Customer Service Specialist

Informagroupplc; Abingdon; Hybrid; GBP 26,000 - 36,000; Full time

Job summary

Taylor and Francis is seeking an experienced Customer Service Specialist to drive customer satisfaction and first-time resolution across strategic accounts. The role requires proactive engagement and strong product support, including order processing and issue resolution.

You will act as the primary contact for assigned accounts, manage inquiries via multiple channels, and collaborate with Commercial colleagues to mitigate risks and ensure smooth operations.

Qualifications

• Advanced knowledge of Microsoft Office, including Excel.
• Experience across a wide breadth of customer service tasks.
• Proven track record of meeting KPI/SLA targets.
• Strong project management experience.
• Proficiency with SAP/Salesforce as CS systems.

Responsibilities

• Take ownership of customer queries via phone, email, live chat, and in person through to resolution.
• Be the primary Customer Service contact for assigned strategic accounts, building strong relationships.
• Serve as trusted advisor, understanding customer objectives and challenges.
• Manage and monitor assigned accounts, addressing concerns and conducting regular check-ins.
• Process orders, invoices, quotes, returns, and claims efficiently and accurately.
• Suggest improvements to SOPs and share knowledge across teams.
• Use SAP/Salesforce to manage orders and workflow per SOP.

Skills

Excel advanced

Customer service

KPI/SLA experience

Project management

SAP Salesforce

Education

GCSE English and Maths

Tools

SAP

Salesforce

Job description

Taylor and Francis are looking for an experienced Customer Service Specialist. This role is for someone who demonstrates core customer service competencies and is looking to take the next step in their career.

We are looking for ambitious individuals to be responsible for ensuring customers achieve their desired outcomes while using our products and services. This role serves as the primary Customer Service contact for assigned strategic accounts, driving customer satisfaction, first‑time resolution, and low effort through proactive engagement and exceptional support.

What you'll be doing:

• Take ownership of customer queries received via phone, email, live chat, and in person through to resolution in line with policies/procedures, KPI's and Customer First training best practices. Striving to increase customer satisfaction/first‑time resolution and reduce the need for customers to contact.
• Be the primary Customer Service contact for assigned strategic accounts, building and maintaining strong, long‑lasting customer relationships through effective communication and engagement.
• Serve as the trusted advisor and advocate for customers, understanding their business objectives and challenges.
• Manage and monitor assigned customer accounts, proactively addressing any concerns or risks, conducting regular check‑ins and account reviews with Commercial colleagues.
• Take ownership of customer queries through to resolution in line with policies/procedures, KPI's, and Customer First training best practice. Striving to increase customer satisfaction/first‑time resolution and reduce the need for customers to contact.
• Take responsibility for the processing of orders, invoices, quotes, returns, and claims in a timely and accurate manner, responding appropriately and swiftly to queries, problems, and special requests from customers, and accelerating these to team leaders and managers where appropriate.
• Resolve product or service problems/queries by clarifying customer issues, determining the root cause of the problem, selecting and explaining the best solution to the problem, expediting corrections/adjustments, and following up to ensure resolution.
• On the back of customer contacts review the customer self‑help portals (where they exist) and suggest new content or amendments to the relevant team.
• Manage day‑to‑day business processes, liaising with other departments where appropriate.
• Create and update Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) or suggest amendments to relevant teams.
• Maintain knowledge of department policies, processes, procedures, and systems used, developing an internal network to increase knowledge.
• Playing an active role in the achievement of department goals by assisting with all types of work across the department as needed. Work effectively with the team to achieve individual, team, and departmental objectives, sharing knowledge and skills as appropriate.
• Providing support to team members, assisting with training as appropriate.
• Suggesting improvement ideas and assisting with the implementation of those ideas to improve customer satisfaction, increase productivity, or reduce costs.
• Using SAP/Salesforce to manage orders and customer contacts and workflow in line with the SOP.
• Working to agreed KPIs and targets, including quality assurance.
• You achieve personal objectives and work to agreed KPIs and targets, including quality assurance.

What we're looking for:

• Experience of Microsoft Office, including advanced knowledge of Excel.
• Previous Customer Service experience across a wide breadth of customer service tasks.
• Experience of working to KPI's/SLA's and encouraging others to.
• A good standard of Education including English and Maths.
• Understanding of the role of related departments with a range of contacts outside and within Customer Service.
• Advanced knowledge of SAP, Salesforce, and other CS systems. You are a super user and test new functionality.
• A solid grasp of process and product‑related issues and can effectively answer all customer questions without difficulty.
• Experience of managing projects.

What we offer in return:

• Competitive salary
• An excellent work/life balance with a fantastic, flexible working culture
• 25 days annual leave per year plus a day off for your birthday
• 3 additional discretionary days off during the holiday season at the end of the year
• 4 paid volunteering days each year
• Company funded single cover private medical insurance
• Employee assistance programme - offering 24/7 well‑being support
• Share Match - Plan that matches every share purchased with two free shares.
• Pension scheme
• Life assurance, plus optical and medical care

What you should know:

Closing date for applications: 06 October 2026

This role will be based in the UK and you must have the right to live and work in the UK

This is a hybrid position, with a requirement to work from our Milton Park, Oxfordshire office 3 days each week. To support this working arrangement, we can only consider applicants who are based within a reasona