a dotted line responsibility for the General Enquiries and FT.Com functions recently outsourced to Nexxlinx US and managed directly now by the Circulation Director for The Americas.
The position is also responsible for the quality of the region’s outbound telesales activity, whether retention or acquisition focussed, and must work closely with chosen suppliers in ensuring this.
The role must specifically support the FT’s overall circulation objectives through managing the quality of the interaction our customers have with the FT’s customer facing service activity, a significant factor in driving customer loyalty
Key Tasks
• Work closely with the Head of Circulation Marketing in ensuring the day to day activity of the region’s contact centres for both the UK and CEMEA is performed within agreed budgets and in accordance with agreed SLAs
• Manage supplier relationships in the provision of the above and specifically (but not exclusively) maintain a close working relationship with our main suppliers Broadsystem UK and Nexxlinx CEMEA. Ensure our suppliers apply best practice and the quality of the service provided by them surpasses even the standards that we would expect of an internal resource. In particular ensure a continuity of service for the CEMEA region during the transitional period from in-house to oursourced solution
• Work closely with the Head of Circulation Marketing in creating ongoing improved efficiencies and cost savings through activity such as a further drive of administrative tasks to our office in Manila and the continued promotion of Manage my Account facilities that allow customers to carry out their own basic transactions online. This activity should never be to the detriment of the quality of our customer experience
• Support the Head of Circulation Marketing in the provision of regular and comprehensive reports and analysis demonstrating our performance against agreed SLAs as well as the effectiveness of our outbound efforts. This will include the streamlining of existing reporting processes as well as developing improved reporting formats. Also provide additional general reporting resource for the department as required
• Set, manage and reconcile budgets on an ongoing basis
• Work with the marketing team in helping them select and manage suitable facilities for the provision of outbound telesales activity to aid in the acquisition and retention of newspaper subscribers. Carry out regular quality checks on these functions through activity such as random call monitoring and scoring
• Ensure that customer complaints levels are constantly monitored and managed and directly handle escalated complaints raised from time to time through the customer service teams but also senior management. Specifically, work closely with the distribution teams for both regions and the distributors themselves to look for constant improvements in the quality of this service within budgetary constraints
Essential Skills
• Proven track record (3+ years) in managing the customer experience at a senior level
• Demonstrated experience in managing customer service supplier relationships
• Strong history of innovation in the customer service workplace, both in the application of new technological solutions to improve the customer experience and in managing and motivating the workforce
• Demonstrated strong practical focus on reporting and analysis to include a good level of analytical and numerical reasoning
• Ability to “make a difference” by liaising with and gaining buy-in from various parties
• Meticulous eye for detail
• Excellent copy-writing skills
• Demonstrated ability to manage and reconcile budgets
• Experience in relevant industry, ideally publishing, telco, financial services or catalogue
• Ability to manage multiple projects, ensuring all deadlines are met and service levels are maintained
• Self starter with high energy and initiative - able to manage up, down and across the organisation
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills
Desirable Skills
• Exposure to and knowledge of media / publishing
