JOB DETAILS:

The merchant support advisor is responsible for the retention of existing and growth of new customers. Each merchant support advisor to pro-actively manage all agents in their area of execution. Some will cover vast areas according to agent segmentation and will therefore need to be flexible to travel as required by the business and be able to deal with customers remotely.
 To proactively recruit profitable new business and establish, manage and develop long term, Profitable Relationships, ensuring the provision of first-class customer service and maximizing business opportunities to achieve business objectives and goals.

Job Description

Outputs:

Business Growth and Retention (50%)

• • Proactively create and develop business relationships with bank agents
  • Build close working relationships with other internal teams, external key business influencers to create business opportunities
  • Identification of cross sell opportunities and introduction of leads to other functions within Absa.
  • Implement activities to deliver value added products and services, generating increased income and revenue from existing agents
  • Negotiate pricing and contracts with customers, engaging line managers at senior management or director level if called for towards the achievement of business objectives.
  • Make sound commercial judgments in order to retain and fully develop customer base

Outputs:

Customer Contact (30%)

• Customer contact is at low and medium management levels and involves discussions and negotiations with customers on commercial and operational issues
• The role holder is responsible for managing and responding to customer requirements, queries and complaints
• Establish, build and maintain ongoing relationships with customers to develop and protect business income
• Develop a deep understanding of the needs and requirements of customers’ businesses
• Provide evidence of customer demand to influence new products / enhancements / solutions
• Apply knowledge and skills in resolving any challenges the agents may face when using the terminals. It is Important that each MSA knows terminal functionalities and agent banking systems to be able to manage customer expectations during their visits.
• Maintain and understand the business environment in which the customer operates

Outputs:

Planning and Execution (15%)

• Responsible for developing a personal sales plan to achieve targeted objectives and goals
• Personal time management of day to day activities to maximize return on resources
• Keeping fully updated on customer activities, challenges and demands in line with business demands.
• Constant evaluation of portfolio to achieve profitability and culling process

Outputs

Governance and Control (5%)

• Ensure  compliance  to Bank controls , policy , service standards and procedures as laid down by the bank
• Ensure all mandatory training completed to deadline and understood within given timescales.
• All risk events (incidents) or control failures to be escalated, investigated, reported and fixed at root cause to prevent reoccurrence
• Successful independent conformance assurance (e.g .RCA, BIA, Regulatory Compliance,)

Education

Further Education and Training Certificate (FETC): Business, Commerce and Management Studies (Required)