customer service representative

technician

sales representative

sales consultant

rigger

Telkom SA Limited

My main focus has been on:
•	Documenting Work Instructions and Job Aids (improved customer experience) for Telkom Direct Shop and Contact Centre users resulting from Quick Wins identified by a team of specialists appointed by Telkom’s Group Information Technology.
•	Documenting Work Instructions resulting from Quick Wins on how to improve functions performed by Sales and Sales Support.
•	Working with business analytics – I revised the existing document for Roles and Responsibilities for Primary Rate Services.
•	Tested and documented the solution for the Telkom’s End User Devices automated interface to applicable courier companies for delivery of Smart TV’s.
•	Maintain existing BPIM documents across various domains due to changes (Change Requests/defects/maintenance and showstopper releases) being implemented on systems, and due to requirements from Business (Single Line Commercial/Complex Commercial and Non-Voice).
•	OPS (Operational Performance System) tool –.  Part of the core team.  I had to identify and present changes that occurred on the the Order Management system to developer from India (AMDOCS), Service Quality Assurance and the Contact Centre in order for the OPS system to be alligned.  After changes was made to OPS – I tested for correctness.
•	I was selected to join the core team that successfully implemented, and documented the new functionality in Telkom’s Order Management System for Lite Proposal Mode Quotes for Sales – reducing the steps that Sales has to follow by more than 50%; resulting in improved customer satisfaction.
•	Due to changes caused by the implementation of major changes in the existing Order Management System, various existing processes and procedures were impacted.  I formed a part of the BPIM team selected to test, document and implement the changes.  Provided support to the BPIM team wrt changes, validated and approved existing documents that were updated by the team.
•	Major updates to existing single and complex commercial documents due to system changes and due to roles and responsibility changes between Complex commercial and Sales organisations.
•	I was selected to join the team who implemented the Smart TV Campaign (part of Telkom’s Summer Campaign 2013/2014).  This project was transferred to me two weeks before implementation of this campaign.  I managed to establish a core team, define business rules, identify gaps, tested end to end, and document a comprehensive Work Instruction.   In order to achieve this I worked after hours and weekends. Provided training to Contact Centre Coaches in Springs and to Telkom Direct Shop Branch Managers, I supported business, the Project manager and the Product manager on a daily basis.
•	I was selected to join the team who implemented the Telkom Installation Service Confirmation via SMS (Smart Message System) initiative (part of Telkom’s Summer Campaign 2013/2014).  The team had to ensure that this project was implemented in a very short period.  I managed to define business rules, identify gaps, tested end to end, and document a comprehensive Work Instruction.   In order to achieve this I worked after hours and weekends.
•	Implementation of the Premium SIP (Session Initiated Protocol) Trunking Solution – this project was transferred to me and I had to start over with this project, I identified that Service Quality Assurance testing was not sufficient, I established a pilot team - we had JAD sessions and workshops to determine how we can move forward with this project.  The team did testing on the production system working closely with various impacted sections in Telkom to ensure that the solution was working before implementing.  I compiled and documented multiple SIP Trunking Work Instructions that was distributed to Business and used for training purposes, I maintained and updated these documents continuously.  I was part of the core team that were busy with the next phase – Standard SIP Trunking.  The Product Manager of Product House specifically requested that I form part of the core team for this Change Request.  I was assisting Business with User Acceptance Testing and was involved with the First Office Application for this Product.
•	Maintain existing BPIM document across various domains due to changes being implemented on systems, and due to requirements from Business, Change Requests/Maintenance and Showstopper Releases (Single Line Commercial/Complex Commercial and Non-Voice).  I provided ongoing support to Business, Product Management, and Information Technology Solutions’ Service Quality Assurance/Order Management System/Product Catalogue Environment teams and to the Information Technology Support team.
•	Completed Modules 1 to 3 and the Telco Assignment for Lean Six Sigma Green Belt at Telkom’s Centre For Learning.

