Customer Services Advisor

Date: ‎07-Jun-‎2022
Location: Abu Dhabi, Middle East and North Africa, AE
Company: British Council
The British Council builds connections, understanding and trust between people
in the UK and other countries through arts and culture, education and the
English language.

We work in two ways - directly with individuals to transform their lives, and
with governments and partners to make a bigger difference for the longer term,
creating benefit for millions of people all over the world. We help young
people to gain the skills, confidence and connections they are looking for to
realise their potential and to participate in strong and inclusive
communities. We support them to learn English, to get a high-quality education
and to gain internationally recognised qualifications. Our work in arts and
culture stimulates creative expression and exchange and nurtures creative
enterprise. We connect the best of the UK with the world and the best of the
world with the UK.

These connections lead to an understanding of each other's strengths and of
the challenges and values that we share. This builds trust between people in
the UK and other nations which endures even when official relations may be
strained. We work on the ground in more than ‎100 countries. In ‎2019-‎20 we
connected with ‎80 million people directly and with ‎791 million overall,
including online and through our broadcasts and publications.
Role Purpose:

The post holder will act as British Council's ambassador, providing a seamless
customer experience to customers and students in handling enquiries about
British Council English language and Examination services, meeting agreed
targets, objectives, and Key Performance Indicators (KPIs).
The overall objective of a Customer Service and Sales Officer is to secure
excellent sales results (from new and existing students and prospective Exams
candidates) to assist the Teaching Centre and Exams teams to meet or exceed
their sales targets.

Main Accountabilities:

Day to Day Customer service delivery:

• Provide a consistent and positive customer experience in line with the Global Customer Service Strategy and relevant corporate standards and polices


• Handle first-level enquiries received in person, via email, social media, chat or telephone on relevant aspects of the British Council's activities / products, in a friendly and professional manner, in line with Customer Service standards, and forward all 2nd level enquiries to relevant colleagues, ensuring they are attended to within specified timelines


• Deliver accurate information to customers and manage their expectations to ensure a smooth customer journey


• Ensure the standard response bank is regularly refreshed to respond to customer queries


• Carry out all reception and registration duties in line with relevant corporate standards and policies. All physical spaces accessible to customers should reflect the British Council brand


• As the frontline of the British Council, to ensure that dress sense and tone of voice is representative of the organisational brand values and standards


• Participate in British Council activities as and when they occur, providing an effective presence, and ensuring that corporate requirements are met whenever activity takes place


• Record all forms of customer data and records accurately via agreed online and offline tools


• Contribute to the Voice of the Customer programme by regularly sharing weekly insights and comments gathered from customers through formal and informal channels


• Maintain an up-to-date contact database of all our customers, in relevant segments, within agreed CRM procedures


• Support delivery of high quality, up to date training and testing for young learners and adults


• Ensure that all interactions are as per Exams and Teaching Centre standards and Corporate Child protection and Safe-Guarding policies

Sales:

• Be accountable for agreed individual income and conversion targets on a monthly basis


• Build rapport with prospective customers to gain understanding and information to respond to their specific needs and requirements


• Be the single point of contact for assigned opportunities, guiding them through the journey from first enquiry to final sale


• Make outbound calls to support customers dropping out at different stages of the customer journey and track conversions.


• Capture all opportunities on CRM and send proactive communication to candidates to nurture leads as per process agreed with business


• Maximise conversion rates of enquiries to sales figures by communicating features and benefits of British Council offers, convincing and influencing prospects to enrol/ register


• Closely monitor and track conversion rates and achieve daily and monthly targets defined at centre level. Strive to improve conversion rate by keeping abreast of all changes to offering, observing classes , sharing insight with business teams regarding reasons for drop off and handling objections effectively


• Maximise opportunities for cross-selling and up-selling


• Proactively follow up customers who do not register after enquiry / consultation and gather information which can be used for future marketing purposes and/or service improvements


• Contact lapsed students and IELTS registration candidates via phone to reintroduce them to our products (warm calling)


• Responsible for building own product knowledge through interaction with product managers and using learning portal

Support to Teaching Centre:

• To provide energy and purpose in following the Marketing Action Plan and Academic Quality Plan in agreement with the CSM and Teaching Centre Manager with a view to achieving student and test-taker numbers and income targets


