Supervisor Customer Service Team for Japan

About Kuoni Tumlare

At Kuoni Tumlare, we deliver truly inspiring and innovative solutions and experiences that create value both for our Partners and Society at large. Our wide portfolio of products and solutions is built on 100+ years of destination management experience.

Our solutions include series tours, technical visits, educational tours, Japanspecialist travel consulting, as well as meetings, incentives, conferences, and exhibitions. Our product portfolio includes MyBus excursions at destinations as well as guaranteed departure tours devised and delivered by our Seat-in-Coach specialists, Europamundo (EMV) and MyBus Landcruise.

We cater to a wide range of customer needs in close collaboration with our trusted suppliers and powered by our team of destinations experts - enabling us to make a real difference to the world.

About the Business

Our Destination Management services form the core of our business. Together with our destination experts, our sales and account management teams generate business by partnering with our customers (Tour Operators, Travel Agencies) to shape exciting itineraries suited to their traveler’s needs. We take care of everything from ground support, hotel bookings, sightseeing, restaurants, and local guides; all while providing 24/7 customer support so that travelers from over 50 countries can enjoy memorable travel experiences worry free.

About the Role

Our Customer Service Supervisor is responsible for overseeing and leading the Customer Service (CS) team dedicated with delivering exceptional service to customers from Japan travelling into Switzerland. It is a crucial role in the operational management of the CS department, ensuring that quality standards and customer satisfaction goals are met, if not exceeded. The role involves being a leader capable of motivating, training, and guiding the team members to optimize their performance and maintain a high level of service.

Additionally, the role holder will be responsible for managing employee HR-related and operations tasks, organizing staff training and developing relationships with clients. Ideally a motivated leader who is eager to strive for the best customer experience and willing to always expand their knowledge of the travel industry.

Key Activities

The customer service supervisors’ responsibilities include scheduling, task allocation, and workflow management within the team. The role holder intervenes in solving complex problems, providing support and solutions to delicate situations encountered by their team members. The person is also involved in evaluating individual and collective performances while offering constructive feedback and training to enhance your team's skills and knowledge.

The role also involves close communication with other departments to ensure consistency in processes and information shared with customers. It is important that company policies and procedures are kept up-to-date while remaining flexible to adapt to the changing needs of both customers and the company. In summary, our Customer Service Supervisor embodies the essential link between the company and its customers, ensuring that each interaction is a positive and satisfying experience for both parties.

Ad-hoc tasks

• Supervise daily operations of the Customer Service Team Japan

• Manage staff to ensure high-quality customer service

• Manage and operate Premium Ad-hoc tours with fully attention and quality / Handle normal ad-hoc tours according to the given internal guideline

• Check itineraries in details to make sure clear feasibility in timing and routing, while ensuring that service code/suppliers and conditions are correct and available, depending on each seasonality

• Conduct appropriate selection of suppliers suitable for the tour grade in quality and price

• Booking and delivering confirmation of local destination services efficiently and accurately

• Provide clear and constructive suggestions and proposals to Sales for any critical services

• Provide support to the business by gathering market trends, new products and local destination information as well as providing feedback and suggestions

• Attend tours, inspections, or provide onsite inspection/support if required during and outside office hours in Switzerland

• Pre/Post season analysis, supplier quality review and new opportunities for future business to be discussed/conducted with coordination with Destination Management team and Contracting manager

• Any other related duties, such as maintenance of masterdata and other administrative or co-ordination tasks as required.

Series

• Check master tours in detail to ensure clear feasibility in timing and routing and ensuring that service code/suppliers and conditions/ service/route are correct and available depending on each seasonality

• Create master tours by A to Z for selected Japanese agenda as per internal guideline

• Process by acting as Sales Office Operator to support Sales in Japan

• Conduct appropriate selection of suppliers suitable for the tour in quality and price

• Booking and delivering confirmation of local destination services efficiently and accurately

• Provide clear and constructive suggestions and proposals to Sales for any critical services

• Provide support to the business by gathering market trends, new products and local destination information as well as providing feedback and suggestions

• Attend tours, inspections, or provide onsite inspection/support if required during and outside office hours in Switzerland

• Pre/Post season analysis, supplier quality review and new opportunities for future business to be discussed/conducted with coordination with Destination Management team and Contracting manager

• Any other related duties, such as maintenance of master data and other administrative or co-ordination tasks as required

To Succeed in the Role, You Should Have:Knowledge/Skills

• Bachelor’s degree, ideally in hospitality or tourism field or in languages and/or cultural studies

• In-depth understanding of the Travel industry & doing business across cultures

• First experience in a supervisory role (or as deputy)

• Excellent written and verbal skills in Japanese and English (both mother-tongue-level) are essential

• Good written and spoken level of German or French is preferred

• Destination knowledge of Switzerland is essential

• Computer literature – experience in working with Microsoft packages is essential and experience in company-owned systems highly desirable

• Good business reporting / statistic producing skills are preferred

We Are Looking for a Person Who:

• is a fast learner, self-motivated and passionate about delivering quality customer service to our clients

• has strong negotiation skills

• is fluent in Japanese and English; German (or French) language skills are a plus

• can provide an extended knowledge of the Japanese market

• has the ability to work under pressure and work independently

• is motivated and a team leader with a proactive attitude who focuses on collaborating

• has excellent communication and organizational skills

• who has certain analyzing and improving capabilities

• who feels comfortable navigating through change

What We Offer:

• Interesting and variable full time office job (hybrid working possibility).

• Fun and supportive international team across countries.

• Different training and self-development activities.

• Career development possibilities.