Pete Underwood Email and Phone Number

Essentially a high volume, low margin claims business doing exactly what it says on the tin! I was brought in by the company’s investors to turn the operation around and drive the business into profit. What a journey it has been:• Re-structured business creating clear spans of responsibility and control.• Re-designed process flow, introduced new supporting technology, automating tasks and web integration reducing average operational processing time by 74%. • Re-structured teams and broadened skill sets to enable efficiencies through load balancing, reducing wastage and downtime improving capacity and average output by 39%.• Created and implemented new proactive customer contact strategy.• Increased conversion of applications by 42%.• Achieved 37% income growth in 3 years.• Created and implemented new recruitment and selection process• Created and implemented Management development programme• Introduced operational performance management processes• Implemented change management programme of communication improving staff engagement and understanding of change from 49% - 82% (Pulse surveys)• Reduced headcount by 31%.• Reduced absence from 6% to under 1% through introducing and implementing effective absence management processes.

This was an outsourced telephone fundraising business where I operated as Contact Centre Manager alongside the Operations Manager to determine the least cost effect / optimal performance issues arising within the business. Managed several key projects as Sales Performance Manager improving performance and profitability across our dual site contact centre. Improved the performance of the newly opened Manchester contact centre (consisting of circa 120-130 telesales advisors) to out-perform the well-established Dunfermline contact centre in all KPIs and raising over £2.2 Million. I have:• Expanded the team manager capabilities from simple call coaching to include proactive performance management, performance coaching, absence management, disciplinaries and to deputise in my absence• Planned and implemented new strategies for recruitment, selection, training and development• Reduced unproductive time “Wrap” from 17.2% to 7.6% and “Not Ready” from 4.5% to 0.7%• Set up an effective communication structure across the dual site contact centre• Created a new reward and recognition scheme to drive individual performance and company profit

Selected to join a new management team setting up Sky’s first English service contact centre. The success and ongoing performance levels of the site have lead to the opening of 3 further English sites and Stockport being selected for the “One Service” pilot, creating, testing and improving further new approaches and service models prior to estate wide implementation. As Customer Experience Manager / Customer Service Manager I was responsible for the performance of a team of circa 90-100 reports through 7 Customer Experience Leaders and have improved my team’s service levels from an initial estate average CSAT of circa 75% and NPS of 11 to 92% and 56 respectively. I have:• Consistently achieved one of the highest CSAT and NPS scores across entire Sky service estate• More than doubled my team’s sales through service conversion rate• Created a coaching culture focussing on behavioural management to drive performance• Developed my single skilled team so that it now consists of a range of multi-skilled advisors in order to provide a flexible and effective resource able to meet the needs of our customers• Continuously developed my team of Customer Experience Leaders, of which 2 were promoted to Customer Experience Manager | Contact Centre Manager• Taken the role of head of communications for the site, improving the quality of briefs and creating an effective, simplified structure• Taken responsibility as site incentive co-ordinator• Won Team of the year award for outstanding performance throughout 2011• Attend Sky’s annual national “Fame Awards” in 2013 for those that go above and beyond• Deputised for the Head of Contact Centre

As Sales Director I took responsibility for planning, implementing and driving the company’s sales strategy along with the supporting marketing activity and was a core member of the executive management team. In year one I achieved an EBITDA of £1.47M (increased from£0.98M year on year) and increased turnover from £3.5M - £3.9M during the market downturn in year two, increasing total market share by 9% over the period. I have:• Transformed the existing new business order taking culture to one of proactive sales• Increased individual’s average telephonic activity by 53%• Improved demonstration to sale conversion by 62% (cold call channel)• Instilled a performance management culture into the management team’s approach• Developed “customer” sales channel through the customer relations department • Created and implemented the company’s management development programme

As Operations Manager I took responsibility for sales activity across the contact centre division (Circa 170 reports) across 2 sites delivering optimum performance and meeting the department’s annual turnover budget of £8M (exceeding by £1.5M pro rata after 6 months at the point of leaving) in a highly competitive and increasingly regulated market. I have:• Transformed a process-led culture to one of focussed customer service and sales• Developed resource and performance management, resulting in a 38% increase in capacity and capability• Increased monthly target achievement (circa 25% to circa 60% achieving increased monthly targets)• Re-structured team management roles to improve focus on customer service and sales performance• Constructed and implemented the Contact Divisions’ management development programme• Planned and implemented new strategies for recruitment, selection, training and development• Successfully changed personnel, matching business needs with individuals’ skills• Optimised efficiencies by applying ‘Lean’ and ‘Continuous Improvement’ principles• Improved quality, achieving 2nd place in national standings• Developed and sustained multiple B2B relationships As a result of a number of the above initiatives, the company achieved the “Investors in People Leadership and Management” award and placed in the Sunday Times Top 100 companies to work for. In addition, as part of the company’s European expansion, I undertook an advisory role to the Directors of the underperforming Swedish brokerage. Regular site visits and the resulting recommendations moved the brokerage into profit.

Held various roles including Contact Centre Manager | Telesales Manager, Business Partner and Sales Executive for a variety of organisations in the advertising, marketing, promotions and publishing spheres. Won numerous awards and gained recognition for both individual and team sales performance.