: I have been in the communication environment for the last 26 years have acquired much experience in my current position as area manager  Southern Region: In my current position I am instrumental in the completion of various national projects related performance management, modelling and tracking tools and mechanisms related to efficiency. 
I have completed various courses and my experience and knowledge has enabled me to be the best leader in any technical field commensurate with my qualifications:  I have a National diploma in management (NNMU), a Master in Business Administration (NNMU) and recently completed a Technology Business Management course accredited through Rhodes University. e-TOM Business Process Frame Works (Level 2 in France) as well as a CISCO networking qualification (BCRIM).  With my experience and qualifications I feel that I have much to offer.

Some of my core function include, Customer facing Service delivery, DATA and VOICE solutions, formulate Strategic Operational Business Plans, Business Management & Administration, Financial Planning & Management, Ensure Safety Procedures, Business Negotiation & Development, Manage & Motivate Staff Complement, Operational Control Of technical Branches offices, Human Resource Management, Analysis of client issues, identification of appropriate solutions and development of plans or strategies to implement solutions, Change Management strategies. Project Design, Project Management, Project Implementation. Execution of operational and tactical plans. Develop training models to enhance soft and hard skills. Develop change management modules, Conflict management.   Efficiency Management.  Process design and implementation. Business Optimization Strategies, Cost Control strategies. Scenario Planning:   Special projects (i.e. Work from Home, Change management, Performance Model development, Resource Optimisation Strategies: Employee Safety Process Models, Talent Management, EE/AA development strategies)
I also played a pivotal road during the FIFA 2010 project as a SOM (Service Operations Manager).  I have also been given the task to run with the AFCON project nationally as the Project manager: My roles and responsibilities include amongst others, overseeing the design and build of the  and recently coordinating communications requirements (field operations) on Project –X ( Mandela Funeral)DATA and voice Network.

I was responsible for Quality, Sales and Business Process improvement for all Telkom’s National Call Centre’s with the focus being to align the Call Centers to International acceptable norms. I had a team of 13 Junior Specialists / Team Leaders to support me in this role and my team was responsible to provide information to the Centre Executive’s and Senior management on ways to improve performance. I collated and provided reports to Centre Management on outstanding faults within the specialty with multiple handovers that with affect the Call Centers being volumes. My office was responsible to promote National sales campaigns where specific products and services are targeted so that the company’s sales objectives will be met. I was tasked to manage customer churn within the Telecoms environment. I was responsible to engage non conformance or poor sales in Call Centers poor sales by having discussions with various role players to identify gaps and putting into place corrective actions. My Task Team was also responsible to interrogate quality related reports and to advise the role players on non-conformance and ways to improve quality by using various coaching techniques e.g. Market Intelligence and Orange reports.  Orange Index:  this was to ensure continuous improvement of overall Customer satisfaction measures. My team was responsible to identify gaps in the various processes and ensure that they were aligned to the way we performed our operations. My team was responsible to drive quality by running various quality initiatives in the regions and had been mandated to ensure continuous improvement of the various quality indices. I was the responsible for and managed a budget according to set guidelines. I was responsible to ensure that a conducive environment existed in the Centers thus ensuring that the staff are engaged in their duties and this was done by holding Ground Zero meetings with agents and Centre Management and ensuring that the necessary Coaching took place to uplift the staff identified as being poor to average performers and that the necessary tracking measures were in place. My primary role was to identify deficiencies and inefficiencies within the centers and to provide solutions to the day to day operations.

CORE DESCRETIOM OF MY JOB
•	Provide communication solutions to Telkom customers by marketing and matching product and services to customers’ needs thereby generating revenue and improving customer satisfaction
•	Actively grow and defend our core markets
•	Crediting and debiting if there is any discrepancy on customer’s account
•	Investigate and gives feedback to customers for complaints lodged by them
•	Credit accounts whereby customer’s lines and other services were off line didn’t have service
•	Phone customer to inform the about their services that will be suspended if due to non payment and also make arrangement for them if  needs be.

