Client Service Consultant

Full Job Description

Career Opportunity: Client Service Consultant, Personal Lines Contact Centre

Santam, a leading insurer dedicated to providing unparalleled peace of mind, presents an exciting career opportunity within our dynamic Personal Lines Contact Centre. We are actively seeking a highly motivated and client-centric Client Service Consultant to join our dedicated team. This pivotal role will be based at our bustling offices in Hill on Empire, Parktown, a vibrant hub that fosters collaboration and professional growth.

As a Client Service Consultant, you will be at the forefront of delivering world-class products and services to our valued clients. This multifaceted role thrives within a fast-paced inbound and outbound call centre environment, where your ability to connect, inform, and assist clients will be paramount. Beyond simply responding to inquiries, you will be instrumental in nurturing lasting relationships and contributing directly to the growth and success of Santam’s Personal Lines division.

What Will Make You Successful in This Role?

Success in this role is multifaceted, requiring a blend of precision, dedication, and an unwavering commitment to client satisfaction. We are looking for individuals who can consistently demonstrate excellence across several key performance areas:

Key Responsibilities:

• Ensuring Quality Excellence: A non-negotiable aspect of this role is maintaining an exceptionally high standard of work quality. You will be expected to consistently achieve a minimum of 95% quality rating, as rigorously defined by our business standards. This encompasses accuracy of information provided, adherence to scripting and process, effective call handling, and the overall professional presentation of Santam. Regular quality assessments and feedback sessions will be an integral part of your development and ongoing performance measurement.
• Driving Sales Targets: In alignment with Santam’s overarching growth strategy, a significant component of your role will involve actively contributing to sales. You will be accountable for achieving specific sales targets set out by the business, proactively identifying client needs, and skilfully presenting relevant insurance solutions. This requires a proactive approach, an understanding of our product offerings, and the ability to convert opportunities while always maintaining ethical sales practices.
• Consistent Achievement of Agreed Productivity: The fast-paced nature of our contact centre demands high levels of efficiency. You will be expected to consistently meet and exceed agreed-upon productivity metrics, which may include call volumes handled, average handling time, wrap-up time, and other key operational indicators. Effective time management and a focused approach to each interaction will be crucial for sustained success.
• Fostering Superior Customer Satisfaction: At Santam, the client is at the heart of everything we do. Your primary objective will be to ensure exceptional customer satisfaction and cultivate a consistently positive client experience. This involves empathetic listening, clear communication, proactive problem-solving, and a genuine desire to exceed client expectations, all in line with our stringent organizational targets for client sentiment and feedback.
• Efficient Resolution of Broker Requests: A vital part of your day will involve accurately and efficiently processing broker requests. This includes utilizing first-call resolution techniques wherever possible, meaning you strive to resolve queries comprehensively during the initial interaction. To achieve this, proactive outbound calling will often be required to follow up, clarify details, and ensure that all queries are resolved timeously and in strict accordance with agreed-upon service level agreements (SLAs).
• Exceeding Service Level Agreements: You will be instrumental in ensuring that all client service level agreements are not just met, but consistently exceeded. This reflects our commitment to providing prompt, efficient, and reliable service at all times, building trust and loyalty with our client base.
• Demonstrating Excellent Time Management: The ability to effectively prioritize tasks, manage call queues, and adhere to scheduled breaks and activities is paramount. Superior time management skills will enable you to navigate the demands of a busy contact centre environment while maintaining quality and productivity.
• Cultivating Strong Stakeholder Relationships: This role extends beyond client interactions. You will be responsible for maintaining good and productive relationships with both our internal stakeholders (e.g., underwriting, claims, other departments) and our external stakeholders (e.g., brokers, partners). Effective collaboration and communication are key to seamless service delivery and problem resolution.

