Head of Customer Services

Job description

Head of Customer Services Location: Aspinal of London, Fernhurst, GU27 3HA (5 days per week) Depart ment: Customer Services Reports to: Director of Operations About the Role We are looking for an experienced and commercially minded Head of Customer Services to lead the next stage of development of our Customer Services function. This is a key leadership role responsible for leading our Customer Services function and driving continuous improvement across the customer experience. The successful candidate will bring strong customer service leadership experience, a passion for improvement and the ability to turn customer insight into meaningful business change. Working within a premium/luxury retail environment, you will be responsible for setting the Customer Services vision, developing our service standards, improving processes and systems, and building a high-performing team that delivers outstanding experiences for our customers. This role is ideal for an experienced Customer Services leader who enjoys both strategic thinking and practical delivery – someone who can set the direction while working closely with teams to make improvements happen. Key Responsibilities Customer Service Strategy & Leadership Develop and own the Customer Services strategy and roadmap. Define what exceptional customer service looks like and establish clear service standards across all channels. Lead, inspire and develop the Customer Services team, creating a culture of ownership, accountability and continuous improvement. Establish clear objectives, KPIs and performance expectations for the department. Build strong relationships across the business to ensure the customer voice influences decision-making. Act as the customer advocate within the wider business. Customer Experience Improvement Lead and continuously improve the end-to-end customer journey. Identify opportunities to improve customer satisfaction, loyalty and retention. Use customer feedback, complaints and service data to identify improvement opportunities. Develop effective complaint handling and customer recovery processes. Ensure our service reflects the expectations of a premium/luxury brand. Work closely with Operations, Retail, E-commerce, Product, Marketing and Logistics teams to resolve recurring customer issues. Performance & Customer Insight Define and develop Customer Services KPIs, SLAs and reporting frameworks. Review performance trends and use data to drive decisions and improvements. Analyse customer contacts, complaints, cancellations, returns and feedback to identify root causes. Ensure Customer Services insight is shared across the business and leads to action. Present key performance updates, trends, risks and improvement opportunities to senior leadership. Challenge existing ways of working and identify opportunities to improve efficiency and customer experience. Process, Systems & Innovation Review and improve Customer Services processes to support scalability and efficiency. Maximise the use of customer service platforms, CRM tools and reporting systems. Identify opportunities for automation and improved workflows while maintaining a personal customer approach. Partner with IT and other teams to deliver system improvements. Ensure Customer Service documentation, procedures and ways of working remain current and effective. People Leadership & Development Take direct responsibility for developing the Customer Services Manager strategic and leadership capability – through structured coaching, regular feedback and a formal, tracked development plan. Build capability through structured training, coaching and development plans across the wider team. Establish quality monitoring and feedback processes. Support recruitment and onboarding strategies. Build a clear succession and development pathway within Customer Services, so key roles are never a single point of failure. Create a culture where colleagues feel empowered to make decisions and deliver excellent service. Integrate Customer Services into the wider business by building strong cross-functional relationships across key departments, ensuring effective communication, shared accountability and close collaboration on customer experience, operational issues and business priorities. Workforce Planning & Peak Management Own the overall Customer Services capacity strategy. Ensure appropriate resource planning for seasonal peaks and business growth. Review channel demand and ensure the department is structured effectively. Work with the Customer Services Manager to ensure recruitment, training and resource plans are delivered ahead of peak periods. Continually review productivity, efficiency and cost-to-serve. Customer Channels The Customer Services function supports customers across multiple channels including: Telephone Email Live Chat WhatsApp Hero Social media messaging Trustpilot and customer review platforms The successful candidate will ensure we provide a consistent and exceptional experience across every interaction. About You We are looking for some who has: Significant experience leading Customer Services or Customer Experience functions. Experience managing and developing managers and team leaders. Proven experience improving customer journeys, processes and service standards. Strong understanding of Customer Service KPIs, SLAs, sales targets and performance management, with the confidence to use data to inform decisions, identify commercial opportunities and challenge existing ways of working. Experience managing multi-channel customer service operations. A strong commercial mindset, with experience driving sales performance through Customer Services while maintaining exceptional service standards and protecting the customer experience. Strong analytical and problem-solving skills. Excellent communication, relationship-building and stakeholder management skills. A genuine passion for developing people and creating future leaders, not just managing a team. A track record of taking ownership and driving improvements rather than waiting for direction, balancing strategic thinking with practical delivery. An understanding that excellent customer service means preventing problems from recurring, not just resolving them. Experience within luxury retail, premium brands, fashion, e-commerce or a similar customer-focused environment would be advantageous. If you are passionate about creating exceptional customer experiences and have the leadership skills to take a Customer Services function to the next level, we would love to hear from you.