Senior Customer Service Specialist

Informa is a leading academic publishing, business intelligence, knowledge, and events business, creating unique content and connectivity for customers all over the world. It is listed on the London Stock Exchange and is a member of the FTSE 100.
Taylor & Francis is one of the world’s largest publishers of high-quality, peer reviewed scholarly journals, books, e-books and reference works. We empower learners, thinkers and doers with trusted knowledge that advances research and enriches lives. We bring together diverse people, ideas and opinions to validate and publish the experts, theories and truths that matter. And we’ve been doing this in an unbroken arc since 1798.
Our purpose is to foster human progress through knowledge. We strongly believe that this requires us to encourage and examine different ideas and voices, so that any work that meets our exacting levels of quality deserves to be included in our publications. This requires open minds, the opportunity for robust debate, and the courage to defend perspectives that stand up to scrutiny, even if they conflict with our personal beliefs or values. Because that’s the only way to find the best obtainable version of the truth and, ultimately, foster human progress. If you agree, then we’d love to hear from you.

Job Description
We currently have an opportunity for a Senior Specialist in our Customer Services department.
You will work as an integral part of the department by providing outstanding customer service to our internal and external customers in accordance with Company practice and procedures.

Closing Date:

Applications will close on

Monday 8th July 2024 .
Applications are shortlisted on a rolling basis, and we will be interviewing alongside advertising. We therefore encourage you to apply at the earliest opportunity.

What you’ll be doing:
Take ownership of customer queries received via various channels through to resolution in line with policies/procedures, KPI’s and Customer First training best practice. Striving to increase customer satisfaction/first-time resolution and reduce the need for customers to contact. Act as an escalation point to help resolve complex/challenging customer issues effectively, e.g. complaints and write detailed reports in your own subject area, with little or no managerial assistance.
Take responsibility for the processing of orders, invoices, quotes, returns, and claims in a timely and accurate manner, responding appropriately and swiftly to queries, problems,and special requests from customers, Act as an escalation point for the team,accelerating these to team leaders and managers where appropriate.
Resolve product or service problems/queries by clarifying customer issues, determining the root cause of the problem, selecting and explaining the best solution to the problem,and expediting corrections/adjustments. You strive to exceed customer expectations,have a proactive approach to query resolution, monitoring and continually improving customer service.
On the back of customer contacts review the customer self-help portals (where they exist) and suggest new content or amendments to the relevant team.
Manage day-to-day business processes, liaising with other departments where appropriate.
Facilitate meetings and represent the department in stakeholder meetings, including delivering presentations.
Create and update Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) or suggesting amendments to relevant teams.
Your expertise allows you to give the customer more or better service than they expect and provide support to colleagues as well as identifying and instigating training. You maintain an advanced knowledge of department policies, processes, procedures, and systems with an established internal network to increase knowledge.
You monitor workload, review capacity, prioritise work and proactively assist others with their workloads.
You go above and beyond, acting as a role model and providing support, training and coaching to other members of the team. You inspire others to deliver excellent customer service and encourage others to participate/learn. You share knowledge/skills and available time beyond your team where needed.
Play an active role in the achievement of department goals by assisting with all types of work across the department as needed. You collaborate within your team/ department to handle day-to-day priorities and department objectives, with little or no managerial input. You seek advice and take steps to remove obstacles that prevent the achievement of objectives.
Proactively suggest and develop improvement ideas, driving forward the implementation of those ideas to improve customer satisfaction, increase productivity or reduce costs. Identify opportunities to work in partnership with others to develop new ideas or projects. · Use SAP/Salesforce to manage customer contacts, orders, invoices, and workflow in line with best practice.
Work to agreed KPIs and targets including quality assurance.
You achieve personal objectives and, work to agreed KPIs and targets including quality assurance.
In addition to the above, this role will be expected to help on projects and workload as determined by business needs and the Manager.

What we're looking for:
Experience of Microsoft Office, including advanced knowledge of Excel.
Previous Customer Service experience across a wide breadth of customer service tasks.
Experience of working to KPI’s/SLA’s and encouraging others to.
A good standard of Education including English and Maths.
Understanding of the role of related departments with a range of contacts outside and within Customer Service.
Advanced knowledge of SAP, Salesforce, and other CS systems. You are a super user and test new functionality.
A solid grasp of process and product-related issues and can effectively answer all customer questions without difficulty.
Experience of managing projects.

What we offer in return:
An excellent work/life balance with a fantastic, flexible working culture
25 days annual leave per year plus a day off for your birthday
3 additional discretionary days off during the holiday season at the end of the year
4 paid volunteering days each year
Company funded single cover private medical insurance
Employee assistance programme – offering 24/7 well-being support
Share Match – Plan that matches every share purchased with two free shares.
Pension scheme
Life assurance, plus optical and medical care

What you should know:
This role will be based in the UK and you must have the right to live and work in the UK.
Taylor & Francis has flexible hybrid working options for how employees can work based on their role.
Please ensure that your application is submitted by the closing date of Monday 8th July 2024.

Being Yourself at Taylor & Francis
If you’re excited about working with Taylor & Francis to foster human progress through knowledge, we invite you to apply even if your existing skills and experience don’t fit every item listed above. At Taylor & Francis, we are at our best and most successful when colleagues can be themselves and make a contribution regardless of their identity or background. As a colleague, you will have the opportunity to further innovate and develop in areas that you are passionate about. Our goal is to empower you with the resources, incentives, and flexibility you need to enjoy success at work and to live a healthy, balanced life.
Taylor & Francis is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer. We believe in and value diversity of people and thought, fostering a supportive and inclusive environment where all colleagues can learn and succeed as their true selves. Taylor & Francis recruits, develops, and retains colleagues without regard to any protected personal characteristics or other non-merit based factor.
We genuinely care about our colleagues, promoting work-life balance, wellbeing, and flexible working. We believe that the skills and experience you bring to Taylor & Francis are invaluable. We want you to have the opportunity to develop your abilities, and to innovate and develop in areas which you are passionate about. To find out more about our business and the great career opportunities please go to our Careers Site:

http://www.taylorandfrancisgroup.com/careers
Or better yet check out our LinkedIn ‘Life’ Page, highlighting our accomplishments, employees, and company culture. It’s also a good way of meeting our recruitment team, who will be happy to advise you on your journey here at T&F.
https://www.linkedin.com/company/taylor-&-francis-group/life/79e0c27c-afdf-4bbb-84e6-5f8ed5e10bb8/
We know that sometimes the 'perfect candidate' doesn't exist, and that people can be put off applying for a job if they don't fit all the requirements. If you're excited about working for us and have most of the skills or experience we're looking for, please go ahead and apply. You could be just what we need! We believe strongly in the value of diversity and creating supportive, inclusive environments where our colleagues can succeed. As such, Informa is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, colour, ancestry, national origin, religion, or religious creed, mental or physical disability, medical condition, genetic information, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, and related medical conditions), sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, marital status, citizenship, or other protected characteristics under local law. This role may also be available on a flexible working or part time basis – please ask the Talent Acquisition team for more information.
To find out more about our business and the great career opportunities please go to our Careers Site: https://taylorandfrancis.com/careers/