Lucinda Ditchfield
Campus Welcome Manager
Guildford
Summary
Effective, focused, and dedicated Operations and Customer Service Manager with extensive experience in higher education and travel operations sectors. Possesses exceptional communication and interpersonal skills, fostering collaboration across diverse groups regardless of gender, race, ethnicity, or age. Demonstrated expertise in crisis management, support, negotiation, and problem-solving. Committed to finding solutions and leveraging collaboration and active listening as cornerstones for success. Seeks the next opportunity to contribute to organizational growth and success. Skilled in promoting an engaged and empowering work culture while building and maintaining strong relationships with a diverse range of stakeholders in dynamic, fast-paced environments.
Overview
20
20
years of professional experience
9
9
years of post-secondary education
Work History
Campus Welcome Manager
University of Surrey
12.2021 - Current
- Line management of multiple disciplinary teams from Estate Services, Customer, Main Reception and Transport teams
- Including and not exhaustive, performance management, staff development and succession planning to deliver highly motivated, engaged, and high-performing teams
- Overseeing the achievement and fulfillment of agreed SLA for customer service and standards
- Implementing and improving service delivery
- Leading in change through re-structures and supporting staff
- Manage, develop and deliver an efficient front and back-office service operation, which meets the needs of customers and successfully handling all customer interactions in support of improving the customer experience
- Analysis performance data (KPI's/SLA's) identifying trends and actions required to improve the customer and customer service journey
- Create operational processes, procedures and standards that set the benchmark which are to be met by the whole team in order to improve consistency and efficiency
- Development of health and safety initiatives
- Regular and frequent liaison with key stakeholders
- Management of CAFM estates system ensuring SLA times and responding to emergency works, managing staffing levels appropriate to business needs
- Support and guide teams through departmental restructuring offering SWOT analysis of current operations to obtain the best outcome
- Coordination and management of the EF&CS communications to ensure that customers are well informed and have clarity of the services available and knowledge of impact
- Deliver the service within the Universities Policies and procedures, always including compliance with Health and Safety legislation
- Including the management of the contractor sign in and induction process as per the University Contractor Management Policy
- Manage approximately 12,000 accommodation keys and access for peak periods such as moving in, and moving out
- Overall management of front of house delivery for a busy external conference period during the University summer period
- Consisting of roughly 4000-5000 external delegates
- Creation of welcome pack information for external conferences
- Working closely with International Customer support teams and Disability and Neurodiversity teams to ensure customers are supported with correct information and guidance on arrival
- Overall management of the University Switchboard and team
- Working closely with the IT team for improvements in service delivery
- Respond to consumer complaints from the front of house, transport and EFCS teams to professionally and promptly handle any problems that arise
- Using flexible and innovative approaches
- Work closely with all professional services and customer experience departments to create, and implement innovative customer experiences and customer journeys
- Out-of-hours support for the Security/ Campus Safety team to ensure front-of-house services and issues are dealt with as a priority
- To identify and create cost-saving processes/ staffing models and improvements
- Responsible for staffing levels, interviewing, onboarding and training new staff members
- Responsible for staff Rota's for a multi-site and cross-functional team ensuring operational and service delivery needs are met
- Led the L&D for the department collaborating with HR contacts to set up apprenticeships and in-house training, to ensure autonomous progression
Team Lead
University of Surrey
01.2020 - 09.2021
- Assisting with regular and frequent liaison with the key stakeholders/partners to ensure that successful support is provided for service aspects such as check-in and departures of university accommodation and parking provisions
- Overseeing all aspects of the customer service experience to troubleshoot processes and procedures and make improvements in customer service quality
- Deputise for the Customer Services Manager as required and ensure that the team is focused and works both efficiently and safely
- Responsible for department recruitment and retention, to provide a stimulating and happy work environment
- Creating SOP's for the department, and completing risk assessments, ensuring incident management procedures are adhered to
- Developing a full working-from-home Structure, workload, remote supervision, and support
- Responsible for the day-to-day management and supervision of direct reports, including appraisals, and managing performance
- Assisting in the recruitment of new staff, inducting and training new staff, mentoring and identifying training needs
- To be responsible for the scheduling of staff rota's ensuring that levels meet business needs
- Organising and coordinating all Reception activities ensuring a welcoming, efficient, helpful service is provided and customer complaints are resolved as quickly as possible
- Ensure that all incoming calls are as per agreed service levels providing information to the caller and transferring the call to the appropriate source as required
- Current member of the Governance Committee for Pensions
- Assist with the analysis of performance data (KPI's/SLA's) providing accurate and detailed reports on issues or emerging problems that affect team performance and customer experience
- Using data expediently and responsibly for the best outcome for both customer and company
- Ensure team adherence and compliance with all University processes and policies, including health and safety
- Setting, monitoring standards of accuracy, diligence and maintaining service delivery to the expected high standard
