Customer Assistant

Customer Assistant - Service and Safety

Working Pattern

Week 1:
Tuesday: 10:00 - 18:00
Wednesday: 10:00 - 18:00
Thursday: 10:00 - 18:00
Friday: 10:00 - 18:00
Saturday: 10:00 - 18:00

Week 2:
Tuesday: 10:00 - 18:00
Wednesday: 10:00 - 18:00
Thursday: 10:00 - 18:00
Friday: 10:00 - 18:00
Saturday: 10:00 - 18:00

• To deliver a great shopping experience for their customers, putting customers before task every time
• Champion new ways of working within stores through an open mindset and positive attitude
• Complete tasks and processes that deliver ‘best in town’ standards
• Serve and sell across all channels brilliantly well
• Be the voice of our customer to help us continually improve

Key Accountabilities and Measures

• Clearly identified to provide customers with a visible presence at the beginning of their shopping journey

• Confidently welcome customers to the store with a smile and by making eye contact, and use a range of greeting techniques known to deter theft from the store

• Flexible and trained to support other areas within the store i.e. Foods, C&H, Operations

• Be knowledgeable of the store, support key marketing messages, latest products and top questions (e.g. what time do you close?)

• Assist customers in navigating the store, recognising when a customer needs help and provide the right level of support

• Thank our customers for shopping with us when they exit

• Deal calmly and empathetically with people in a variety of retail circumstances, including confrontational situations

• Respond to door alarms in a sincere and apologetic manner, resolving any issues the customer may have

• Be a visible deterrent against violence, anti-social behaviour, targeted theft, till snatches and criminal activity to support a safe shopping environment.

• Identify and monitor suspicious persons, activity or theft and take appropriate customer engaging actions as required to deter

• Ensure all incidents are reported through the M&S Incident reporting process either through the Hicom app (on the Honey well) or into the Security Operations Centre, and to the police where necessary

• Ensure that persons served with a trespass notice do not re-enter the site

• Responsible for carrying store radio and engaging with police and other security personnel to improve service to M&S, this may include crime partnership meetings, agreed police meetings, shop watch schemes

• Apprehend external thieves (only if necessary) in line with business policy and only if all components of theft are seen

• Report any incidents of known or suspected internal theft or malpractice

Key Skills

• Being confident with an easily felt presence and friendly and natural personality is essential

• Strong communication skills with the ability to engage customers with ease

• Ability to remain focussed at greeting customers and deterring suspicious activity

• To have a natural empathy with our M&S brand and values, including service behaviours

• To be self-motivated, willing to improvise and suggest or try new approaches

• Able to maintain high standards of appearance and uniform standards

• No requirement to be licensed, but good observation skills would be a benefit

Key Relationships and Stakeholders

• Store Management team

• Store Colleagues

• Operational Security Manager

• Regional teams (RLPMs/RCOMs)

• Store Detectives

• SOC

• Police

• Local Networks