Meet Healthcode's Customer Services Team Leader
Charles joined Healthcode in October 2018 and has extensive experience in resolving problems for service users. This has equipped him with the confidence and skills to support Healthcode customers who need help. He tells us about the latest improvements within customer services which are designed to ensure a swift and supportive response to simple and complex queries alike. And he explains why it is important to speak your language and demystify technology so you can reap the benefits of your Healthcode account.
What did you do before you joined Healthcode?
Before I started at Healthcode, I spent several years working with Housing Benefit claimants, first as a benefits advisor for a local authority and then as an income officer for a housing association. This was challenging in a very different way to my role at Healthcode but I do think it equipped me with some useful skills.
What were your first impressions of Healthcode?
I was immediately struck by how friendly everyone was in the company - this is a very sociable place to work! Within my team, I was quickly impressed by my colleagues’ commitment to helping customers in need, which remains true to this day.
Give us an overview of the role of customer services team leader?
My main responsibility is ensuring that we provide the best possible support to our customers and resolve their queries as accurately and swiftly as possible. This involves monitoring our inbound and outbound traffic, resource planning, and assisting with complex queries that require escalation.
How many customer services calls and queries do you receive each month, on average?
Volumes tend to fluctuate quite a bit. On average we receive 10,000 calls and 4,000 emails each month.
What are the most common questions that you receive from Healthcode customers and how do you help them?
We receive a lot of account access queries from customers who are unsure of their login details. We also receive a lot of questions around the billing process – either how to create a bill, or how to fix a bill that has failed validation. Whatever the nature of their query, we always try to ensure that we’re equipping our customers with the skills and knowledge to resolve and pre-empt issues themselves, where possible.
What do you think are the most important assets of the customer services team?
Undoubtedly, it’s the relationships that we are able to build with our customers and the knowledge that our team has to share. We know that if a customer has contacted us, they have a problem that needs solving, and it’s absolutely vital that the team and the customers can establish a rapport as this instils confidence that we can provide the required resolution.
As a technology company, is it particularly important for you and your team to speak ‘plain English’?
We know that some of our customers are less confident with new technology than others, so we absolutely understand the need for clear communication and my previous employment has given me a lot of experience in demystifying technical language. Like most companies we have a certain amount of internal jargon but it’s essential that customers understand the guidance we give them whenever they require support.
How are Healthcode continuing to invest in customer services and support?
The future is going to see a lot of positive change for Healthcode’s customer support functions. We’ve recently launched Harley, our chatbot so customers can get instant help 24/7 and we’re going to continue to pursue new technological solutions that will substantially improve our customer experience. We’re also pleased to be recruiting and training new staff to better address demand.
And finally, how do you switch off after work?
After work, you’ll usually find me unwinding with my cat on my lap and a good book in front of me. I’m a keen reader of classical Russian literature, amongst other things.