Qualifications and Experience:

To thrive in this challenging yet rewarding role, candidates must possess a foundational set of qualifications and demonstrate relevant experience:

• Educational Foundation: A valid Matric certificate or equivalent qualification is a fundamental requirement.
• Regulatory Compliance (FAIS): You must be FAIS compliant (NQF level 4). This signifies your understanding and adherence to the Financial Advisory and Intermediary Services Act, ensuring ethical and professional conduct in all financial dealings.
• Insurance Expertise: Prior experience in short-term insurance is essential. This demonstrates a practical understanding of insurance products, processes, terminology, and industry regulations, allowing for a quicker integration into our team.
• Impeccable Record: A clear criminal and credit record is a strict prerequisite, reflecting the high level of trust and responsibility associated with handling client information and financial products.
• FAIS Fit & Proper Criteria: Compliance with the FAIS Fit & Proper criteria is mandatory. This includes meeting minimum experience and competency requirements, which, importantly, can be obtained and developed while working under supervision within our supportive environment.
• Technological Proficiency: Strong computer literacy is required, including proficiency in standard office software (e.g., Microsoft Office Suite) and the ability to quickly learn and adapt to Santam’s internal systems and contact centre technologies.
• Flexibility in Working Hours: The operational nature of a contact centre means you must be willing to work shifts, which may include evenings, weekends, and public holidays, to ensure continuous client support.
• Adherence to Standards: A clean track record in terms of adherence to Quality standards and Compliance is crucial, showcasing your commitment to best practices and regulatory requirements.
• Consistent Performance: Demonstrated history of consistent target achievement in previous roles, particularly in sales or service environments, will be highly regarded.

Competencies:

Beyond qualifications and experience, we seek individuals who embody a specific set of competencies that drive success in our contact centre:

• Analytical Thinking: The ability to logically dissect complex information, identify root causes of issues, and formulate effective solutions quickly and accurately, even under pressure.
• Relationship Building Skills: Exceptional interpersonal skills that enable you to quickly establish rapport, build trust, and maintain positive relationships with clients, brokers, and internal colleagues.
• Sales Skill: The aptitude to identify sales opportunities, effectively articulate product value, overcome objections, and close sales in a client-focused manner, without being overly pushy.
• Information Seeking: A proactive and curious mindset that drives you to ask pertinent questions, gather comprehensive information, and delve deeper to fully understand client needs and resolve complex queries.
• Drive for Results: A strong internal motivation to meet and exceed targets, consistently deliver high-quality work, and take ownership of your performance and contributions to team goals.
• Initiative: The ability to act independently, anticipate needs, identify potential issues, and propose solutions without constant supervision, demonstrating a proactive and resourceful approach.
• Emotional Self-Control: The capacity to remain calm, composed, and professional in challenging or high-pressure situations, effectively managing your emotions to maintain a positive and productive interaction with clients.

If you are a driven, client-focused individual with a passion for excellence in the short-term insurance industry, we encourage you to apply and become a valued member of the Santam family. This is an opportunity to grow your career within a reputable organization that invests in its people and prioritizes client satisfaction.

Orientation:

At Santam, we are actively seeking dynamic individuals who are not only eager to contribute to a thriving and innovative environment but also demonstrate a genuine enthusiasm for embracing new challenges and continuously expanding their professional horizons. We value proactive learners who possess a natural curiosity and a drive to understand the intricacies of our industry, our clients, and our evolving global footprint. We believe that a strong sense of orientation towards our mission, values, and strategic goals is paramount for fostering a cohesive and successful team. This includes an inherent ability to adapt to diverse working styles, collaborate effectively within cross-functional teams, and maintain a client-centric mindset in every interaction. We are looking for individuals who can seamlessly integrate into our corporate culture, embracing our commitment to excellence, integrity, and social responsibility from day one.

