Role Profile
Job Title Senior Customer Service Consultant – Retirement Specialist
Grade 5
Operational Area Service Centre (JFM)
Reports to Team Manager
Location Cheltenham
Last Updated March 2015
Purpose
The key purpose of this role is to deliver the highest quality customer service to JFM customers.
Customers include existing and prospective plan members and Financial Advisers.
The Senior Customer Service Consultant’s primary responsibility is to own and resolve customer
enquiries about their retirement options, death benefits and the income drawdown product range
at the first point of contact, by effectively understanding both telephone and written enquiries. All
information provided to the customer must be clear, fair and appropriate for the customer’s
circumstances.
The role will be mainly telephone based and will involve pro-active outbound contact with
customers. Whilst the focus of the role is telephone based, written correspondence will need to be
issued to customers.
The Senior Customer Service Consultant will actively look for opportunities to add value to the
customer experience by looking at the overall picture and not just the immediate reason for
customer contact, signposting sources of independent pension information available to the
customer to help with decision making (including any government approved guidance schemes)
and highlighting when seeking Independent Financial Advice may be appropriate. Customer
feedback will be welcomed and used to put forward suggestions to improve processes and
customer correspondence.
Accountabilities & Deliverables
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To help customers who wish to convert their pension savings into a retirement income
understand the options available to them under current legislation and how each option
can be exercised.
Provide information that is clear, accurate and relevant to the customer’s circumstances,
including options that may require the customer to transfer to an alternative provider.
Refer customers to sources of independent guidance and advice as appropriate and in line
with current regulatory requirements.
Provide customers with risk warnings, tailored to their circumstances, before the customer
proceeds to access their pension savings or purchase a decumulation product.
As a retirement specialist, pro-actively contact customers who are approaching their
selected retirement date to “wake-up” the customer to the decisions that they will need to
make.
Have in depth knowledge of the JFM income drawdown product range responding promptly
to enquiries about the products from both customers and Financial Advisers, taking
ownership of new business cases from the initial enquiry to receipt of the application form.
Have in depth knowledge of death benefits, the circumstances in which death benefit
options are taxable and own telephone contact with family members, executors and
solicitors to explain the options available and which options will be subject to tax.
To respond promptly and effectively to general plan servicing enquiries.
Role Profile
Job Title Senior Customer Service Consultant – Retirement Specialist
Grade 5
Operational Area Service Centre (JFM)
Reports to Team Manager
Location Cheltenham
Last Updated March 2015
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Prioritise daily work allocation appropriately to ensure that all new business and plan
maintenance service levels are achieved, whilst fast tracking urgent cases as appropriate.
Maintain up to date knowledge of all relevant policies and procedures and comply with all
relevant regulatory requirements.
To meet all agreed performance targets and actively demonstrate the Vertex ‘CAARI’
values.
Ensure that a personal development plan is in place to support the attainment and
maintenance of competence to fulfil your role.
Participate fully in training and coaching sessions, completing all required coursework.
Prepare for and fully participate in regular documented performance review meetings.
Ensure that Continuing Professional Development Record is maintained to evidence that
regulatory, industry and JFM procedural knowledge is kept up to date.
Actively discuss ideas and suggestions for improvements to ways of working and the
service offered to customers.
Be flexible to support service demands during peaks and troughs.
Support ad-hoc projects as required.
Ensure that any complaints received are handled in line with JFM Complaint procedure and
are escalated appropriately.
Process customer information/requests within agreed policy and procedures to the
required quality standards.
Core Skills, Knowledge and Attributes
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Excellent communication skills and telephone manner.
Ability to accurately record data.
Customer focused, demonstrating good organisational skills and a flexible attitude.
Able to work well as part of a team.
Ability to give and receive honest and constructive feedback to drive improvements in
personal and business performance.
Knowledge of regulatory requirements.
Good understanding of Treating Customers Fairly principles.
Good working knowledge of Microsoft software packages and ability to use customer
database solutions.
Competencies
Role competency will be measured through
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Successful completion of regulatory training modules and assessments.
Successful completion of product specific training modules and assessments.
Call quality monitoring.
Back office quality monitoring.
Skills Matrix.
Regulatory breach rate.
Operational breach rate.
Complaint rate.
Active demonstration of Vertex ‘CAARI’ values.
Role Profile
Job Title Senior Customer Service Consultant – Retirement Specialist
Grade 5
Operational Area Service Centre (JFM)
Reports to Team Manager
Location Cheltenham
Last Updated March 2015
Our Values
Continuous Improvement
Aiming for Excellence
Accountability
Respect
Integration
Is there a better way
Do your best
You are the face of Vertex
A Two Way Street
One Team
Entry Criteria
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Minimum of 5 GCSEs, or equivalent, including Mathematics and English (grade c or
above)
Minimum of one year’s pension industry experience, preferably gained within pensions
administration or contact centre environment
Professional qualifications – CF1 & FA2