• Register / reserve / waitlist students in appropriate classes, entering details accurately on TCMS, in a professional and friendly manner


• Distribute, collect and collate satisfaction surveys for all regular public courses into the agreed documentary scorecard management system to agreed timings and standards


• Collect and report money collected from customers for placement tests / courses / books / examination registrations and other products / services daily according to FCCF and audit requirements, through cash desks and by issuing receipts for all income received; reconciliation and, accepting refund requests. Cash desks must be balanced and closed accurately with actual received income


• Record all corporate clients, sponsored students and all Regular Public Course students on TCMS

Support to Exams:

• Support the delivery of examination services / products through leading on contact, registration and pay and post-test activities to defined quality standards, in order to meet customer needs and support the delivery of the in-country Examinations Business Development Plan


• Collect and report money collected from customers for exam services daily according to FCCF and audit requirements, through cash journals and by issuing receipts for all income received; reconciliation and, processing transfers and refunds. Cash desks must be balanced and closed accurately with actual received income


• Coordinate with other Exams team members on an ongoing basis to ensure a seamless customer journey. This includes timely escalation of unresolved complaints to the concerned teams


• Manage social media enquiries and complaints in an effective and brand-appropriate manner to create in order to create better customer experience.


• Contribute directly to customer service indicators such as customer feedback, mystery shopping and customer effort assessment scores for the Exams centre


• Manage data-entry on British Council exams systems such as ORS / SRS for candidate registrations with ‎100% accuracy


• Be accountable for the income receipt process and income recognition/ reconciliation support to Accountant and relevant Exams Manager

Any other administrative duties that may be assigned by Management which may
include but are not limited to creating POs, counting cash, sending SMS and
email communications to customers, processing bank transfers, etc.

About You (essential requirements for the role):

• Relevant degree or Higher Diploma and/or equivalent professional experience


• English at Proficiency Level B2


• Comprehensive, proven experience as a customer service and sales executive


• Thorough understanding of marketing and negotiating techniques


• Fast learner and passion for customer service and sales


• Self-motivated with a results-driven approach


• Self-motivated and target focused


• Resilience


• Strong communication skills - including both verbal and written


• The ability to influence and negotiate with others


• Commercial awareness


• Problem solving


• Competent IT skills


• Numerical skills

Desirable requirements for the role:

• Fluent in Arabic


• Customer Service Professional Qualification


• Relevant qualification or training undertaken in Sales


• Hands-on experience with CRM software is a plus

Further Information:

• Role: Customer Services Advisor


• Number of positions: ‎1


• Pay Band: BRC-4H


• Location: Abu Dhabi, UAE


• Contract type: Fixed term contract local (‎2 years)


• Closing date: 13th June ‎2022 (‎23:59 Gulf Standard Time)


• Salary details : Basic AED6063.‎20, Housing allowances AED2899.‎58.


• Other: This role is open to candidates who are having right to work and located in UAE

A connected and trusted UK in a more connected and trusted world.

Equality , Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) Statement

The British Council is committed to policies and practices of equality,
diversity and inclusion across everything we do. We support all staff to make
sure their behaviour is consistent with this commitment. We want to address
under representation and encourage applicants from under-represented groups,
in particular, but not exclusively, on grounds of ethnicity and disability.
All disabled applicants who meet the essential criteria are guaranteed an
interview and we have Disability Confident Employer Status. We welcome
discussions about specific requirements or adjustments to enable participation
and engagement in our work and activities.

The British Council is committed to safeguarding children, young people and
adults who we work with.

We believe that all children and adults everywhere in the world deserve to
live in safe environments and have the right to be protected from all forms of
abuse, maltreatment and exploitation as set out in article ‎19, UNCRC (United
Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child) ‎1989.

Appointment to positions where there is direct involvement with vulnerable
groups will be dependent on thorough checks being completed; these will
include qualification checks, reference checks, identity & criminal record
checks in line with legal requirements and with the British Council's
Safeguarding policies for Adults and Children.

If you have any problems with your application please email
[email protected]

Please note: Applications to this role can only be considered when made
through the Apply section of our careers website. Our 'ASK HR' email is only
to be used in case of a technical issue encountered when applying through the
careers website. Emails with supporting statements and CV/Resumes sent to this
email address will not be reviewed and will be deleted.