Hitesh Sindhwani

Job role at Kotak was divided in three broad categories: ● Run the service Managed contact centre role for inbound & outbound with KPIs in three areas, customer satisfaction/ quality metrics, shareholder/ productivity metrics and employee/ performance metrics. For each segment there was a consistent improvement in performance established through numbers. ● Change the service This involved automation, usage of AI, bots and RPA's to promote self service and converting service to digital. Changing processes establishing new quality benchmarks. Call deflection and call elimination were the principle's used to drive change. Additionally, set up a digital acquisition outbound process to support customers. ● Outsourcing/ Partner management Management of contracts, driving performance through partners and establishing clear annual goals for delivery and progressive saves/ process improvements through contracts Rebuilt service tech stack, fostered cross-functional synergy, and aligned support functions with emerging demands.

• Large call centre service operations: As director of operations for Barclays Financial services, UK operations was responsible for a large contact centre that was partly outsourced and managed directly. • Redefined SLA's and challenged the team to aim for higher standards of service delivery • Improved NPS and customer satisfaction for Barclaycards & Essential Banking operations by 11% • Focused extensively on vulnerable UK customers by launching service guidelines that identified and serviced such customers with extreme care • Implemented process improvements & optimised saves through process migration and productivity improvements besides better operational rigour • Cultivated a customer-centric culture and ensured colleagues first approach for better customer outcomes.

- Responsible for establishing service baseline and delivery standards for non-life insurance (Motor, Health, Home etc.) - Established baselines for B2B, B2C and direct service & sales channels - Service through clearly defined KPI’s for contact centre’s and branch service units - Service baseline and performance management of customer lifecycle from purchase of policy till claim or renewal. - Established outsourcing and relationship with delivery partners to ensure positive experiences across touchpoints, including insurance policy issuance, changes, renewals, claim registration, and settlement. - Introduced and created AI, Bots and RPA related self-service Journey’s for customers. - I spearheaded sales enablement and established P&L targets for digital sales of insurance products. - As a Co-Panellist for the Global Customer Experience Council for Allianz Inc., I employed a customer-centric approach and achieved an increase in NPS.

As the leader of the online division's sales force, I championed the acquisition of new customers through online leads and on-ground account conversions across India. During my tenure: The acquisition and team size increased by 1.5 times, and new offices were launched We achieved the lowest sales manager attrition in the past 5 years Sales conversion of organic leads improved by 4% A new lead management system was launched, and campaign management was initiated We successfully introduced new lead sources from paid channels, evaluated and optimized their performance.

As the Strategic Manager of Customer Service for both online and offline stock broking customers of the bank across India, I oversaw a range of functions that included retail and wealth customers. My key responsibilities included: Managing Customer Service Delivery across multiple locations Overseeing Phone Trading and Third Party Distribution Channel Implementing Service Automation and Process Excellence to ensure service quality Managing Recruitment and Training to build a highly professional team Establishing KPIs for Branch Servicing, Customer Retention, and Complaints Management In addition to these functions, I successfully led several key initiatives that included: Building and sustaining a culture of quality and continuous improvement by implementing Lean and Six Sigma methodologies Managing a team of Branch Service RMs and Contact Center teams across various locations Cross-selling other available products through the Third Party Distribution Channel and increasing the market share through the Customer-Focused Sales program Recruiting, training, certifying, and managing a team of NSE and BSE certified Stock Broking agents who were engaged in trading equities and derivatives in Stock Markets spanning voice and virtual operations Overall, my efforts resulted in improved service quality, increased customer satisfaction, and higher productivity while meeting annual business goals.

During my tenure, I played a key role in setting up the Customer Service and Call Centre function for the organization. Some of the key achievements during this period were: Developing a customer service framework and service delivery plan. Identifying the right outsourcing partner through a rigorous RFP process and successfully initiating outsourcing. Creating a service delivery organizational structure, hiring key leaders, and establishing clear measurable goals to improve customer satisfaction scores. Introducing a multi-channel service framework that included IVR, email, chat, and SMS, along with customer service in 9 regional languages. Integrating the service framework with the larger Kotak group's service structure, partnering with other entities, and identifying key servicing tools such as telephony platform, CRM, LMS, and customer identification across group companies. Implementing a multi-location customer service environment, along with business continuity and service continuity plans. Introducing a complaints management system and a Nodal Officer for customer escalations. Focusing on improving the entire customer journey, from customer acquisition to activation and trading. These efforts helped establish a strong customer service foundation for the organization and laid the groundwork for future growth.

• Recipient of the CEO award for Program Management & Project Management • Established best-in-class service delivery, training, and quality teams supporting • American Express, Australia, and New Zealand Call Centre Operations • Further enhanced business through mining to include the UK and Canada operations of the contact center. • Project & Transition management for UBS and Credit-Suisse mid-office and F&A operations. • Program Management for British Telecom Account in 2007

As a Service Delivery Manager at Wipro BPM, I oversaw the American Express business operations for four geographies: Australia, New Zealand, UK, and Canada. With a team of approximately 550 full-time employees, we ensured seamless 24/7 service delivery by managing the entire pipeline of recruitment, training, certification, and on-floor team management. Working closely with the on-site client project management team, I led the delivery of jointly defined Key Performance Indicators and managed customer success by improving relationships and partnerships through enhanced business. Our focus was on delivering metrics in three key areas: customer satisfaction, quality score, first-time resolution, productivity, occupancy, seat utilization, revenue per seat, business expansion metrics, attrition, e-sat scores, and employee grievances. In addition, I led the initiative "Mitr," where I was one of the eight identified counselors across various locations supporting colleagues through their stressful personal battles. This initiative helped foster a supportive and positive work environment. As a top performer, I was selected to participate in the Wipro Leadership Program.

As the Service Delivery Lead for American Express at Wipro BPM, I successfully managed service delivery across three key geographies: Australia, New Zealand, and the UK. With a team of approximately 375 FTEs, I ensured comprehensive support coverage during a large day service window. I was responsible for the entire pipeline of service delivery, including recruitment, training, certification, and on-floor team management. Working closely with the on-site client project management team, I delivered on jointly defined Key Performance Indicators to ensure customer satisfaction, quality scores, and first-time resolution. By identifying and tracking customer, shareholder, and employee metrics, including productivity, occupancy, seat utilization, revenue per seat, business expansion, attrition, E-sat scores, and employee grievances, I was able to deliver on the promise of customer success and strengthen the partnership between Wipro and American Express.

I was responsible for delivering American Express business services at Wipro BPM for Australia and New Zealand. Successfully scaled up the business from 25 to 175 resources within the first 12 months. Managed the entire service delivery pipeline, including recruitment, training, certification, and on-floor team management. Worked closely with the on-site client project management team and leadership based in Sydney, Australia, to achieve jointly defined Key Performance Indicators. Strengthened customer relationships and partnerships, resulting in enhanced business and customer success. Identified and delivered on three key areas of metrics: customer metrics (e.g., customer satisfaction, quality score, First time resolution), shareholder metrics (e.g., productivity, occupancy, seat utilization, revenue per seat, business expansion metrics), and employee metrics (e.g., attrition, E-sat scores, and employee grievances). Represented Wipro as a strong partner within the American Express JAPA annual events.

A course on design thinking and corporate strategy

This course is specifically designed to meet the Australian Securities Investment Commission (ASIC) requirements under RG105, requiring organisations under the AFS license to have a responsible manager to rely on for your organisational competence.