- Positively support equality of opportunity and equity of treatment to colleagues and customers in accordance with the University of Surrey Equal Opportunities Policy
Team Lead, Operations
Inghams Hotelplan
10.2015 - 01.2020
- Responsible for all travel arrangements for the UK's second-largest Ski Tour Operator
- A group-level role working for all brands including; Inghams Ski, Ski Total, Esprit, Santa's Lapland, Lakes & Mountains, Flexiski, plus a dedicated Inghams Italy all-year-round program
- Key responsibilities include and are not limited to:
- Aircraft charters, a large scheduled flight program & organisation of rail and self-drive programs
- Contracting net rates for rail with SBB, 3rd party suppliers and car hire to ensure a competitive pricing strategy
- Collaborating with Product, Reservations, Reservations Support, Agency Sales, Commercial, Marketing, Guest Services & Overseas Teams to ensure all travel logistics run accurately as planned & sold in line with company values
- Owning all travel content in customer-facing emails, tickets, web pages and brochures to provide accurate, informative and detailed information
- These are 'live' documents that require continual adaptation and development
- Working with the Operations Manager and Business Director to communicate current team status (KPI's etc), development/training plans and budget/cost measures
- Duty Office- leading and reporting on any crisis management to rest of business examples of which are (not exhaustive) the collapse of Monarch, Force majeure travel cancellations, customer repatriation, emergency accommodation, accident/illness/death of a guest
- Led in developing and creating a duty management phone system and process which reduced call volumes and efficiency of the duty office, impacting on customer experience
- Report any travel incidents to the GMT and Guest Services Team ready for any potential call influx/media interest
- Provide initial stats on any potential financial implications to the business
- Day-to-day contribution and management of the team to provide Operations communications in response to emails from Reservations, customers and travel agents, letters and all inbound calls
- Delegation of tasks to empower the team and utilise their best abilities
- Investigate and liaise with suppliers directly regarding customer feedback to improve the quality of services and on occasion to push for compensation where the quality of service has not been met
- Examples include Eurostar seating, flight diversions & cancellations, missing luggage
- Daily communications with the Overseas Team to ensure quality remains high, even in the face of last-minute changes, providing support and having the 'overall' view of all operational demands
- Provide continual training to the Reservations/Guest Service teams on best practices helping them to manage the numerous travel options available to our guests when booking a holiday (over 60 members of staff)
- Working closely with the commercial team to free up capacity and mixed flight availability to increase revenue and sales
- Holding weekly departmental meetings to improve communication and workflow between the team
- Dealing with the full Lapland flight program from documentation, flight manifests and UK airport reps
- Looking outside the business and working with partners such as large airlines to improve the manifesting process, and customer experience
- Travelling to UK airports to meet and discuss potential improvements and working relationships to offer a more bespoke service to customers
- Interviewing and selecting new team members, sourcing enthusiastic people to the team who believe in the company values
- Coaching and mentoring new staff members, encouraging a growth mindset in order to create a culture of lifelong learning and autonomous rewards
- Attending all relevant events such as World Travel Market and Swiss Travel to represent the business
- Building and developing relationships with existing and prospective suppliers
- Daily use of GDS systems
Contact Centre Reservations Consultant
Inghams (Hotelplan)
09.2013 - 09.2015
Resort Manager - Norway/Lapland/Austria & Resort representative
Inghams (Hotelplan)
06.2011 - 08.2013
Supply Teacher/Special needs Assistant
Gloucester School
09.2008 - 06.2011
Financial Advisor
Jobcentre plus (DWP)
04.2005 - 08.2008
Education
Bsc Honours - Psychology and Counselling
Open University
10.2020 - Current
60 Credits Level 1 - Religious Studies/Philosophy
Open University
02.2016 - 01.2017
11 GCSE A-C
Blessed Robert Johnson Catholic College
Telford 09.1999 - 06.2003
Skills
Coaching Teams
Crisis Management
Leadership
Implementation of processes and procedures
Computer Literate MS Office Word/Excel/PowerPoint
Proficiency in all areas of Microsoft Office, including Access, Excel, Word and PowerPoint
Excellent communication skills, both written and verbal
Team leadership
Operations management
Strategic planning
Decision-making
Performance management
Staff development
Customer service
Affiliations
- Associate - Institute of Leadership and Management
- CUBO - College & University Business Officers
Furtherqualificationscourses
- Managers Foundation Program - Institute of Leadership & Management
- Creating development plans
- Associate member - Institute of Leadership & Management
- Mental Health first Aider (MHFA)
- Springboard - Work and Personal Development for Women
- Excel intermediate
- Preparing for change (Managers)
- Time management
- Unconscious Bias
- Dealing with difficult conversations
- Managing Performance
- Influencing and Persuading
- Paediatric First Aid 2016/ NSPCC Safeguarding
- C-Me Profile
Timeline
Campus Welcome Manager
University of Surrey
12.2021 - Current
Bsc Honours - Psychology and Counselling
Open University
10.2020 - Current
Team Lead
University of Surrey
01.2020 - 09.2021
60 Credits Level 1 - Religious Studies/Philosophy
Open University
02.2016 - 01.2017
Team Lead, Operations
Inghams Hotelplan
10.2015 - 01.2020
Contact Centre Reservations Consultant
Inghams (Hotelplan)
09.2013 - 09.2015
Resort Manager - Norway/Lapland/Austria & Resort representative
Inghams (Hotelplan)
06.2011 - 08.2013
Supply Teacher/Special needs Assistant
Gloucester School
09.2008 - 06.2011
Financial Advisor
Jobcentre plus (DWP)
04.2005 - 08.2008
11 GCSE A-C
Blessed Robert Johnson Catholic College
09.1999 - 06.2003
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