job Description

The Retention Team Leader is responsible for managing a team of consultants tasked with retaining customers/collecting missed insurance premiums. This role combines customer retention strategies with collections performance management, ensuring improved customer loyalty, reduced lapse rates, and maximized premium recovery. The Team Leader will drive productivity, coach for quality engagements, and align daily operations to business targets.

Duties and Responsibilities

Team Leadership
Lead, motivate, and manage a team of Retention/Collections Consultants.
Monitor individual and team performance across both retention saves / premium recollection.
Conduct daily check-ins, coaching sessions, and monthly performance reviews.
Drive a culture of performance, accountability, and customer-centric engagement.

Retention & Collections Performance
Ensure agents are proactively calling customers who have missed payments / requested cancellations.
Guide the team in handling objections and offering solutions to retain customers / recover premiums.
Track and report daily, weekly, and monthly performance against targets for saves, recollections, contact rates, and conversion rates.

Operational Execution
Ensure effective use of dialer systems, campaigns, and lead management tools.
Oversee adherence to scripts, rebuttals, and processes for reinstating or retaining policies.
Collaborate with other departments (e.g., Billing, Customer Service) to resolve customer issues impacting retention or payment success.

Compliance & Quality Assurance
Ensure all interactions are compliant with industry regulations (e.g., NCA, TCF, POPIA).
Conduct call evaluations and side-by-sides to ensure agents meet quality and compliance standards.
Address process gaps and recommend improvements based on call insights.

Customer Engagement
Step in to handle escalated customer cases and support consultants on complex objections.
Promote empathetic but assertive communication techniques to influence customer decisions.
Balance customer needs with business risk and revenue protection.

Training & Development
Identify skill gaps and coordinate training or refresher sessions on retention strategies and collections techniques.
Facilitate objection-handling workshops and campaign performance reviews.

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)
Retention (Save) Ratio (%)
Premium Recollection Rate (%)
Contact Rate (%)
Quality Score (%)
Customer Satisfaction (CSAT)
Conversion Rate per Lead (%)
Agent Adherence and Talk Time

Qualifications and Experience

-Matric (Grade 12) – Required
-Tertiary qualification in Business, Credit Management, or related field – Advantageous
-2+ years experience in a call center environment (retentions and/or collections)
-1+ year in a team leader or supervisory role
-Knowledge of short-term insurance products – Preferred

Skills and Competencies:
-Strong leadership and performance managemen
-Excellent verbal and written communication
-Effective objection handling and negotiation
-Analytical and target-driven
-CRM and dialer proficiency
-Regulatory knowledge (TCF, NCA, POPIA)

Skills
Backlog Management, Customer Complaint Management, Customer Feedback Management, Customer-Focused, Customer Relationship Management (CRM) Software, Customer Service, Customer Service Operations, Customer Understanding, Data Management, Digital Consumer Engagement, Executing Plans, Sales Data Management, Strengthening Customer Relationships, Upselling