Skills:

To excel within our organization, candidates are expected to possess a robust and multifaceted skill set. Paramount among these is Computer literacy, specifically a demonstrated proficiency with the MS Office package. This encompasses not just a basic understanding, but a strong command of applications such as Word for professional documentation, Excel for data analysis and reporting, PowerPoint for compelling presentations, and Outlook for efficient communication and calendar management. Beyond foundational digital fluency, we highly value individuals who are innately client service oriented. This means possessing exceptional interpersonal communication skills, an empathetic approach to understanding client needs, and a proactive attitude towards resolving queries and exceeding expectations. Our ideal candidate will be a natural problem-solver, capable of building lasting relationships and fostering trust with our diverse clientele.

Furthermore, strong negotiation skills are crucial for success in various facets of our operations. Whether engaging with policyholders, partners, or internal stakeholders, the ability to articulate value propositions, understand differing perspectives, and reach mutually beneficial outcomes is highly prized. This involves active listening, persuasive communication, and a strategic mindset to navigate complex discussions effectively. Finally, we are seeking individuals who are deadline and results-driven. In a fast-paced and dynamic industry, the capacity to manage multiple priorities, work efficiently under pressure, and consistently deliver high-quality outcomes within stipulated timeframes is non-negotiable. This translates to a strong sense of accountability, a meticulous approach to tasks, and a persistent focus on achieving measurable objectives that contribute directly to Santam’s continued growth and success.

Our Commitment to Transformation:

Santam proudly stands as the undisputed market leader in the general insurance industry in Southern Africa. This prominent position is a testament to our unwavering commitment to excellence, innovation, and strategic foresight over many years. As a large, diversified, and expanding company, we recognize our profound responsibility to drive positive societal change. We are deeply committed to transformation and growth, not merely as business objectives, but as fundamental pillars of our corporate identity. While our established headquarters are firmly rooted in South Africa, serving as the operational heart of our enterprise, our ambitions extend far beyond national borders. We are actively and rapidly extending our presence into emerging markets across Africa and Asia, strategically expanding our reach to serve new communities and contribute to economic development in these vibrant regions. This expansion is meticulously planned and executed, ensuring that our core values and high service standards are consistently upheld across all our new ventures.

With an impressive and continually growing client base of over 1 million policyholders, Santam demonstrates the trust and confidence placed in us by a vast array of individuals and organizations. We are dedicated to providing comprehensive and tailored insurance solutions that cater to the diverse needs of our clientele, which includes private individuals, dynamic commercial enterprises, specialized business owners with unique risk profiles, and influential institutions. A significant indicator of our robust standing and reliability is our strong engagement with the South African corporate landscape, as we proudly serve 80 of the Top 100 companies listed on the JSE.

Our deeply ingrained commitment to Insurance, Good and Proper goes beyond just providing cover. It is a holistic philosophy that permeates every aspect of our operations. We understand that insurance is not merely a financial product; it is a promise of security, a safeguard against the unforeseen. Therefore, we strive to offer genuine peace of mind, empowering our clients to live their lives fully and without undue apprehension. We believe that by ensuring our clients can focus on living in the moment, not worrying about the unexpected, we contribute significantly to their overall well-being and productivity. Because at Santam, we are profoundly convinced that the freedom to seize every day is worth protecting. This belief underpins our dedication to crafting innovative products, delivering exceptional service, and fostering long-term relationships built on trust and reliability.

Santam is unequivocally committed to diversity, inclusion, and belonging. We recognize that a rich tapestry of perspectives, experiences, and backgrounds is essential for fostering creativity, driving innovation, and achieving sustainable growth. As an equal opportunity employer, we actively encourage applications from candidates of all backgrounds, irrespective of race, gender, sexual orientation, religion, age, or socioeconomic status. We are particularly dedicated to creating an accessible and supportive environment for persons with disabilities, actively seeking to remove barriers and provide necessary accommodations. Furthermore, we are leaders in promoting neuro-inclusivity, understanding and valuing the unique strengths and contributions that neurodiverse individuals bring to the workplace. Our ultimate goal is to cultivate a vibrant and dynamic work environment where everyone can thrive, feel respected, valued, and empowered to reach their full potential, contributing to Santam’s collective success.

Click Here To Apply