CORE COMPETENCE

1. FUNCTIONAL KNOWLEDGE
•	Customer care 
•	Mathematics
•	Knowledge of products and services offered
•	Services regulations, systems, policies and procedures
•	Telephone etiquette

2. FUCTIONAL BEHAVIOUR/ATTITUDE
•	Stress tolerance and multi-tasking
•	Processing speed
•	Comprehension and selling techniques
•	Interpersonal and communicate effectively
•	Listing skills and problem solving
•	Computer applications and time management
•	Reading, writing and information location

LEADERSHIP BEHAVIOUR/ATTITUDE
•	Reliable and ownership
•	Approachable and helpful
•	People oriented and ethical
•	Motivation and customer focus
•	Responsible and assertive
•	Adaptability and team work
•	Quality awareness

DEVELOPMENT

ACTING AS AN OPERATIONAL MANAGER  (MORE THAN TWO YEARS NOW)

Responsibilities includes
•	Presentation  for team performance to our departmental manger and senior manager
•	Give monthly feedback monthly feedback for the overall performances to more than 14 consultant
•	Briefings of documents provided by the company during our daily meetings
•	Attend the daily meetings with the manager and other ops managers for strategic planning for the performance of our department
•	Provide coaching to under performers employees
•	Monitor staff leave and register and record them on the system
•	Approve credits that needs to be passed to customers
•	Monitor call to evaluate id consultant are providing customer centricity to customers



Work was highly dependent on environmental conditions, In summer with rain and lightning we were under staffed in winter we could cope easier. I Spent the last 20 years working shifts and overtime to make up for the lack of staff and salary. Salaries are and always were lagging behind market related salaries for the same skills level and work function.

I learned how to work under pressure to manage time and staff to keep focused and maintain quality standards. With new equipment continually been rolled out I kept my technical skills abreast. 

Management:  In an ever changing landscape Telkom has great ideas but take to long to implement them. They took too long to enter the wireless market, once there and making an impact they then changed their branding from 8ta to Telkom Mobile, causing market and customer confusion, a year later and this change over is still not complete.
I learned many skills, training was available and effective but hard to get timeously. Mainly I developed my inter personal skills and how to get the most out of those I work with, its easier to inspire and get productivity out of someone who is inspired, than a wage slave clock watching. Taking a little more time and effort to ensure function and quality always saves time later.

Co-Workers: we all kept each other motivate and client focused and by assisting each other it made the organization function much better.

The hardest part of the job was the lack of advancement and long hours we would rotate shifts weekly and you could never have a decent vacation, management were and are a little out of touch with the every changing work environment and in a client service field spares were always an issue. 

The most enjoyable part of the job was leaving a client happy after having sorted out their service. The satisfaction of a job well done. and the team spirit between the coworkers.

Organizing and connecting conference calls.
		
	       Looking up numbers internationally for South
	       
	      African based customers.

Connecting South African customers to 

	      International numbers.

		Assisting international countries to get 

		directory information in South Africa.

		Assisting international countries to connect to 
		
		South African numbers.

		Assisting international countries to dial into 

		another countries telephone network.
	
		Assisting South African customers connecting 
		
		to vessels at sea.
		
		Assisting South African customers with 
		
		directory information for vessels at sea.
		
		Assisting Cape Town Maritime to connect 

		vessels at sea to local or international based 
	
		land line numbers. 
 I have learned a lot from other countries cultures and religion and international workings. I have learned to be patient and accommodating and not to take anybody on face value. Each customer brings its own challenge and learning curve. Because of this Telkom sends you on numerous courses.  
	
	My colleagues were all wonderful. We operated as a family wile still being fun loving. If one had a difficult enquiry or customer we will pitch in to help resolve the problem. 
	
	Telkom’s management put a lot of unnecessary stress on the employees but overall they are very good and performance driven.
	I would day the hardest part of my job was when I had to do an enquiry to a country with no operators, database or lines. I’m referring to counties like Gambia and so on. 

	The best part of my job was when I had a difficult customer that was sent from pillar to post and was given repeatedly the wrong information and help him/her to finally get the right number the first time. The gratitude was always sincere. I sometimes had to sit quite a long time with the enquiry but I made sure that what I gave the customer was the right information.

