Customer Service Lead

Responsibilities:

Customer Service Operations:

• Oversee the day-to-day activities of the Customer Service team and ensure customer enquiries, requests, complaints, and service issues are handled promptly and professionally.
• Establish clear service priorities and ensure customer requests are properly assigned, tracked, followed up, and closed within agreed turnaround times.
• Monitor the quality and consistency of customer interactions across available service channels.
• Ensure accurate documentation of customer interactions, requests, complaints, and resolutions in the appropriate customer service systems.
• Identify recurring service issues and coordinate with relevant departments to address the underlying causes.
• Ensure customers receive clear, accurate, and timely information regarding their policies, requests, and service concerns

Customer Onboarding & Verification:

• Oversee customer onboarding activities and ensure required customer information and documentation are properly captured and verified.
• Monitor the onboarding verification process to ensure customer records are accurate, complete, and processed within agreed timelines.
• Ensure unresolved verification issues are identified, escalated, and followed through to resolution.
• Work with relevant internal teams to resolve documentation or information gaps that may delay customer onboarding.
• Monitor onboarding activities and identify areas where the process can be improved to enhance customer experience.

Complaints & Escalation Management:

• Take ownership of complex and escalated customer complaints and ensure they are investigated and resolved appropriately.
• Review the nature, frequency, and causes of customer complaints and recommend corrective actions where necessary.
• Coordinate with relevant departments to resolve complaints that require cross functional support.
• Ensure customers are kept informed throughout the resolution process and receive appropriate feedback within agreed timelines.
• Maintain accurate records of escalated complaints, actions taken, resolutions, and outstanding matters.
• Escalate unresolved or sensitive customer issues to the appropriate level of management when required

Claims & Policyholder Support:

• Oversee customer service activities relating to claims enquiries, requests, and follow up.
• Ensure customers receive appropriate guidance on claims related processes and required documentation.
• Coordinate with the Claims and other relevant teams to follow up on outstanding customer requests and provide timely feedback.
• Monitor claims-related service concerns and identify delays or recurring issues requiring management attention.
• Ensure customer interactions relating to claims are handled in accordance with approved procedures and applicable regulatory requirements.
• Support initiatives that improve policyholder satisfaction and strengthen customer confidence in the claims process.

Customer Engagement & Retention:

• Monitor customer feedback and service trends to identify opportunities to improve customer satisfaction and retention.
• Support initiatives aimed at strengthening customer relationships and encouraging continued engagement with the organization.
• Identify service issues that may contribute to customer dissatisfaction, policy lapses, or loss of business and ensure appropriate action is taken.
• Work with relevant teams to address customer concerns that may affect policy conservation and retention.
• Review customer feedback and recommend practical improvements to service delivery and customer experience.
• Promote a customer-focused approach across the Customer Service team.

Team Supervision & Performance Management:

• Supervise, allocate, and monitor the daily activities of Customer Service team members.
• Set clear performance expectations and ensure team members understand their responsibilities and agreed KPIs.
• Conduct regular team briefings to communicate priorities, service standards, operational updates, and performance expectations.
• Monitor individual and team productivity, service quality, response times, and customer handling.
• Provide regular coaching, feedback, and guidance to help team members improve their performance and customer handling skills.
• Identify training and development needs and recommend appropriate interventions.
• Address performance gaps, attendance concerns, or disciplinary issues in line with company procedures.
• Promote accountability, professionalism, teamwork, and effective communication within the team.

Customer Service Systems & Technology:

• Ensure effective use of customer service platforms, including WebCS, 3CX, and Freshdesk, for managing customer interactions and service requests.
• Monitor system records to ensure customer cases, enquiries, complaints, and follow up activities are accurately captured.
• Review system data to monitor service volumes, response times, outstanding cases, and team performance.
• Identify system or process issues that may affect service delivery and escalate them to the appropriate function.
• Ensure team members are properly trained on the relevant customer service systems and follow approved usage procedures.

Reporting, Analytics & Performance Monitoring:

• Prepare and review regular customer service reports covering customer enquiries, complaints, turnaround times, service volumes, and team performance.
• Analyse customer service data to identify trends, recurring issues, performance gaps, and opportunities for improvement.
• Monitor agreed departmental KPIs and provide timely updates to management on performance.
• Maintain accurate records and documentation required for management reporting and operational reviews.
• Track outstanding customer issues and ensure appropriate follow up until closure.
• Provide management with relevant insights and recommendations based on customer service performance data.

Compliance, Quality & Process Control:

• Ensure Customer Service activities are carried out in accordance with approved company policies, procedures, and service standards.
• Monitor compliance with applicable regulatory requirements relevant to customer service and claims handling.
• Conduct regular reviews of customer service processes to identify control gaps, inconsistencies, or areas of non compliance.
• Ensure required customer records and documentation are properly maintained and accessible for review.
• Support internal and external audits by providing accurate customer service records and relevant documentation.
• Ensure identified service or compliance issues are escalated and corrective actions are followed through to completion.

Stakeholder Management & Collaboration:

• Work closely with Claims, Sales, Operations, Finance, and other relevant departments to resolve customer issues and improve service delivery.
• Maintain effective communication with internal stakeholders regarding customer concerns, service requests, and operational issues.
• Coordinate with relevant teams to ensure customer requests requiring cross functional support are resolved within agreed timelines.
• Build productive relationships with key stakeholders to improve communication and service coordination.
• Represent the Customer Service function in relevant meetings, reviews, and operational discussions.

Continuous Improvement:

• Identify opportunities to improve customer service processes, turnaround times, team productivity, and customer satisfaction.
• Review customer complaints, feedback, and service data to identify recurring operational challenges.
• Recommend practical improvements to customer service procedures, workflows, and team practices.
• Support the implementation of approved process improvements and monitor their impact on service performance.
• Promote a culture of accountability, continuous learning, and service improvement within the Customer Service team.

Requirements:

• Bachelor's degree in a relevant discipline.
• Relevant professional qualification is an added advantage.
• At least 3 years of experience in a leadership role within a functional area.
• Proven experience managing and developing a team.
• Strong understanding of customer service operations.
• Experience monitoring KPIs and service performance.
• Good knowledge of Microsoft Office, including Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Access.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to manage escalated customer concerns professionally.

Competency Requirements:

• Strong leadership and team management skills.
• Excellent customer service orientation.
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills.
• Good analytical and problem-solving ability.
• Effective negotiation and conflict resolution skills.
• Strong stakeholder management ability.
• Good commercial awareness and business understanding.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities and meet deadlines.
• Ability to analyze service data and use insights to support decisions.
• Strong attention to detail and accountability.