Customer Relations Quality Manager

Job Introduction

A fantastic Customer Relations Quality Manager position has arisen working out of our modern London Bridge Head office.

As Customer Relations Quality Manager you will be responsible for looking to continuously drive and improve the quality of responses created by the Customer Relations Team, including our outsourced Customer Service provider.

You will be expected to manage our relationship with the Rail Ombudsman and be responsible for handling all cases in this area as well as maintaining industry leading results, delivering the best possible service for our customers and evolving our Customer Relations proposition through the use of a number of digital channels and AI. 

This role is Monday – Friday standard office hours (with some flexibility over start time) and has the option for hybrid working with approximately 2 days a week required in the office.

Candidates should be aware that on occasion, this role could include national travel to meet with key stakeholders such as Contractors.

Role Responsibility

You will have a number of accountabilities and responsibilities in this role, that will include but not be limited to:

• Handling and quality assessing complaints escalated to the Rail Ombudsman.
• Quality assessing Customer Relations responses and supporting to evolve our AI channels.
• Motivating the Customer Relations teams to deliver added value through accurate and detailed feedback.
• Analysing comeback complaint data and getting to the root cause, suggesting and implementing solutions and improvements to resolve causes of complaints.
• Leading on the quality assurance of AI developments on behalf of the Customer Relations Team and bringing the latest thinking around Customer Relations Improvements. 
• Managing regular call and written complaint calibrations with Head Office and Contact Centre colleagues and ensuring follow up actions are completed.
• Deputising for the Customer Relations Team Manager duties when required.
• Working with the Contact Centre Management team and other Customer Relations management to implement best practices from the Ombudsman Association Good Handling Guidance.
• Ensuring compliance with Rail Ombudsman membership rules are met.
• Recognising great performance and managing under performance through effective coaching and processes.
• Where appropriate, sharing best practice across the industry, and Southeastern.
• Providing period reporting on quality and Ombudsman trends to drive actions, resolutions, and continuously driving improvements.
• Driving improvements for the first-time resolution of complaints and customer contacts.
• Documenting and improving company lines for use by the Customer Services teams, ensuring they are in line with our values.
• Assisting with the response to major incident procedures.
• Assessing the amount of compensation/gestures of goodwill on a case by case basis using the guidelines provided.
• Being the Data Champion within the Customer Relations Departments and being accountable of data protection compliance responsibilities such as:
  • Acting as the point of contact for personal data protection queries within your department.
  • Assisting the Data Protection Manager/Officer with audits, maintenance of the data inventory, breach, risk and subject rights registers.
  • Attending regular meetings with, and providing information to, the Data Protection Manager/Officer as required a well as reporting data protection queries to the Data Protection Manager/Officer.

The Ideal Candidate

To be successful for this role, candidates need to demonstrate the below in their application:

• A proven track record in people management in a customer service environment.
• A proven track record of quality assessment and influencing continuous improvement.
• The ability to work with and influence the quality of responses created by others.
• Excellent communication and negotiation skills.
• Excellent attention to detail.
• Proven experience of effectively handling customer complaints and customer care skills.
• The ability to work as part of a team, to achieve a common goal and keep quality and our passengers at the forefront of your mind.
• The ability to identify subject matter experts within the organisation.
• A high level of IT skills to include, Word, Excel and PowerPoint.
• A high level of resilience to pressurised situations and the ability to stay calm.
• A Flexible approach to different standards as our product base is wide and diverse.
• Excellent communication and negotiation skills.
• Experience working within the railway industry. (Desirable)
• Experience working with an Ombudsman. (Desirable)

Package Description

Southeastern recognises the value of every individual employee and offers benefits that reflect this.

As well as a generous salary, we offer a comprehensive benefits package which includes;

• A Contributory Final Salary Pension Scheme 
• Free rail travel on Southeastern and GTR rail services (extends to family members for leisure/educational travel)
• After a qualifying period, reduced rate travel on other train operators, including European services
• Up to 25 days annual leave entitlement (plus bank holidays)
• Private healthcare
• Access to an array of discounts for retail and leisure products through our benefits scheme.
• Family friendly benefits including enhanced maternity/paternity leave, parental leave and carers leave.

About the Company

About Southeastern

Southeastern runs train services into London from Kent and East Sussex, operating almost 1,700 trains a day, carrying more than 400,000 passengers, serving 176 stations and covering 540 miles of track.

Just over 4,600 employees - mostly from the communities that we serve - work together to provide this vital service and we are looking to expand our successful team. We have a strong set of values that shape the way we run our business and guide our staff in delivering what our customers need. These are:

• We aim to be the best
• We make the difference together
• We care passionately about our people and our passengers

We are committed to being an inclusive employer, creating a workplace where everyone can come to work, feel safe and comfortable and able to do everything to the best of their ability. Read about some of the great Diversity and Inclusion initiatives our Head of Colleague Experience has been leading on here. 

We recognise the positive value of diversity and it matters to us that our teams reflect the communities we serve. We welcome and encourage applications from people of all backgrounds.

We proud to be a WORK180 Endorsed Employer for Women. If you would like to know more information about how we are supporting our employees, you can view our policies and initiatives here.

We have also won the Top Employer award at the Women in Rail Awards 2022!

If you have been unsuccessful in the recruitment process for the same/similar position you will not be eligible to apply for a period of 6 months from that date.

All offers of employment are subject to us obtaining satisfactory references (covering all education, training, employment and unemployment in the preceding 5 years and any previous railway employment). We will also complete right to work in the UK and criminal record checks. This is to ensure we are employing the best person for the role and to protect our customers, colleagues and our reputation. We are unable to offer sponsorship to work in the UK. 

This post will close before the intended closing date should sufficient number of suitable applications be received. Therefore, if you are interested in applying for this role, we suggest that you do so at the earliest opportunity to avoid disappointment.

SOUTHEASTERN is owned by SE Trains Ltd, a subsidiary of the Department for Transport’s public sector owning group, ‘DOHL.’ DOHL has responsibility for three rail companies, LNER, Northern Trains Limited and SE Trains.