At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead the strategy for customer service excellence and drive impactful improvements.
- Company: Join B&Q, a leading retail organisation committed to making homes better.
- Benefits: Enjoy flexible working, competitive salary, generous holiday, and health support.
- Other info: Inclusive workplace culture with opportunities for personal and professional growth.
- Why this job: Make a real difference in customer experiences while developing your career.
- Qualifications: Experience in operational excellence and strong analytical skills required.
The predicted salary is between 56250 - 68750 £ per year.
Overview
Permanent From 52,000 - 60,000 + Pension + PMI + ShareSave + 6.6 weeks holiday + Hybrid Working (1/2 days per week in the office) Southampton, Store Support Office.
We believe anyone can improve their home to make life better. From our Southampton Store Support office (SSO) we equip our stores, our people, and our whole business with everything it takes to help our millions of customers create a home they’ll love. Join us as an Operational Excellence Lead (Customer Services) and you’ll be a big part of this.
Role Purpose: The Operational Excellence Lead will define and lead the Customer Service Operational Excellence strategy across B&Q, driving improvements in customer experience, operational efficiency, contact reduction and cost savings. The role will set the vision, governance, roadmap and measurement framework for continuous improvement, ensuring activity is aligned to customer, commercial and strategic priorities. Working closely with Customer Service, Experience, Product and Digital teams, they will optimise end-to-end customer journeys, establish clear KPIs and lead a high-performing team focused on measurable business outcomes.
What's the job?
- Operational Excellence Strategy Define and own the Customer Service Operational Excellence strategy, ensuring alignment to the wider Customer Service, Experience and Transformation strategy. Develop and maintain a multi-year roadmap focused on contact reduction, process simplification, customer experience improvement and operational efficiency. Identify emerging opportunities across automation, AI, process redesign and service innovation to improve customer and business outcomes. Establish clear operational excellence standards, methodologies and governance across the function.
- Continuous Improvement & Transformation Lead the identification, prioritisation and delivery of high-impact continuous improvement initiatives across Customer Service and wider business functions. Champion a root cause-led approach that removes failure demand and improves Right First Time resolution. Ensure improvement opportunities are quantified, prioritised and tracked through to benefit realisation. Drive cross-functional improvements that simplify customer journeys, improve colleague experiences and reduce operational complexity.
- Leadership & Team Development Lead, coach and develop the Operational Excellence team. Build capability in operational excellence, process improvement, customer-centric problem solving and agile ways of working across Customer Service. Foster a culture of continuous improvement, accountability and customer-centric decision making. Create strong internal and external partnerships that support delivery of strategic objectives.
- Data, Insight & Performance Establish a data-led approach to identifying customer pain points, operational inefficiencies and improvement opportunities. Define and maintain the Customer Service Operational Excellence KPI framework, ensuring clear measures, ownership, targets and governance are in place across all improvement activity. Develop and embed leading and lagging indicators that measure customer outcomes, operational performance, efficiency, quality, demand reduction, digital adoption and value realisation. Define and oversee the Operational Excellence performance framework, including benefit tracking, contact reduction and customer outcome measures.
- Cross Functional Influence Work closely with colleagues across Customer Service, Technology, Digital, Marketplace, Supply Chain and Retail Operations to improve end-to-end customer journeys. Influence strategic business decisions to ensure customer and operational impacts are fully understood and considered. Ensure offshore partner innovation, improvement initiatives and strategic roadmaps align to B&Q priorities. Support business-wide change programmes by embedding customer and operational thinking into decision making.
- Commercial & Financial Ownership Identify and drive sustainable cost reduction opportunities across Customer Service operations. Support business case development for strategic investments, technology enhancements and transformation initiatives. Ensure operational risks are identified, managed and mitigated appropriately. Support the achievement of departmental financial and efficiency targets through effective prioritisation and delivery of improvement initiatives.
What we need:
- Experience leading operational excellence, transformation or continuous improvement functions within customer service, contact centre or omnichannel environments.
- Proven track record of delivering large-scale change, service improvement, contact reduction and measurable operational efficiency programmes.
- Strong understanding of process optimisation, automation, AI-enabled service transformation and agile delivery methodologies.
- Experience using customer insight, operational data and performance metrics to identify, prioritise and deliver improvement opportunities.
- Experience defining KPI frameworks, benefits realisation methods, governance models and performance management approaches.
- Strong analytical and problem-solving capability, with the ability to translate data into actionable insight and strategic recommendations.
- Advanced stakeholder management, influencing, communication, presentation and facilitation skills.
- Strong commercial acumen, including experience developing business cases and delivering measurable financial benefits.
- Ability to lead, coach and develop high-performing teams and build continuous improvement capability.
- Experience working with offshore BPO partners, third-party service providers and cross-functional teams to balance customer, operational and commercial outcomes.
- Lean Six Sigma Green Belt or Black Belt preferred.
