Support Team Lead at Kerridge Commercial Systems South Africa

Kerridge CS Commercial Systems is a market leader in the development and provision of trading and financial software environments for specialist Distribution, Wholesale, Merchant and Retail industry sectors, addressing single or multi-branch operations, as well as catering for organisations with 'point-of-sale' showrooms and warehouses. 

The Software Support Department assists customers with queries and problems relating to the KerridgeCS application software.  The Department also provides customers with a wide variety of other services including the installation of new software and customer training. 

Role Summary

The Support Team Leader’s main duties will be to:

• Support Customers with problems and queries relating to the KerridgeCS application software
• Accurately resolve complex problems using investigative and analytical skills
• Identify and replicate problems that require a software change by Development
• Work as part of the Support Team
• Work with other departments to provide solutions to the Customer
• Manage all aspects of the day-to-day operation of a Team of Application Support Analyst’s
• Ensure the Team provides Customers with an efficient, professional high quality Support service in accordance with the Service Level Agreement
• Assist Support Team to resolve problems and queries
• Build and develop good relationships with Customers and other KCS departments
• Support, motivate and develop Support Team
• Ensure Support Team receive the necessary training 

Key Responsibilities:

The Support Team Leader’s main duties and responsibilities will be:

• Ensuring that the Team provides an efficient high quality Support service in accordance with the Service Level Agreement
• Pro-actively taking an overview of the Support service provided by the Team, addressing any issues as necessary
• Monitoring the Teams call’s on a regular basis and in particular …
  • Ensuring that the incoming call queues are monitored and actioned effectively on a regular basis
  • Reviewing all Team member’s calls on at least a fortnightly basis and offering guidance and advice where necessary
  • Ensuring the workload is evenly distributed amongst the Team and the Team member’s undertake a wide variety of calls
  • Ensuring the Team provides effective correct and prompt call resolutions, and keep old calls to a minimum
• Identifying personnel with specific training needs or with the potential to develop further, and implementing a training plan 
• Developing the Team member’s so they can also undertake chargeable or after sales work including Suppoprt standby and Customer training 
• Ensuring the Support Analyst’s work together as a Team and adopt a more pro-active approach to handling Support calls and building good Customer relationships
• Ensuring that the Team provides the appropriate Consultancy assistance to the KCS foreign offices and other KCS departments, for example the Implementation Team
• Ensuring the Team follows and applies the standard Commercial Software Support Procedures nd Practices
• Pro-actively and regularly reviewing the skill base and composition of the Team to ensure the optimum service is delivered, making best use of resources and recommending changes as appropriate 
• Alerting the Assistant Manager as necessary regarding any Team issues or problems, and dealing with these when appropriate
• Pro-actively undertaking a wide variety of Support calls, other Support work and after sales work following the correct procedures and practices
• Continually and pro-actively acquiring and retaining knowledge of KCS products and systems and encouraging other Support personnel to do this
• Pro-actively adding to and using the Support tools such as Intranet to gain and share knowledge and encouraging other Support personnel to do this
• Improving relationships with Customers, and when necessary acting as a key contact for Customers, preparing for and attending meetings as required
• Effectively handling complaints and call escalation requests from Customers, referring any serious complaints to the Assistant Manager 
• Work with the other Team Leaders and Assistant Manager to ensure that a consistent approach is adopted to support at all times by all members of the Support Team’s
• Pro-actively analysing the work undertaken by Support and identifying ways in which repetitive calls can be reduced or eliminated 
• Assisting the Management Team to review internal Support procedures and revise or develop new Support procedures, ensuring that all Support personnel are aware of these
• Assisting the Assistant Manager to recruit new Application Support personnel 
• Alerting senior personnel and the Management Team as necessary regarding any sensitive Customer issues
• Taking the initiative and identifying ways in which the Support service and/or Support procedures can be improved and work with the Management Team to implement new initiatives
• Undertaking any other projects as required by the Assistan Manager, Application Support Manager or the Chief Operating Officer 

Job Function Competencies

•  Motivate and lead the Team
•  Assist the Team with complex problems 
•  Assist the Team to prioritise workload
•  Analyse workload as required (by individual, by Customer, by module etc)
•  Identify Team training requirements
•  Identify areas for improvement and make recommendations 

Key Requirements: 

Experience and/or Qualifications Required 

Essential 

• Extensive experience in a Customer-focused role in a service-oriented environment
• A good knowledge of the Support Team procedures and practices 

Desirable 

• In depth knowledge of KCS Application Software
• Experience of mentoring and/or assisting to develop Support personnel 

Personal Skills Required 

Essential

• Strong leadership, motivational and coaching skills
• Ability to talk to all levels of Customer’s (from end user to Directors)
• Possess good investigation skills to tackle unfamiliar problems using previous experience within the role
• Systematic and logical approach to problem solving
• Good written and verbal communication skills
• Be professional, organised and be able to prioritise and manage workload
• Adaptable, positive and pro-active
• Able to work under pressure
• Calm under pressure
• Strong customer service skills 

Desirable 

• Good listener