Alexandra Pugh

Promotion awarded following a divisional restructuring and associated transition from a flat to a layered business entity.

• Managing an ever-increasing portfolio of customers with the highest revenues for the company across a range of industries
• Working closely with clients to understand what partnership success entails for them and determine other opportunities where partnership value can be added and demonstrated. This particularly involves scoping out company/commercial goals, people and well-being goals, pain-points and key stakeholder aspirations.
• Delivered comprehensive product training to clients, ensuring optimal usage.
• Using insights gained to create, plus regularly update success plans with customers with goals that facilitate the customer excelling as a business, expediting achieving strategic goals alongside achieving (if not exceeding) expectations of the commercial partnership
• Becoming a trusted consultant to clients by delivering above expectations and sharing both ideas and insights harboured from experience in the field.
• Working to ensure return on investment plus return on value metrics and activities are clearly presented to continually enforce the impact of the partnership
• Nurtured positive client relationships through personalised, and effective account advice; 75% 5 out of 5 ratings in customer satisfaction scores with remainder being 4s
• Achieved high customer retention with concerted engagement; overall net revenue retention of 139% against a target of 135% and currently on target for a revised target of 167%
• Continually scoping for cross-sell and up-sell opportunities and then working to position and enable these. Generated £1.3m in Gross Written Premium and over £68k in closed revenue within the last 12 months (since the introduction of targets in this area)
• Shaping a new model of effective methods for Customer Success Executives to work alongside Customer Success Managers to enable optimum time efficiency and output from both roles.

Described by management as:

• ‘One of our most valuable team members, and someone we genuinely couldn’t afford to lose’
• ‘When allocating new accounts, the go to person for any tricky advisors or advisors that are clients to ensure they get the white glove experience’
• ‘Has the most accounts of anyone in the large accounts team, including having a demanding enterprise client, and has taken on extra accounts with no complaints. She has worked hard to turn these around after having sat with account managers that hadn’t delivered the level of service we expect for clients’
• ‘Takes initiative and goes above and beyond with creative solutions to help solve client pain points and demonstrate the value YuLife can bring.’
• ‘Ability to form excellent relationships with advisors that have helped us as a business to achieve a new strategic Partnership’
• ‘Builds strong relationships that enable revenue growth by delivering value to her clients’

Moved for an enticing opportunity offered within this organisation where those I'd work with previously considered I’d bring strong value to the business. Initially started working on both launching and account managing customer, then was given the opportunity to choose which avenue was my presence as the team grew and we shaped specialised roles for each function.

• Working closely with clients to understand their bespoke culture, structure, challenges, and goals then working steering this into a plan to deliver impactful strategic outcomes
• Understanding client needs and proactively identifying opportunities to continually improve engagement
• Exploring and leveraging opportunities to help clients shine and standout as an employer within their sector
• Developing and maintaining a genuine and strong partnership relationship with clients built on a foundation of a shared vision, effective delivery, and a personable approach
• Using industry knowledge and experience to facilitate the journey of company growth, success, and impact
• Strengthened customer relationships by addressing queries and concerns promptly.
• Utilised CRM systems to streamline customer management processes.
• Identified process improvements, leading to better efficiency in customer service delivery.
• Engaged in regular meetings with sales team for aligned business objectives.
• Managed key accounts to enhance recurring revenue streams
• Led product engagement initiatives, boosting overall loyalty and engagement rates.
• Optimised return on investment to improve client satisfaction and loyalty.

Asked to take on this newly created role by the Sales Director and CEO after just three months with the business. Responsible for the Account Management area of the business including the strategy and delivery. This role involved managing a client portfolio of Key Accounts equivalent to circa 80% of revenue (hence a mirrored time proportion of the role) in addition to determining and delivery the department strategy, team management and monitoring as well as reporting on results.

• Turned a non-engaged and low performing client with extensive revenue potential into a highly engaged and high revenue performer with additional service opportunities being onboarded with them every two to three months currently
• Proposed and gained board approval for a new company approach and structure related to the categorisation of clients and the associated service provision including communication strategy
• Developed a detailed action plan to deliver the Account Management strategy aligned with the above proposal and commenced this (still underway) with great progress already becoming evident
• As part of team management, coached a staff member flagged as potentially underperforming to enable her to think commercially and deliver results
• Responsible for the creation, successful delivery and evidencing of the account management growth strategy and targets
• Account managing a portfolio of Key Accounts integral to the success of the organisation including ensuring retention, target referral performance and target revenue performance
• Proposed, designed and implemented a new MI Dashboard to enable more effective insight into client opportunities and trends which was then used to generate further revenue
• Liaison with the Operations Managers to identify trends in referrals and SLAs and agree actions to enhance these as well as resolve any service issues reported from internal or external personnel
• Training company new starters on the client base, client strategy and how all stakeholders can impact each other positively including the benefits of this.