- Project or Programme Management qualification preferred (Prince2, MSP, Agile or equivalent).
What's in it for me?
- Flexible & Hybrid Working - Work in a way that helps you perform at your best, balancing business needs with personal commitments.
- Career Growth & Development - Access learning, development and career opportunities across one of the UK's leading retail organisations.
- Competitive Reward Package - A competitive salary, pension and a range of financial benefits.
- Colleague Discounts - Enjoy discounts across B&Q and the wider Kingfisher Group.
- Health & Wellbeing Support - Access wellbeing resources, health support and employee assistance programmes designed to help you thrive.
- Time Away From Work - Generous holiday entitlement and family-friendly policies that support life both inside and outside work.
- A Place Where You Belong - We're committed to creating an inclusive workplace where everyone feels valued, respected and empowered to be themselves.
- Make a Difference - The work you do will have a direct impact on our customers, colleagues and business.
Eligibility To Work Please note that B&Q does not currently offer visa sponsorship for this role. Applicants must have the right to work in the UK at the time of application and throughout their employment.
Accessibility & Disability Confident At B&Q, we're committed to creating an inclusive recruitment experience for everyone. If you require any additional support or reasonable adjustments to help you complete your application or throughout the recruitment process, please let us know. If you would like to be considered under the Disability Confident Scheme, please contact us at recruitment@b-and-q.co.uk. If you meet the minimum criteria for the role, we'll consider your application in line with our Disability Confident commitments.
Operational Excellence Lead (Customer Services) in Eastleigh employer: B&q
B&Q Stirling is an excellent employer that prioritises both customer satisfaction and employee well-being. With competitive pay, an award-winning pension scheme, and generous holiday allowances, we foster a supportive work culture that encourages growth and teamwork. Join us in creating a positive shopping experience while developing your skills in a dynamic retail environment.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Operational Excellence Lead (Customer Services) in Eastleigh
✨Get to Know the Company Culture
Before jumping into applications, it’s super helpful to understand the vibe at B&q. Check out their social media, read reviews on sites like Glassdoor, and see how they engage with customers. It'll give you clues on their values and help tailor your conversation during interviews.
✨Join Customer Support Communities
Dive into online communities like those on Reddit or LinkedIn where customer support pros hang out. Participating in discussions or asking questions can make you more visible to potential recruiters and help you learn about job openings at companies like B&q before they even post them.
✨Attend Job Fairs or Networking Events
Look out for local job fairs or events specifically for customer support roles. This is your chance to meet hiring managers face-to-face, and you might even get the opportunity to interview on the spot!
✨Show Off Your Skills with Customer Interactions
In the customer support world, showcasing your communication skills is key. Consider creating a short video introducing yourself or even doing a mock call to showcase your abilities. It's a memorable way to stand out, especially if you can share this during your interview process!
We think you need these skills to ace Operational Excellence Lead (Customer Services) in Eastleigh
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Off Your Communication Skills:In customer support, clear communication is key. Make sure your CV highlights any experience you've had in customer-facing roles and your ability to resolve issues. Don't shy away from including specific examples of how you've gone above and beyond to help customers – this really shows your potential in the role.
Tailor Your Cover Letter to B&q:Your cover letter is your chance to shine! Tell us why you want to work at B&q specifically. Mention any unique aspects of our company that resonate with you and how your skills can enhance our customer support. This personal touch will set your application apart from the rest!
Highlight Any Relevant Tools or Tech Skills:If you've used customer support software like Zendesk or Freshdesk or have experience with CRM systems, make sure to mention these in your application. Being familiar with industry-standard tools can be a big plus for us when we’re reviewing applications, as it shows you can hit the ground running!
Demonstrate Your Problem-Solving Skills:Customer support roles often require a knack for problem-solving. In your application, share examples of past experiences where you've tackled tough situations or resolved conflicts effectively. This will give us a good sense of how you handle challenges—an essential skill for success at B&q!
How to prepare for a job interview at B&q
✨Show Off Your People Skills
In customer support, it's all about communicating effectively. Prepare to share instances from your past experiences where you handled difficult customers or resolved conflicts. We want to hear how you empathised and found the best solutions, so think of specific examples to back up your stories!
✨Know the Tools of the Trade
Familiarise yourself with common customer support tools like Zendesk or Freshdesk, and make sure to review how you’ve used any similar systems in the past. During the interview, being able to discuss your hands-on experience with software or ticketing systems can really set you apart from the competition, so don’t skip this prep!
✨Show Genuine Enthusiasm
As this is a full-time role, employers want someone who isn’t just looking for any job, but wants to grow within customer support. Make sure to express your enthusiasm for helping customers and your desire to develop your skills. Show them why you're passionate about this field!
✨Practice Common Scenarios
Be prepared for role-playing scenarios where you might have to reassess a solution with a frustrated customer or explain a complex process in simple terms. Practising these common scenarios can help us feel more confident and demonstrate our practical skills effectively during the interview.
