Rob Friend
Exeter,Devon
Summary
Customer-oriented individual with strong history of leading high-performing teams to meet or exceed objectives. Dedicated, conscientious and hardworking with internal drive to achieve. Over 20 years of experience in customer service based roles both in office and public facing environments. Experience of working alone, in teams and in supervisory and management roles. Experience of delivering CPC courses, company inductions and New Driver Training Programs.
Experience of delivering behavioural safety training events to groups of up to 40 people. Strong IT skills having used office based programs and multiple database's as well as different company systems throughout working life.
Currently employed as a CPC instructor and Bus Driver. Daily driving of multiple routes throughout the city and rural network where required, whilst interacting in a face to face role with customers.
Overview
27
27
years of professional experience
Work history
CPC Instructor
Stagecoach West
Exeter, Devon
08.2023 - Current
- CPC Instructor delivering classroom training for new and existing Stagecoach employees.
- Delivery of company inductions, NDTP training and post test training for new employees.
- Leading on creation and set up of a new Peer Support network within the South West.
- Delivery of South West wide toolbox talks for subjects such as Discrimination and Harassment.
- Working with Devon County Council attending SEND focus groups to improve independent travel for young people with disabilities.
- Created safe and inclusive classroom environment promoting mutual respect amongst trainees.
- Ensured that all safety guidelines were followed during practical sessions reducing risk of accidents.
- Implemented various teaching strategies to cater to diverse learning styles of students.
Bus Driver
Stagecoach South West
Exeter, Devon
02.2020 - 08.2023
- Successfully applied for and selected as a relief CPC Instructor in June 2021. However, with the impact of COVID19 the training school was downsized and this role was withdrawn.
- Completion of Modern Apprenticeship in December 2022.
- 2 periods (each 4 weeks) of being taken off of driving duties to work alone completing Roadside Publicity updates. Updating bus shelters and post cases with new timetables, repairing damage as and when found, reporting issues back into the Commercial and Marketing Teams.
- All aspects of bus driving, customer services and helping passengers.
- Handling cash and contactless payments for customer fares.
- Maintaining Green Road Elite Driver status for driving standard and performance.
- Consistent ranking as a driver within top 20 drivers (340 drivers in total).
- Shift Working.
- Achieved high levels of customer satisfaction, offering special assistance to elderly, infirm and disabled passengers.
- Excellent knowledge of all routes across the network. Over the 3 year period I have learned and driven all rural and city routes.
Broadband Fibre Network Installer
Hydrotech Water Services
Exeter, Devon
01.2020 - 02.2020
- Temporary 3 week work placement.
- Worked on behalf of Acorn Recruitment for Hydrotech Water Services on installation of the Jurassic Fibre Broadband Network.
- Worked as part of a 3 man manual labour team in the Clyst St Mary, Woodbury and Lympstone areas. My responsibility was to oversee and manage the smooth operation of the Streetworks layout of the work as well as manual labour. Responsible for ensuring the safety of the team, traffic and passing pedestrians.
- Installation of 50mm Fibre ducting in verges and road for the Fibre Network whilst ensuring minimal impact and disruption for the public and surrounding properties.
Meter Reading Manager - East Area
South West Water
Exeter, Devon
07.2016 - 12.2019
- Managing a team of up to 25 employees, overseeing the hiring, training, and professional growth of employees.
- Monitored multiple databases to keep track of all company inventory.
- Responsible for collection of circa 700,000 meter readings each year.
- Responsible for meeting monthly and yearly reading based targets.
- Production of weekly and monthly reporting data for Board and senior manager performance meetings.
- Health and Safety representative for the wider Meter Reading Team. Working as part of the company wide Health and Safety focus group.
- Delivery of Company wide behavioural safety training courses (HomeSafe) to direct team, wider Meter Reading Team.
- Running company wide behavioural safety training days for cross functional training days (groups of up to 40 attendees).
- Planning weekly, monthly reading schedules for the meter readers complete.
- Running weekly toolbox team talks and monthly performance team meetings.
