Customer Service & Sales Lead

Job Purpose

To lead, manage and develop the Customer Service team, ensuring the delivery of excellent customer service across all Client product ranges and customer accounts.

The role is responsible for overseeing daily departmental operations, ensuring the efficient processing of customer orders, timely resolution of queries and complaints, and the development of strong customer relationships.

In addition, the role will have an active Inside Sales and Account Development responsibility, proactively identifying opportunities to grow existing customer accounts, promote products, generate additional sales and improve customer retention.

Working closely with Sales, Warehouse, Finance and other departments, the Team Lead will drive operational efficiency, commercial growth, continuous improvement and team development, ensuring departmental service standards and business objectives are achieved.

Main Duties and Responsibilities

1. Team Leadership and Development

· Lead, motivate and develop the Customer Service team, promoting a positive, collaborative and customer-focused environment.

· Allocate and manage daily workloads, ensuring priorities, deadlines and service levels are achieved.

· Provide coaching, training and ongoing support, including the induction of new team members.

· Monitor individual and team performance, providing regular feedback and identifying development needs.

· Manage attendance, annual leave and resource allocation to ensure adequate departmental cover.

· Conduct regular team meetings to communicate business updates and operational priorities.

· Promote accountability, teamwork and commercial awareness throughout the department.

· Act as the first point of escalation for complex customer queries and complaints.

2. Customer Service Operations

· Oversee incoming customer calls and emails, ensuring professional and timely responses.

· Ensure accurate and efficient processing of customer orders across all product ranges.

· Monitor customer queries and complaints, ensuring appropriate follow-up and resolution.

· Oversee queries relating to product availability, pricing, repeat orders, product information and incorrect or missing deliveries.

· Liaise with Warehouse to resolve delivery issues, stock discrepancies and customer returns, arranging replacements where necessary.

· Maintain strong relationships with key customers and act as the main point of contact for Sales personnel regarding customer service matters.

· Ensure customer expectations are managed effectively and service standards are consistently maintained.

· Encourage proactive customer engagement to strengthen relationships, support repeat ordering and identify additional business opportunities.

3. Inside Sales and Account Development

· Proactively identify opportunities to grow existing customer accounts and generate additional sales across our clients product ranges.

· Work closely with the Sales team to support sales targets, commercial objectives and account development initiatives.

· Identify and develop cross-selling and upselling opportunities, promoting new products, existing ranges, promotions and special offers.

· Proactively contact customers to encourage repeat orders, understand purchasing requirements and increase order frequency.

· Monitor customer purchasing patterns and identify opportunities to increase account value and product range penetration.

· Identify customers whose purchasing has reduced or ceased and take appropriate action to encourage repeat business and improve retention.

· Follow up on product enquiries, customer leads and potential sales opportunities.

· Support key account development through regular customer contact and collaboration with external Sales representatives.

· Maintain accurate records of customer interactions, sales opportunities and follow-up activities.

· Communicate customer feedback, market opportunities and competitor activity to the relevant Sales and management teams.

· Support sales campaigns and commercial initiatives, ensuring all sales activity aligns with company pricing policies and commercial guidelines.

4. Departmental Administration and Systems

· Oversee the RMA returns process, liaising with Warehouse to ensure returns are received and processed.

· Ensure credit notes are issued accurately and promptly.

· Monitor discount price lists on Sage and maintain accurate pricing information.

· Oversee customer online ordering systems and supplier online platforms.

· Ensure the weekly Back Order Report is reviewed, monitored and actioned.

· Oversee customer proforma invoices and credit card payment processing.

· Ensure departmental documentation, customer records and sales information are accurately maintained.

· Ensure office sanitising supplies are ordered as required.

5. Cross-Departmental Communication

· Work closely with Warehouse to resolve delivery issues, returns and stock discrepancies.

· Liaise with Finance regarding customer orders, deliveries, credit limits, outstanding payments and account queries.

· Maintain regular communication with Sales to ensure customer requirements and commercial opportunities are identified and addressed.

· Support account development, customer retention and sales initiatives in collaboration with the Sales Manager and external Sales team.

· Share relevant customer feedback and market insights across the business.

· Escalate significant customer, operational or commercial issues to management as appropriate.

6. Performance Management and Continuous Improvement

· Monitor departmental performance against agreed customer service, operational and sales KPIs.

· Identify opportunities to improve processes, efficiencies, customer satisfaction and commercial performance.

· Review recurring customer complaints and operational issues, implementing corrective actions where appropriate.

· Ensure departmental procedures and service standards are consistently followed.

· Identify training requirements and support ongoing team development.

· Provide regular management updates on departmental performance, sales opportunities, challenges and improvement initiatives.

· Encourage a proactive approach to customer engagement, account development and continuous improvement.

Competencies for the Role

• Leadership and Team Development
• Customer Focus and Relationship Management
• Communication and Collaboration
• Planning, Organisation and Decision Making
• Continuous Improvement

Skills, Qualifications and Experience

· Educated to third level or equivalent standard.

· Previous experience in customer service, preferably within pharmaceutical, healthcare, wholesale or distribution.

· Previous supervisory or team leadership experience desirable.

· Experience in inside sales, account management or business development advantageous.

· Strong understanding of customer service principles and commercial awareness.

· Excellent communication, interpersonal and relationship-building skills.

· Strong organisational, planning and time management abilities.

· Proven problem-solving, decision-making and complaint-handling skills.

· Ability to motivate, coach and develop team members.

· Confident in identifying sales opportunities, promoting products and developing customer accounts.

· Good computer skills, particularly Microsoft Office and Excel. Experience with Sage or similar ERP systems advantageous.

· Ability to manage competing priorities and work effectively under pressure.

· Proactive approach with strong attention to detail, accuracy and accountability.