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Stephanie Edwards MA, BA (Hons), CMICS
Director of Customer 1st International and Subject Matter Expert for Customer Service in the UK
Stephanie Edwards' qualifications include an MA in Marketing, BA in Business and Administration and a Certificate in Education from the University of London. She is passionate about achieving business success through service excellence, and recognises the importance of developing and empowering staff at the customer interface to ensure customer satisfaction and competitive edge.
Stephanie has worked in Higher Education for over 15 years, developing customised training programmes for companies in the UK and overseas. She became a subject matter expert in customer service for the Institute of Customer Service (ICS), and specialises in helping organisations in both public and private sectors, in the UK and globally, to become more customer focused. She supports organisations in the creation of a customer service culture, developing customer service standards and a variety of customer service related products at all levels. Stephanie is proactive in the development of the Governments UK National Occupational Standards in Customer Service at 3 levels.
Stephanie has written "The Best Practice Guide for Customer Service Professionals," mapped to the UK National Occupational Standards for Customer Service at level 2, and "The Best Practice Guide for Customer Service Managers" mapped to the level 3 standards. These books have also been customised for the National Initiative of Service Excellence in Barbados, to be used in conjunction with the delivery of Customer Service NVQs. Stephanie and her team develop resources for the awarding body LCCI in Singapore. The Best Practice Guides have been translated into other languages for global clients.
Stephanie held the role of International Business Advisor for the ICS and supported the Greek Government in the formation of the Hellenic Foundation of Customer Service. She developed service excellence programmes in Africa (Kenya and Nigeria), Asia, including Singapore, Latin America and the Caribbean. Stephanie also developed learning resources for the ICS: "ICS Service Focus," which comprises two programmes, "ICS FirstImpressions" and "ICS ServiceManagement."
Stephanie secured a major contract with Accenture (USA), as the UK's subject matter expert in Customer Service, to assist them in the development of nine modules of e-learning in Customer Service for their Supply Chain Academy. These have been adopted by Unilever, Shell and other blue chip companies. Stephanie worked closely with Professor Robert Johnston at The University of Warwick to initiate the Diploma in Service Leadership, a post graduate programme now run by Warwick Business School.
Stephanie has also launched two accredited, on-line, tutor led programmes in Customer Service, the first in the UK, based on the two Best Practice Guides for Professionals and Managers. These programmes have been adopted by MTN Africa, one of the world's largest mobile telecommunications companies, and sponsors of the 2010 FIFA World Cup 2010.
Stephanie has advised The English Tourist Council on their Welcome to Excellence Programmes and has developed "Welcome Management" and "Lead, Motivate and Succeed". She judges for the National Customer Service Awards at the Grosvenor House Hotel in London each year, where 34 awards are presented, with an attendance of over 1700, a reminder of the power of celebrating customer service professionalism. Stephanie also judges the Customer Service Professional of the Year for the National Tourism Awards. She writes articles for professional magazines and learned journals globally, e.g., My Customer, Patient Experience Network, Accenture Supply Chain Academy and Customer Strategy, and frequently presents at seminars, conferences and exhibitions overseas.
Stephanie has developed, in partnership with Forward Thinking Training Solutions Ltd, an online resource to meet the requirements of the technical certificate in customer service for the UK's Apprenticeships. She advises Accenture (USA), Unilever, Diageo and BAT who are all currently developing a Customer Service Strategy for their global market.
You can read about more of our team here.
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