Sarah Shanks

As Head of Customer Operations I am responsible for the Customer Services departments situated over 2 sites who support our customers base across various different communication streams across thousands of customers who each have needs individual to them and their job role. I am also responsible for operational implementation of large order roll outs. At Mi Hub we strive to offer a fantastic customer experience which includes, but is not limited to, a support team who will act as a key interface with the customer and will work in partnership with the wider team in order to ensure an outstanding level of customer service is delivered. Building a support network for the customer the teams will engage with both the customer and the commercial team to understand the full customer requirement and deliverable expectations, and where a large roll out is required they will also work with the teams on assuring the business has required stock levels to deliver expectation, to build and maintain critical paths to track deliverable's and manage risks which will then feed into the successful completion of large order roll outs across the business. We offer a full Digital experience which offers the customer not only an excellent experience but working hour efficiencies. Across various different roles the Customer Operations and Customer Service both in Bristol and Castle Donnington we deliver against the business and customer requirement, and it is my responsibility to work with the Manager's and the teams to ensure we have effective and efficient processes in place not only to deliver, but to be market leading in our offering to all customers. Customer Experience and support is vital within these roles and whether it be interacting with an end user who work for a massive corporation or a customer with a simple requirement we strive to deliver a seamless and informed experience.

Reporting into the Head of Commercial and Public Sales my role is to run the area that manages our existing customer base. This area is responsible for the account management of Public and SME customers, whose aim is to ensure our customer receives an excellent end to end service and facilitates continuous ordering, along with promoting growth, and head to toe garment usage. Alexandra is the UK’s No. 1 provider of workwear offering over 20,000 fully stocked catalogue lines and it is the responsibility of the department that I run to ensure that our existing customer base both understands and utilises this service for all their workwear needs.

As well as my previous role responsibility I have been given the additional responsibility of running the National Account Executive team who own our larger customer base, as well as managing and maintaining the internal sales end to end strategy specifically focused around small/medium business. I support the wider team providing analysis of how campaigns/strategy is performing and evolve strategy from there. Having implemented a dialler onto the sales floor I manage and maintain the day to day running of this, along with developing strategy based on the performance reported per calling source. Since joining the team the sales teams productivity, conversions and output have improved dramatically and focus is not only around maintaining, but seeing continuous improvements.

I run the affinity and eGroup sales departments within Brightside. This role consists of me leading and managing Team Managers, identifying and implementing business improvement processes and set ups across the department and identifying talent and developing future Operations Managers. I have extensive knowledge in change management and this does well to assist me in my ever changing faced paced environment. I am constantly seeking out innovative ways to ensure the continuous progression and development within the departments I run. The sales and service centre is both inbound and outbound call contact through a telephony system operating against a dialler, with a strong focus to offering the customer a high level of service. I am responsible for keeping the department targets in line with the business requirements, being directly responsible for the P&L deliverables in line with boosting sales and reducing cost to service, whilst maintaining an excellent level of service against the customer base.

I am currently the Quota Sales Manager, in which I run the floor and ensure that the Team Managers are running each team effectively.It is my responsibility to manage performance on the floor, as well as ensuring the business develops with both internal and external businesses - This is an outbound contact operating model run off a dialler specifically supporting lead generation within the business - lead recognition, warm up and pass through model. I am responsible for the delivery of quality leads to support the financial growth of the business whilst ensuring that the operation is run effectively and efficiently to support a maximum return per outbound dial/connect.

Along side running the sales team I created a brand new department within eInsurance. In doing so I created a business case that projected profits based on the number of eInsurance policies, cancellation rates and potential save rates from the cancellation reasons. This was presented to the business heads where we were given the go ahead to create the department. I created a team, as well as process flows, procedures, inbound lines, determined opening hours based on contact rates throughout the business and implemented the team. Once this had been completed and was up and running and a success I passed the department over to the operations manager so I was able to continue the development of the eInsurance Sales department. This has been a successful area within the business to date creating an additional revenue line against the P&L.

Managed the newly set up ASDA Online Exclusive Customer Service team, including setting up and improving all SLA's. I was in regular communication with the account manager of ASDA Online to ensure a great level of service was provided both to the customer and to ASDA Online. I managed the performance of a team of 12 at this time.