Approached by Innovate to apply for this position which was a split role of Account Management and clinical team management. Responsible for account managing a portfolio of clients across the country to ensure client retention, targeted revenue performance and positive client experience. In addition to this, responsible for the people management of the clinical consultant team across the country.

• Successful onboarding of a large contract from onset (co-delivered the implementation presentation on day two with the organisation) which involved a number of implementation meetings, client staff training, service information material creation and bespoke process design
• Account managing a portfolio of clients within the high revenue band to ensure successful performance and retention
• Provided people management to the clinical team including candid conversations with a member of staff not performing as required within their probationary period and evidencing discussions, action plans and results as part of this. It was mutually agreed with this member of staff that their journey with the organisation wouldn’t continue
• Provided the business with a proposal regarding enhancing key performance indicators for clinical staff to be broader than solely revenue generation to ensure quality of service, results, timeliness of service and effective throughput so as to ensure client satisfaction, repeat business, improved staff morale and profitability of service delivery

Originally joined Form Health with a Business Consultancy focus to review all business practices and provide recommendations for growth, improved efficiency, enabling a more robust service delivery and general business development. Then invited to transition my role into a position to implement my recommendations and oversee day-to-day operating of the business.

• Led a major transformation exercise involving proposition, processes, tools and branding
• Brought in new service lines to create my vision of enabling a ‘one-stop-shop’ proposition
• Proposed and implemented strategic partnerships with key service providers
• Business development including up-selling to existing clients, sourcing/engaging new clients and engaging partners to act as ambassador
• Driving a new initiative regarding partnerships with digital technology firms
• Referral volumes increased 65% since I commenced business development
• Designed and implemented new referral recording and tracking tools which demonstrated the ability to review activity on a whole or client-specific basis and easily identify SLA status
• Various PR/marketing activities including re-branding and updating the website, setting up social media, designing and writing external materials, liaison with journalists and presenting at events
• Recruiting, vetting, coaching and managing all associates for new service lines implemented.
• Maintaining engagement and quality assurance of existing associates
• Overseeing all referrals, case activity and reports for new service lines implemented
• Providing vocational rehabilitation assessments and case management for a number of cases
• Attendance of networking and continuous professional development events
• Led preparations for GDPR including updating and enhancing data management practices in addition to documentation, completing due diligence and contract revisions for clients and providers
• Updating all policies, processes and back-office documentation

A dual-focused role on both operational management and people management. Responsible for management of a team of professionals to deliver high quality relationship management and case management services and ensuring business objective delivery. Alongside this, responsible for the complete operational provision of the specialist assessment and treatment service ensuring maximum efficiency, return on investment and budget management for this service.

Open Door (company’s specialist assessment service)

• Responsible for a budget of £250,000 per annum for specialist assessments and treatment provision
• Operated as a key leader on a service provider tender exercise and steered a simplification proposal that resulted in the move from over 15 providers to 1 new primary provider. The outcome:
• Improvement of internal resource usage by outsourcing a large proportion of administration
• Improved service and geographical coverage and reduced risk by outsourcing responsibility
• Enhanced contract terms including better SLAs and costs for many services
• Improved consistency in service provision
• Relationship management of all providers
• Subsequent to the tender, solely led the successful, significant transition of service provision and process change ensuring no impact to client delivery or quality. This involved:
• Project planning and mapping service change
• Ensuring training of providers and internal staff
• Quickly identifying and resolving service delivery challenges
• Effective communication and expectation management of staff
• Responsible for ensuring effective adherence to all contract terms by the provider including service standards and quality of service. Involving:
• Meticulous analysis of all MI including utilisation, trends, KPIs and budget in addition to quality review
• Speedy and collaborative issue resolution approach
• Regular dialogue ensuring clear expectations and candid feedback
• Monthly formal reporting to senior leadership on activity, MI and finances
• Reduced volume of report-related complaints following negotiation of report templates and content
• Removed the need for the Unum subsidiary company responsible for fee-for-service provision whilst still enabling delivery of this for clients after identifying it as loss-making financially
• Identified and implemented improvement of processes and tools resulting in staff time efficiencies
• Developed and negotiated bespoke service standards, pathways and charges for key clients including a Cognitive Behavioural Therapy service for one of the UK’s largest insurance brokers and a triage/cross-referral solution for an SME insurance broker utilising their two independent health and wellbeing providers in a way to maximise cost efficiency and speed.