- Monitoring individuals performance and holding regular one to one review meetings, 6 monthly performance meetings and annual appraisals.
- Using scheduling software to issue daily work out to meter reader PDA's.
- Responding to and ensuring resolution of complaints received about Meter Reading activities.
- Working as part of 6 person department management team. Supporting other managers to cover periods of leave and support for their teams.
- Responsible for procurement of tools, uniform for all team members.
- Fleet management of all vehicles in my team. Ensuring servicing, MOT's and repairs completed and regular van audits.
- Working across 3 operational depots, Exeter, Barnstaple and Torbay.
Service Delivery Leader - Metering
South West Water
Exeter, Devon
07.2012 - 06.2016
- Managed team of 17 employees, overseeing the hiring, training, and professional growth of employees.
- Mixed Team of 5 Metering Technicians and 10 Meter Readers.
- Operating out of 2 two regional depots in Exeter and Barnstaple.
- Conducting Team Meetings, One to Ones, Performance reviews and Appraisals.
- Delivery of Meter Reading targets from the team of Meter Readers.
- Planning, issuing and quality checking all work issued to Meter Readers.
- Control of online schedules for Metering Technicians to allow for Customer Appointment booking.
- Overseeing all completed jobs by Metering Technicians to ensure all completed in line with company policies.
- Calculation of One off customer allowances in line with policy.
- Handling of Escalated complaints from Customers.
- Covering Appointments for Metering Technicians in times of absence or busy periods.
- Acting as Health and Safety Representative for the team and wider Metering Team.
- Production of daily, weekly and monthly reporting for the teams performance.
Metering Technician Team Leader
South West Water
Exeter, Devon
04.2008 - 07.2012
- Managed team of 9 Metering Technicians, overseeing the hiring, training, and professional growth of employees.
- Supported the Metering Manager in improving operations and resolving issues to deliver high quality customer service.
- Worked directly with Customer Contact Handling Teams to achieve delivery of customer appointments for query resolution.
- Delivery of Meter Maintenance targets for Meter replacements by Metering Technicians, circa 8,000 replacements.
- Responsible for Technical support to large user customers in operating area, conducting meter testing with relevant technical equipment.
- Resolution of customer complaints with ability to resolve at first point of contact with goodwill payments where appropriate.
Metering Technician
South West Water
Exeter, Devon
06.2006 - 03.2008
- Resolution of Customer Metering Queries.
- Appointment based role carrying out customer visits across the Devon area,
- Controlling appointment booking system for customer appointment booking.
- Self managing workload to ensure all customer appointments met on time and completed to expected level.
- Completion of non customer based maintenance activities such as repairs, maintenance and supply queries.
- Face to face customer interaction.
- Using company systems to complete feedback on completed jobs.
- Liaising with Customer Service departments to ensure billing systems corrected as necessary.
- Working within Street Works Regulations (units 2 and 10 qualified).
Account Investigation Team Leader
South West Water
Exeter, Devon
04.2004 - 06.2006
- Managed team of 10 Customer Service Agents, overseeing the hiring, training, and professional growth of employees.
- Team responsibility to respond to all written customer complaints in 10 days, complex billing queries in 5 days and calculation of customer Leak Allowances in 5 days.
- Day to day supervision of office based team.
- Responsible for completing company reporting for Leak Allowance Calculations, providing reporting commentary for monthly Board reports.
- Handling of escalated customer calls from Call Centre.
- Customer interaction over the phone and regular customer reception visits.
- Updating of company accounting and billing systems.
- Responding to customers in both writing and over the phone.
Meter Account Billing Supervisor
South West Water
Exeter, Devon
01.2000 - 04.2004
- Supported Team Leader in ensuring Meter Billing actives were completed in line with targets.
- Direct supervision of 6 billing agents.
- Responsible for Meter Readings were processed onto the billing systems correctly.
- Complex re-billing of customer accounts following visits from field based staff.
- Monthly manual billing of Large User customers using special large user billing tariffs.
