Customer Service Advisor

apetito Limited; Redhill; On-site

Job description

Overview

This role is working 37.5 hours per week, any 5 in 6 days

The role of our Customer Services Advisor is critical to the success of our business.

Our customers are predominantly elderly and rely upon our office teams to take their orders over the phone or via the internet.

The defining characteristics of our Customer Services Advisors are that they’re organised and efficient. However, apart from the technical skills that are required with the role, the most important attributes are that we demonstrate empathy, patience, kindness, friendliness, care and warmth to all our customers.

The role involves taking customer orders and making outbound courtesy calls. These calls are particularly important as many customers live alone and the phone calls they receive are often the only contact they may have in a single day. As such, many customers become very attached to their “friends” at Wiltshire Farm Foods.

Wiltshire Farm Foods supplies frozen meal solutions direct to the consumer. We have a cold store to accommodate the stock necessary to deliver to our customers each week.

The ultimate goal is to provide a service to our customers that exceeds expectations while continuously improving efficiencies.

£12.36 per hour from 1st January 2025 (£12.60 per hour from 1st May 2025) + bonus + company benefits.

Who we are

Wiltshire Farm Foods, part of the apetito group, is the UK’s largest ready-meal supplier, cooking and delivering over 330 different delicious frozen ready meals across the UK primarily to the elderly, their family members and healthcare professionals.

We're dedicated to making a real difference to our customers' lives, by bringing sunshine to their doors through our commitment to provide good old-fashioned service.

Our intense pride drives us to continuously innovate and improve, ensuring our products and service exceed our customers' needs.

This is all whilst being an ethical and sustainable organisation that believes in doing the right thing.

Responsibilities

• Responsible for taking telephone/internet orders and making outbound calls to customers and prospects.
• Support drivers with route planning for the next day’s delivery rounds.
• Ensure each customer is provided with “exemplary” service on each telephone call or contact.
• Update customer records and liaise with customer relatives as required.
• Ensure customers’ needs are met, ensuring they know how to cook, store and re-order meals as necessary.
• Prepare promotional literature and communicate details of new products or promotions to customers.
• Search for and provide new business opportunities.
• Share best practices with colleagues to continuously improve our service proposition.
• Take an interest in the products we sell and promote the benefits of WFF healthy and nutritious meals to all our customers.

About you

Essential:

• Experience in a customer service role
• Confident using a personal computer to manage and process orders
• Confident telephone manner
• Able to pay attention to detail and be accurate in your work
• Numerate and good written English; GCSE Maths & English standard or equivalent
• Able to work to deadlines

Desirable:

• Experience in the elderly/care market
• Experience working in a team environment
• Full UK Driving Licence

Personal Qualities:

As one of our team, you will be focused on excellent customer service with a caring and empathic nature. You will demonstrate a real interest in people and be able to communicate effectively with members of the public and their families.

• This is a “people” focused role and requires individuals who enjoy engaging with a wide variety of elderly customers.
• Take an active interest in getting to know every customer and become a trusted friend.
• A good listener, you’ll be able to treat every customer as an individual.
• Have a very clear telephone voice and adapt your style to meet the needs of every customer.
• Ability to communicate and relate to people at all levels.
• Ability to work under your own initiative, plan your own day, and manage your own time.
• Act as a link for drivers and customers if any problems arise during a delivery round.
• Learn our in-house computer systems, manage taking orders, round sequencing, and database management for prospects, current or lapsed customers.
• Enjoy working as a team member and be passionate about promoting the WFF product range and service proposition.
• Have a flexible approach to work content and willingness to help with other areas of the business as needed.

Company Benefits

• Competitive salary – accredited Living Wage employer
• 33 days holiday per year, including bank holidays (which are considered a normal working day)
• Option to purchase up to 5 additional days holiday per year
• Discretionary annual bonus scheme
• Pension scheme - employer matched contributions up to 4%
• Life assurance scheme worth at least 1x annual salary
• Free turkey or voucher at Christmas
• apetito perks scheme including salary sacrifice options and retail discounts

Our Values

As a family-owned business, we take great pride in being a company that makes a real difference and is dedicated to creating outstanding meals to be proud of.

We develop a range of products designed to enhance health and well-being for all our customers.

We are driven by a passion for service and dedicated to feeding some of the UK’s most vulnerable people.

We proudly support British food and farming, focusing on using the best ethical and sustainable produce in alignment with our goal to reach Net Zero by 2040.

Our ethical standards are recognised by the ETI and we are an accredited Living Wage employer. Learn more about apetito’s commitment to a more sustainable future.

We embrace inclusion, empowering individuals from diverse backgrounds.

Our commitment to making a real difference extends to customers, communities, and staff, and we're on a mission to build an inclusive workplace where everyone reaches their full potential.