Rehabilitation Services

• Managed a team of both case and relationship manager consultants addressing both performance issues and performance opportunities
• Consistently ensured team and department targets/objectives were achieved on a daily, weekly, monthly and annual basis and in many occasions exceeded.
• Conducted one-to-one and performance appraisals regularly throughout the year and coached team members in their development and career progression
• Demonstrated a high-performing team and strong talent management of team members
• Ensured motivation and clear direction for team members to enable the highest potential of results
• Oversaw department objectives and activities related to key client relationship management (394 schemes and over £111million annual premium) and drove an initiative that saw a 23% referral increase from a target client group within 12 months.
• Quality assurance (QA) of consultant work and responsible for all department QA requirements
• Improved case management QA tool to be more relevant to business objectives
• Developed a relationship management QA tool then used this to further enhance consultant performance
• Regular data analysis of QA results/trends and acted upon issues identified from these
• Secured retention and acquisition of business through sales pitches and documentation for clients with over £100,000 annual premium
• Managed recruitment activities and tools and successfully hired 5 new consultants, now amongst the department’s top performers.
• Progressed cross-department and division interaction to enhance cohesive working
• Proposed then led a Client Relationship Management tool project which was supported by the CEO
• Won an internal Outstanding Achievement Award Q2 2013

Responsible for account managing a portfolio of schemes with premiums of £500,000+ (largely in the FTSE 250) in addition to managing a small return to work caseload.

• Held a high customer retention rate due to relationship development and influencing skills enabling understanding of their needs and challenges and using this to steer engagement in services and associated improvement in absence management processes/costs
• Proactively provided MI and bespoke development plans on absence levels/trends for clients
• Winning business through the delivery of sales pitches, sales pitch material and service negotiation
• Problem solving and client dissatisfaction resolution
• Successfully lead the development of an award-winning client training workshop initiative
• Championed the award-winning Maggie’s Centers cancer workshops partnership through 2013
• Delivery of training workshops to external and internal clients.
• Keeping up-to-date with the group insurance market and commercial information
• Highly Commended Award for VR Practitioner of the Year by the Vocational Rehabilitation Association
• Finalist for Case Manager of the Year Award in the Rehabilitation First Awards
• Nominated and successful in gaining a place on the internal recognition event
• Completed a 12 month Aspiring Management Program
• Career mentoring individuals within business in addition to developing and delivering peer training on department services, activities and systems

Responsible for managing a fluctuating caseload with varying conditions and severity (physical and psychological) designing return to work programs and ensuring the best outcome for all parties involved.

• Delivered accurate, timely and relevant reports and communication for a variety of audiences
• Liaison with external organisations and treating practitioners
• Working with a multi-disciplinary team to share knowledge to further develop skills and outcomes
• Regularly exceeded caseload and results targets
• Won an internal Service Team Excellence award Q2 2008 for a successful project
• Studied for and achieved my CDMP qualification

Responsible for a portfolio of clients initially for Office Support recruitment and then for accountancy professionals within the Public Practice industry.

• Sourcing candidates and job opportunities then actively marketing to organisations.
• Face-to-face interactions with candidates and employers to understand needs and key selling points
• Coaching candidates and employers through recruitment processes
• Ensuring effective achievement of business targets and sustainability of business
• Event organising and networking
• Negotiating fees, terms of business and employment packag

Part-time positions whilst studying:

• Unum Provident – Administrator (April 2004 – June 2005)
• North West Public Health Team – Administrator (May 2003 - March 2004)
• Heaven & Hell - Bar Supervisor / Trainee Duty Manager (November 2001 – October 2002)
• Costcutter – Shop Supervisor (August 2000 – August 2001)
• Various bar work
• Army Office Training at the Manchester and Salford University Officer Training Corps

• Worked within a small project team to determine the strategic direction of the charity and then create an associated action plan
• Led on collaboration project to explore a prospective merge/acquisition with the Society of Occupational Medicine (SOM)
• Designed and delivered webinars and seminars to large audiences
• Led on GDPR preparations for the charity including creating documentation, policies, training materials and designing communications to data subjects
• Ongoing board member general duties in additional to sub-group PR and marketing activities