- Maintaining and updating registers for special billing arrangements.
- Telephone calls to customer to explained revised billing arrangements.
- Handling escalated calls from Call Centre agents.
Meter Billing Clerk
South West Water
Exeter, Devon
09.1998 - 04.2000
- Updating of meter reading logs by performing billing system updates.
- Day to day administration task as instructed by team supervisor.
- Liaising with other departments about completed work and queries.
- Telephone calls to company field based inspectors to gather information required.
- Updating of company records following meter replacements.
- Call Centre cover in busy periods such as annual billing cycles.
- Provided professional and courteous service at all times.
- Processed all transactions efficiently and timely.
Education
GreenRoad Elite Driving Award
GreenRoad
Bus/Coach Driving
DVLA - D/D1 Classification Driver
Streetworks Units 2 And 10 - Signing Lighting And Guarding
Street Works
Diploma of Professional Development - Customer Service And Management Skills
Coventry University
Professional Development Program - Team Leadership
Institute Of Leadership And Management
NVQ Level 3 - Customer Service
City And Guilds
NVQ Level 2 - Administration
City And Guilds
Advanced Modern Apprenticeship - Customer Service
Institute Of Customer Service
City And Guilds Diploma of Vocational Education - Design And Technology
St Thomas High School
City And Guilds Diploma of Vocational Education - Providing Goods And Services: Transporting
St Thomas High School
GCSE -
St Thomas High School
Skills
- Customer service
- Customer Relationship Management Software (CRM)
- Purchasing and procurement
- Budgeting and reporting
- Staff management
- Staff development
- Training and mentoring
- Coaching and mentoring
- Excellent verbal and written communicator
- Toolbox talks
- Team player
- Safety and compliance
- CPC qualified
- Vehicle inspections
- Safety-conscious
- Complaint resolution
- Microsoft Office
- Course material production
- Multimedia presentation
Custom
Rob, Friend, 07508857927, robfriend80@gmail.com, 1 St Nicholas Close, Devon, Exeter, EX1 3FL
Additional Information
I spend my spare time working with the Exeter Chiefs Rugby Club on match days at Sandy Park. I work as part of a 5 man Events Team on match days, leading the running all of the in stadium music, scoreboards and big screen activities. In previous years with the club I have also served as a senior steward. I am active in my time away from work with such activities as the gym, Paddle boarding and cycling. I also volunteer my spare time running social media platforms for the Exeter Chiefs Supporters Club and take an active role on the club committee.
Timeline
CPC Instructor
Stagecoach West
08.2023 - Current
Bus Driver
Stagecoach South West
02.2020 - 08.2023
Broadband Fibre Network Installer
Hydrotech Water Services
01.2020 - 02.2020
Meter Reading Manager - East Area
South West Water
07.2016 - 12.2019
Service Delivery Leader - Metering
South West Water
07.2012 - 06.2016
Metering Technician Team Leader
South West Water
04.2008 - 07.2012
Metering Technician
South West Water
06.2006 - 03.2008
Account Investigation Team Leader
South West Water
04.2004 - 06.2006
Meter Account Billing Supervisor
South West Water
01.2000 - 04.2004
Meter Billing Clerk
South West Water
09.1998 - 04.2000
GreenRoad Elite Driving Award
GreenRoad
Bus/Coach Driving
DVLA - D/D1 Classification Driver
Streetworks Units 2 And 10 - Signing Lighting And Guarding
Street Works
Diploma of Professional Development - Customer Service And Management Skills
Coventry University
Professional Development Program - Team Leadership
Institute Of Leadership And Management
NVQ Level 3 - Customer Service
City And Guilds
NVQ Level 2 - Administration
City And Guilds
Advanced Modern Apprenticeship - Customer Service
Institute Of Customer Service
City And Guilds Diploma of Vocational Education - Design And Technology
St Thomas High School
City And Guilds Diploma of Vocational Education - Providing Goods And Services: Transporting
St Thomas High School
GCSE -
St Thomas High School