Manager - Call Centre Vendor Operations

Job Description

Manager - Call Centre Vendor Operations Job Location: Hyderabad and Cochin Key Responsibilities: Vendor Relationship Management: Develop and maintain strong, effective relationships with third-party vendors who provide call centre services. Act as the primary point of contact for external vendors, ensuring smooth communication and collaboration. Coordinate and monitor vendor compliance with contractual agreements, service-level agreements (SLAs), and company policies. Team Leadership: Supervise, train, and mentor call centre agents to ensure high levels of productivity, performance, and customer satisfaction. Monitor and assess call centre agents performance through regular evaluations and provide feedback for improvement. Handle escalated customer complaints or issues that agents are unable to resolve. Performance Monitoring: Track and analyse vendor performance to ensure that KPIs (Key Performance Indicators), including call volume, response time, customer satisfaction, and first-call resolution, are met. Conduct regular vendor performance reviews and provide feedback to ensure that service levels and expectations are continuously improved. Address and resolve performance-related issues or discrepancies, working closely with vendors to implement corrective actions. Quality Assurance: Ensure that the external vendors adhere to the companys quality standards, procedures, and protocols for customer interactions. Conduct quality audits on vendor-generated calls to ensure that customer service meets internal and external standards. Work with vendors to resolve any issues that may affect customer satisfaction or the quality of service. Process Improvement: Identify and implement process improvements within the vendor operation that enhance operational efficiency, service quality, and cost-effectiveness. Collaborate with vendors to streamline processes and enhance workflows that impact call centre operations. Recommend tools, technologies, or practices that can improve vendor performance and operational outcomes. Reporting & Data Analysis: Analyze and report on key performance metrics related to vendor operations, including call handling, resolution times, and customer feedback. Provide regular updates to management on vendor performance, trends, and opportunities for improvement. Assist in preparing and presenting detailed reports on vendor performance for leadership teams. Contract and SLA Management: Support the management of contracts with external vendors, ensuring that all terms and conditions are adhered to. Monitor the fulfilment of service level agreements (SLAs) and ensure that vendors meet agreed-upon standards. Work closely with the legal or procurement department to manage renewals, renegotiations, or amendments to vendor contracts. Training & Support: Work with vendors to ensure that call centre agents are adequately trained and equipped with the necessary resources to perform their roles effectively. Ensure that vendors provide ongoing training and up skilling to agents in alignment with the organizations customer service standards. Coordinate cross-functional training programs to ensure that all parties involved in vendor operations are well-informed. Escalation Management: Act as a point of escalation for issues that vendors cannot resolve independently. Resolve complex or critical issues that arise between the call centre and external vendors in a timely and professional manner. Ensure that vendor disputes, delays, or concerns are handled promptly and professionally, maintaining a high level of customer service. Collaboration with Internal Teams: Work closely with the internal call centre management team to ensure seamless integration between internal and external operations. Collaborate with other departments (e.g., IT, HR, Procurement) to address issues related to technology, staffing, and operational needs. Liaise with the leadership team to align vendor operations with overall business objectives. Skills & Qualifications: Experience: Minimum of 5-6 years of experience in a call centre or customer service environment, with 1 year in a supervisory or management role in vendor operations will be added advantage. Vendor Management: Proven experience in managing vendor relationships and ensuring adherence to service level agreements (SLAs). Analytical Skills: Strong ability to analyse performance data and make data-driven decisions to improve vendor operations. Communication Skills: Excellent verbal and written communication skills to interact effectively with vendors, internal teams, and customers. Problem-Solving: Ability to manage and resolve complex issues that arise between vendors and internal teams. Project Management: Strong organizational and project management skills to handle multiple vendor relationships and operational tasks simultaneously. Negotiation Skills: Experience in negotiating contracts, terms, and conditions with external vendors.