PERSON SPECIFICATION Customer Support Team Leader

PERSON SPECIFICATION – Customer Support Team Leader

SECTION CRITERIA Competency Level * Education and  GNVQ/NVQ Level 3 qualification or Evidenced through certification, application Certification/ Qualifications equivalent; or and interview Application/  5 GCSE/O Level passes A-C or equivalent, Interview including English and Maths; or at least 5 years demonstrable work experience with evidence of working in a supervisory capacity.

Experience,  Experience in training, developing and Evidenced through certification, application Certification/ Knowledge and mentoring staff. and interview Application / Understanding  At least 3 years’ experience of delivering Interview excellent customer service in a service orientated environment.  Good practical knowledge of administrative processes including budget management.  Knowledge of appropriate legislation and 1 statutory regulations.  Knowledge of health and safety requirements.  Competent computer/IT skills.

Technical and  A confident communicator/negotiator with Level 4 Application / professional excellent people skills and the ability to Demonstrates an expert level of Interview skills negotiate and influence in difficult and understanding / experience of the technical complex situations. competency and is able to apply and  Excellent organisational, planning and develop it. Guides others prioritisation skills, delegating as appropriate whilst working to targets and deadlines.  Commitment to continuous personal development and also development of customer support staff through coaching and mentoring.  Ability to influence, motivate and inspire staff, demonstrating professionalism, courtesy, sensitivity, tact and diplomacy.  Commitment to equal opportunities and anti-discriminatory practices.  Commitment to health and safety.

Team work  Attend Association meetings to gain a Level 4 Application / better understanding of it visions, plans and Ensures that the team is appropriately Interview goals. skilled, managed and resourced. Discusses  Demonstrates ability to cascade problems/ issues with team members that information/knowledge to the Customer could impact on results. Communicates Support team via team meetings, 1 to 1’s or expectations for team work and other appropriate channels. collaboration. Gives credit and  Ability to work with the team to solve acknowledges contributions and efforts of problems rather than arbitrarily providing individuals to team effectiveness. the solution. 2  Demonstrates good examples of customer service through use of professional but friendly language, standard of work, ownership of work and general behaviour.  Ability to make staff aware of the importance of taking ownership of tasks and the implication on the organisation  Ability to involve the team in training each other, utilising everyone’s knowledge and strengths thereby encouraging and developing their own knowledge and skills.  Operates an ‘open door’ policy so that staff know that they will be supported to deliver operational / business objectives.  Encourage and motivate staff both as a team and individually to reinforce positive contributions made to achieve a high standard of customer service.

Being business  Ability to involve individual team members Level 4 Application / like and so that they feel supported to contribute As level 3 and also actively seeks Interview organised ideas (to both operational and strategic customer/ client feedback. Gives advice objectives) to ensure they are involved in which leads to valuable outcomes. Looks to both the section and their own continuously review and improve development. performance standards of self and team  Liaising with other sections to establish what they require from Customer Support now and in the future.  Ability to plan and organise own workload and time management as well as ensuring that the section workload is maintained and both Customer Support and Reception are staffed.  Ability to monitor allocated budget

3 making sure that by team understand the requirements and consider efficiencies  Shows ability to train and support the Customer Support Teams understanding of policies and procedures, making sure that they are involved in reviewing and updating the section procedures.

Driving  Promoting equality and diversity as part of Level 4 Application/ performance and the culture of the organisation As level 3 and also actively seeks Interview achievement  Ability to motivate and inspire team customer/ client feedback. Gives advice members to deliver a high standard of which leads to valuable outcomes. Looks to customer service at all times. continuously review and improve  Demonstrates a willingness to lead by performance standards of self and team setting a good example (role model) – behaviour consistent with words.  Shows a good understanding of the Association’s KPI’s and how Customer Supports performance can impact them.  Demonstrates a willingness to ‘think outside the box’ to develop the Customer Support Team.  Ability to train/mentor customer support staff on processes, customer service standards and techniques.

Focusing on our  Ensures that calls are answered in a timely Level 4 Interview Customers manner to ensure that excellent customer Actively seeks stakeholder feedback. Gives service is maintained . advice which leads to valuable outcomes.  Ensures that queries are answered at first Looks to continuously review and improve point of contact where possible. performance standards of self and team  Ability to identify and flag any resident / customer welfare concerns to the appropriate team/individual.

4  Able to identify any ‘trends’ and flag to the appropriate team/individual to make them aware of resident concerns.  Demonstrates a professional but friendly approach when interacting with customers to ensure they are comfortable when contacting us about a variety of matters and have confidence in our ability to resolve their query.  Raises awareness within the team of how tone and choice of words (both oral and body language) can affect our customers.

Solving  To develop the Customer Support teams Level 3 Interview problems and problem solving skills and encourage Demonstrates an awareness of the range making collaboration. of options available in new or unfamiliar decisions  Apply decision making within defined situations and is able to select the parameters. appropriate course of action to produce a  Ability to evaluate a situation and logical, practical and acceptable solution. determine the most appropriate course of Is receptive to new ideas and approaches action (within defined parameters). and adapts accordingly. Has the ability to  Ability to recognise when a situation needs handle conflicting priorities and deal with to be escalated to a more senior member unusual incidents of staff or specialist team.

Communication  A confident communicator with excellent Level 4 Interview people skills and the ability to negotiate Is able to effectively transfer key and and influence in difficult and complex complex information to all levels of staff, situations putting customers at ease. adapting the style of communication as  Understands how to apply technical necessary and ensuring this information is knowledge understood. Excellent and accurate  Ability to influence, motivate and inspire standard of written and verbal staff, demonstrating professionalism, communication.

5 courtesy, sensitivity, tact and diplomacy.  Communicates regularly / effectively and openly at all levels  Ability to adapt to the needs of the customers  Operates an Open Door policy

Creative and  Ability to interpret and communicate core Level 3 Interview Analytical information relating to Customer Services Demonstrates the ability to comprehend Thinking activities and adapt fairly complex ideas or  Able to produce statistical and processes to make then relevant and management reports relating to workable for the association requirements / KPIs within Customer Support  Ability to provide alternative options and logical solutions when required

Influencing,  Networks and builds effective working Level 2 Interview persuasion and relationships with customers and Demonstrates the capacity to advise and Negotiation stakeholders put the case across in relatively skills  A confident communicator/negotiator with straightforward, non-contentious situations, excellent people skills and the ability to negotiating an agreement. Is able to negotiate and influence in sometimes influence or persuade immediate section or difficult and complex situations. operational colleagues  Ability to influence, motivate and inspire staff, demonstrating professionalism, courtesy, sensitivity, tact and diplomacy.

 By acting as a role model for acceptable Level 3 Interview Leadership and standards of behaviour and attitudes Demonstrates the ability to motivate and Management  Builds formal and informal professional lead team to ensure effective performance relationships which foster a positive team against goals. Provides effective leadership environment and values to the team, passing on own  Helps motivate others to assist the skills and knowledge where possible. association achieve its objectives Leading and planning the work of the team

6 which deals with more diverse issues

Strategic  Assists in achieving the associations Level 3 Interview Thinking strategic goals through identifying and Can identify best practice and apply to applying best performance their own and teams work. Analyses ideas  Prioritises work in line with the associations and develops ideas for the strategy of eth values, goals, objectives and strategies section or operational area. Has an  Demonstrates an understanding of internal awareness of the associations strategy and and external influences on the association own place within it. which may impact on performance

*PFH is currently developing a competency framework to enhance the appraisal and development process