Role: Head Account Manager
Company: Rainbow Telecom
Track Record: Stuart’s 12-year career in telecoms started with a two-year stint in Orange before he joined Rainbow and moved up the ranks.
What does your job involve?
I manage a team of six account managers as well as personally managing Rainbow’s largest accounts. My job is to ensure that the account management team builds and maintains excellent relationships with our customers, which now includes over a third of Northern Ireland’s Top 100 businesses.
Tell us more about the company you work for?
Rainbow is a dynamic local telecoms company which was established 15 years ago and now employs 55 people on the Ballygowan Road, just outside Belfast.
We have more than 5,500 business customers and provide calls and lines, superfast broadband, telephone systems and mobiles. Our aim is to create savings on business communications overheads while providing exceptional customer service, resulting in real value for money.
What experience do you have?
I started my telecoms career 12 years ago at Orange, where I spent two years selling mobile phones. From there I joined Rainbow, selling lines and calls to businesses throughout Ireland. I moved into account management three years later and have been head of account management for the last seven. I keep my skills up-to-date through attending regular management and customer care courses.
Who are your main clients and what do you do for them?
We manage the telecoms accounts of customers across a wide range of sectors throughout Ireland.
Our aim is to resolve any issues they may be having as quickly as possible. If a customer needs help they will be straight through to a dedicated account manager in Belfast who will work with the customer through to complete resolution, whilst keeping them informed regularly.
A recent survey showed 95% of customers would recommend us to a friend, 90% rate our service as excellent or good and 93% say the speed of response to queries is excellent or good. I think you would have go a long way to find another company with such satisfied customers.
What makes working in your industry interesting and challenging?
I love meeting new people, finding out how their businesses work and how we can help them get a more cost-effective and personal service.
Of course, the challenges include competing against the big brand name of BT retail, but our share of the market is growing.
The telecoms business is a fast moving and ever changing industry and it’s great to be a part of it.
What’s the best thing about your job?
I’m given full control by the directors for my department and have a great team of account managers around me who are motivated to do an excellent job.
Rainbow is a forward-thinking, ideas-driven company. I believe a positive and fun environment leads to higher staff morale.
When people enjoy their jobs it has a knock-on effect and they want to provide a really good service for customers.
What qualities do you have which help you in your job?
I’m outgoing and like to talk but I’m also a good listener, which is important, both in customer service and with internal matters.
I’m conscientious, which is useful as I need to pay attention to small details. It can take months, even years, to win a customer and a second to lose one.
What do you do when you are out of the office?
I love to go to Stamford Bridge and watch Chelsea play a few times a year. I also enjoy golf and travelling with my better half.
Where do you want to be in five years’ time?
Setting up Rainbow’s satellite office in San Diego!