Head of Customer Service

Our ambition is for Harrods to be the ultimate luxury shopping and lifestyle destination, however our customers choose to connect with us – in person, over the telephone and virtually.  Delivering world class omni channel service and consistently exceeding customer expectations will be key to our success.  It goes without saying that our customers expect simplicity, ease, pace and most importantly personalised service, tailored to their needs, when they use our services and everyone at Harrods has a role to play in that ambition.

It's for this reason that we’re reviewing how we look at customer service.  Our customer experience teams, in the contact centre, in store customer services and in continuous improvement can be our superpower with the rich data and insight they gather from customers.  Whilst we currently do a good job of customer care, we think there’s room to grow in terms of how we use the voice of the customer to drive business decisions and modernise the way we operate.

We’re looking to get ahead of new trends and technologies and consider how they might benefit our customers who expect a curated and high touch approach.  As well as truly listening to and seeking to understand customer feedback in a way that helps educate internal stakeholders and third party brand partners to make change for the better.

You could be forgiven for assuming that Harrods is a small and simple business.  In some ways it is, we’re based across 11 UK sites, with the majority of our customer facing operation being in our iconic Knightsbridge store, along with smaller concept stores and support areas around the country.  We also work in partnership with hundreds of third party brand partners to deliver the most extensive product range to our customers – and yet it must also look and feel consistently like Harrods.  That’s where some of the complexity comes.

Everything the team does is about supporting seamlessly the customer's needs at any given point during their multi-channel journey to ensure we keep exceeding their expectations and keep reflecting our luxury brand.

We are now looking for a Head of Customer Service for all channels across the Harrods business, who will play a crucial role in ensuring Harrods continues to be seen as the world’s ultimate luxury shopping destination.

Reporting to the Retail Director this is a key leadership role, responsible for the delivery of world-class service across a 90-seat Contact Centre (spread across an in-house team and outsource partner), along with an In-Store Customer Services team of 34 and Continuous Improvement team, this function meets the needs of circa 250,000 contacts each year, through in-person, telephone and online interactions

About the Role

You will be responsible for leading the mission to achieve a seamless customer experience and using highly developed influencing skills to ensure all of Harrods’ leadership has this mission as a priority.

You will be as comfortable operating at a strategic level, planning the future approach for the Customer Service function, as you are personally handling VIC (Very Important Client) cases where required on behalf of the Managing Director.  This is a varied, fast-paced and results focussed role where you’ll be able to bring your passion for innovation and staying at the forefront of customer care trends through industry awareness – along with an obsession for customers and colleagues, building a culture for our team to thrive in and do their best work.  You’ll enjoy a blend of both the strategic and the operational as its crucial to success.

As Harrods relies on a large proportion of its trade coming from a relatively small number of clients, it will be your job to ensure the volume is dealt with efficiently but with a personal touch and that our very best clients have a frictionless journey that meets their individual requirements, consistently.

You will leverage the power of data and our SVC (Single View of Customer) capability to ensure our interactions are tailored and where possible anticipated and personalised.

About You

You will have proven experience in successfully leading change and transformation in Contact Centres and have extensive knowledge of best-in-class customer service practices, both current and industry advancements ideally operating at currently or previously in a Head Of role.

You will also -

• Have a strong strategic and customer focus with a clear understanding of the wider issues impacting relevant markets (UK, China, Middle East, in particular)
• Be a natural collaborator, you build exceptional relationships with people at all levels, from the senior business leaders to our front-line colleagues and use this to influence root cause change and improvements
• Be customer obsessed with a commercial focus.  You relentlessly pursue improvements to design out pain and frustration for the customer in the most commercially effective way
• Have strong communication skills.  Significant experience not only in building business proposals, delivering change to develop and improve operating practices, but also being able to engage the wider business and bring them along with you
• Have experience in operating a mixed in-house and outsourced model
• Have experience in business process improvement methodologies would be advantageous
• Have an established track record of exceeding targets, KPI’s in a fast paced environment

About Us

Harrods is one of the world’s leading luxury department stores and we’re becoming a destination for top designers, and the most sought-after brands from around the globe. Our combined mission is to make visiting our iconic Knightsbridge store one of the world’s most inspiring shopping experiences.

Our Promise To You

Help us make the impossible possible for our customers and we’ll do something remarkable for you. As well as offering a friendly environment to inspire your best work, we provide abundant opportunities and support to build an exceptional career across the varied specialisms of our business. 

In return, you will receive an excellent benefits package, including our our famous in- store discount (including Food Halls and restaurants), BUPA healthcare, bonus scheme, excellent pension scheme- if you contribute 6%, the company will contribute 10%, as well as being eligible for our company bonus scheme.

Uniquely You

Whilst our job adverts outline the ideal qualities, skills, and prior experience for the role, we believe in the potential for growth and value individual strengths. If you can demonstrate the majority of skills and strong experience to thrive in this role, we would encourage you to apply. 

At Harrods we believe the personality and authenticity of our people sets us apart. We celebrate and invite applications from all cultures, backgrounds, tastes, and experiences and are proud of our culture where people from all walks of life can grow and thrive. What makes you unique makes us exceptional.

If you want to know more about life at Harrods, search #TogetherHarrods on LinkedIn, or follow us on Instagram @togetherharrods.