A days work at telkom is unpredictable,you can have a bad day today then you have your happiest day the following day.In the morning you meet your colleagues and management staff followed by meetings.Telkom is divided into many department's where everyone has his or her duties.I did most of the time performed two duties while I was working for the company,mainly fitting followed by faults,you were expected to install 3-5 telephone lines per day or fix 8-10 lines per day.Sometimes it would be stressful because you encounter different problems while working on the field with some beyond your control,the most part I liked working for Telkom was to meet different kind of people with different characters coming from all walks of life.Customers would be stressed and angry but when you leave they even smile with you.I would recommend Telkom to my friends because it's a company with different carree paths were you can expand and develop yourself, technology its the way of life and Telkom SA is one of the companies promoting this course.When coming to health and safety,this company it's the best,providing from clothing to working with tools.If you are always on top if your toes then you will succeed within the company.It is one of the company I could go back and work for.You have to make sure that you have happy clients to excel at Telkom.Salary benefits which I received at Telkom made me the Man I am today.The engagement between the employee and employer was a two way traffic, sometimes it was difficult then sometime easier.With the digital world forever changing,Telkom is one of the companies moving with this momentum.

The morning starts with a friendly greeting to all, but in person. Checking and responding on messages and internal requests. I lean that I have to adapt to a certain country' culture and when their national holidays are held as it impacts on my bi-lateral date that is to be scheduled. I do research on the required speech channels we need to cater for the traffic demand. I have to consider tandem traffic from around the globe as we are a gateway hub. Included in my planning is graphs and pi-sheets as to get a bird-eye view of the needs. In my planning I use forecasting formulas to gauge the required size of "pipe" to carry the traffic. My c7 signalling planning to ensure continuity forms part of the forecast. My forecasting model would stretch for 3 up to 5 years. I also have to ensure there is available free equipment in the ITE(International Telecoms Exchange). I am making use of multiplexing equipment to safe of space requests. I am relying on my colleague to obtain satellite space from Intelsat, Washington, DC. That time response influence my deadline for the next step. The switching staff need to be given enough time for implementation when my final "plan" is forwarded to them. In all of this, I have to coordinate with the counterpart country to correlate with the implementation date.
My colleagues were fun to deal with - the job well done is also due to them. I write a report on the events and include it in my weekly and monthly progress report. In all this I include the difficulties encountered and recommendations.

A typical day was supporting management, coordinating general administration duties, as well as handling Customer queries mainly.  

I enjoyed my job and people I worked with, I considered myself lucky working for such a great company where we all were valued and enjoyed many benefits.

As Executive Secretary I worked very close to management and after a few years in NZ, I still have contact with some of them as we all got on very well. I did support the CEO at times too, when his PA was on leave etc.

Telkom SA is a very huge company in South Africa, with about 18 000 employees.  Over the years I worked with many of those people and was involved in many areas of support and organising events etc.  I love and enjoyed my fellow co-workers and we had good relationships.

I had no hard times doing my job, I have done it for many years and knew what I was doing.  If anything would come to mind I would say the difficult part was when I resigned to immigrate to NZ.

In describing the most enjoyable part of the job would be that I loved working with the people, I felt accomplished and valued and enjoyed many privileges as Executive Secretary as well as a valued worker for such a wonderful company enjoyed many benefits too.

-	Time management on a daily basis 
-	Daily cold calling minimum of 100 calls 
-	Daily appointment setup minimum of 10 Face to face demos and presentations 
-	Average of 35 post-paid contracts on LTE network
-	Weekly mall promotions for on the spot signing of contracts 
-	Every 2nd week daily street activations and promotions for on the spot signing of post-paid contracts.
-	hard core sales on the road every day
-	Created my own database in the consumer and SME market
-	Ensure continue selling of LTE Packages
-	Upselling and renewal of new products and packages  
-	Ensure Application form and supporting documents is correct and allocated to the back office  
-	For prompt processing of order          
-	Grow revenues in line with agreed targets.
-	Ensure customer satisfaction-Provide ongoing customer feedback

-	Manage quality and consistency of product and service delivery to the customer
-  Prepare a monthly action plan on how this target will be reached.

-	Source new sales opportunities.
-	Manage and close sales opportunities.
-	Prepare, deliver and present new proposals to all customers.
-	Identify customer’s need and provide the most sufficient product to match the customer’s
-	Needs 

-	Maintaining the relationship between customer and company at all times.
-	Make timeous recommendations to ensure that the sales process runs smoothly.
-	Work with marketing to deliver results from specific marketing initiatives.
-	Build strong strategic and operational relationships with each customer.
-	Planning of pipeline, forecasting, and reporting on concluded sales on a weekly and monthly basis.

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