Meet Healthcode’s Quality and Training Manager

Tell us about what you do at Healthcode?

I’m responsible for checking the quality of our interactions with customers across all channels. That involves monitoring a random selection of calls, emails, Live Chats and Healthcode Academy training sessions to ensure we’re always polite, engaged and follow the correct company processes, as well as reviewing customer feedback surveys. If a customer has an issue, I’ll review their previous contacts to find out what went wrong and see if there are learning points for our team.

The whole purpose of quality analysis is so we can spot issues and be proactive about addressing them. It’s not about being critical but helping people to do their best and giving them extra support and training if they need it.

In fact, my role has recently expanded to cover new starter and refresher training for our Customer Service team. It takes about four weeks to train a new customer service agent before they’re ready to start taking calls and we sit with them for the fifth week to make sure they are ready to go solo. It’s so important to set them up for success.

Why is customer service so important to you?

An interaction with someone who’s bright, helpful and informed can make such a difference to your experience, whether it’s in a shop or speaking to someone on the phone.

I was a frontline Customer Service Agent for four and a half years and before that I worked in the travel industry for many years so I’ve always been passionate about great customer service. Although I don’t deal directly with customers anymore, my current job allows me to apply everything I’ve learned along the way to ensure the customer’s journey flows as it should.

What makes a good customer service interaction?

I always look for a few things, starting with basics like verifying the caller’s ID for data protection. Politeness, tone of voice and even body language are also important. If someone is slouching, for instance, it’s possible to pick that up even if you can’t see them.

Although they need to follow company processes, we don’t make our service teams follow a tight script because that can sound robotic. We prefer them to bring their own personality to the job as this will help them establishing a good rapport with customers.

Finally, as much as we love talking to our customers, we don’t want them to have to call us more than once about the same problem. It’s important that everyone in the service team has the knowledge to resolve the issue or escalate it to a colleague/team where appropriate. They should also be able to explain any suitable self-serve opportunities or training sessions to customers so they’re empowered to do more for themselves.

How do you get the best from your team?

In my experience, you need happy staff to have happy customers so I’m pleased that Healthcode recognise the value of training, incentivising and supporting everyone in the team.

If an agent is stressed about their work or doesn’t understand something it’s important that we pick this up quickly as not everyone will ask for help. As well as call monitoring, I have regular 121 meetings with the team and I check in with them to see if there’s anything bothering them.

Some of our new starters don’t have previous experience of working in a call centre so I provide coaching, including roleplays. It’s a bit like drama lessons we all used to have at school in that it takes them out of their comfort zone but it’s also a great way to prepare them for what could happen. I’ve also put guides together on tone of voice and body language and give them tips like always having a glass of water to hand so they avoid sounding tired by the end of the day.

What do you like best about working for Healthcode?

It’s important to be happy to come to work each day because you spend more time with colleagues than you do members of your own family. When I joined six years ago, it immediately felt like I was part of a friendly team and while the company has grown a lot, it still feels that way. You’re not just a number – people know and care about you and want to help you maximise your potential.

And finally, how for you switch off when you’re not at work?

I love reading, especially books that are based on true stories like Virginia Andrews’ Flowers in the Attic. I’m not picky about genre though and I’ll pick up any book that takes my fancy, whether it’s fantasy, thriller or comedy.

I’m also really into arts and crafts. Although I don’t get to practice as much as I used to, I’ve recently been able to channel my creativity into making tiered ‘nappy cakes’ from rolled-up nappies and other new baby essentials for colleagues. They’re a great gift for a baby shower.

I inherited that practical, hands-on side from my parents. I grew up helping my dad make wardrobes so I’m not scared of a power tool and at one point I even considered being a carpenter. However, I love being around people so this is the perfect role for me.