Royce Mwafulilwa Sakala

Key Account Management and Commercial Strategy Implementation

In my role, I am responsible for building and maintaining strong client relationships to drive business growth and achieve commercial objectives. Key responsibilities include:

• Client Relationship Management:Built and nurtured strong client relationships through regular communication and effective problem-solving.
  Acted as the primary Customer Account expert, implementing both country-level and regional commercial strategies to meet and exceed sales and service performance targets.
• Customer Account Expertise:Maintained an in-depth understanding of assigned customer accounts, their pain points, and requirements.
  Co-planned and forecasted new business opportunities with customers to align with their goals and IHS’s growth strategy.
  Led all customer engagements, facilitating and attending meetings to address challenges and offer innovative solutions that sustain and enhance IHS’s market share.
• Business Development:Assessed customer portfolios and coverage to identify capacity gaps, market prime locations, and uncover new business opportunities.
  Conducted market research, sales calls, meetings, and presentations to proactively drive business growth.
  Influenced key stakeholders and decision-makers by fostering strong relationships for a competitive advantage.
• Industry Insight and Strategic Planning:Maintained a comprehensive understanding of the industry, customers’ business models, emerging trends, pain points, network plans, and key decision-making processes.
  Chaired formalized customer account review meetings to monitor performance and explore new business or service opportunities.
• Product Knowledge and Customer Support:Demonstrated excellent knowledge of IHS products and services, leveraging this to up-sell and cross-sell to customers.
  Provided exceptional customer support, ensuring swift responses to queries and seamless handling of the customer experience journey.
  Tracked customer demands such as BTS, colocation, and amendments, ensuring timely action and resolution.
• Financial and Contract Management:Input to commercial models, including Capex, Opex, billing, and revenues.
  Acted as a contract specialist, maintaining up-to-date knowledge of contract terms and conditions for assigned customers.
  Ensured accurate and transparent billing by validating invoices, submitting relevant documents, and inputting precise data into company systems.
  Regularly reviewed billing for accuracy and followed up with customers to maximize month-on-month collections and expedite payments.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration:Partnered with internal teams, including Supply Chain, Network Operations, Rollout, RF Planning, Finance, and Legal, to deliver streamlined services and solutions to customers.
  Maintained regular communication with stakeholders to stay informed of customer projects and address issues proactively.
• Performance Reporting and Stakeholder Updates:Tracked and reported key sales and service indicators, keeping the Commercial Director informed of sales performance, opportunities, and customer satisfaction trends.
• Built and maintained strong client relationships to drive business growth.
• Strengthened client relationships through regular communication and effective problemsolving.

My role here included:

• Enhanced executive productivity by managing calendar, scheduling appointments, and organizing travel arrangements.
• Managed day-to-day office operations ensuring a professional and efficient working environment for the Managing Director and the team.
• Gathered necessary documentation for meetings by liaising with internal team members or external partners effectively.
• Supported the Managing Director in decision-making processes by researching topics and providing relevant information.
• Organized high-level events such as conferences and company retreats to foster teamwork and collaboration.
• Maintained a well-organized filing system allowing easy access to important documents when needed.
• Managed correspondence on behalf of the Managing Director, drafting professional emails and letters to clients, vendors, and other stakeholders.
• Coordinated travel logistics including flight bookings, accommodations and transportation ensuring seamless trips for the Managing Director.
• Provided regular updates on ongoing projects keeping the Managing Director well-informed about progress and potential challenges.
• Used discretion when handling confidential information.

High-Value Customer Relationship Management
In this role, I was responsible for providing tailored services to high-value customers and ensuring their satisfaction. Key responsibilities included:

• Customer Base Management: Oversaw a base of approximately 2,176 high-value customers.
• Customer Engagement: Conducted visitations and regular care calls to foster long-term relationships.
• Partner Recruitment & Management: Identified and managed strategic partnerships to enhance customer experience.
• Reporting: Prepared monthly reports on the Average Revenue Per User (ARPU) and other performance metrics.
• Churn Management: Developed and implemented strategies to minimize customer churn.
• Event Coordination: Organized annual trade fairs and commercial shows, ensuring successful representation and engagement.
• Complaint Resolution: Managed and resolved customer complaints promptly to maintain satisfaction.
• Administrative Support: Facilitated the administrative requirements of the sales function and ensured timely action on client instructions.
• Database Management: Maintained an up-to-date database of clients and their contact details.

Team Leadership

• Managed a team of three (3) receptionists, ensuring operational efficiency.
• Identified team training and development needs, providing appropriate solutions.

Relief Management

• Served as Relief Manager for the Airtel Premier Department.
• Provided relief support as a Personal Assistant to the Managing Director and other Directors.

Operational Excellence

• Ensured a green audit assessment within my area of operation.
• Managed customer portfolios, including account openings for individual post-paid customers.
• Oversaw the management of bills and statements for customers.

Expatriate Services

• Processed visa applications and collections for all Airtel expatriates.

Oracle Requisitioning

• Handled Oracle requisitions to support procurement and operational needs.
• Enhanced customer satisfaction by streamlining communication channels and improving response times.
• Developed innovative solutions to complex problems, resulting in improved organizational performance.
• Assisted in employee appraisals, promotions and terminations based on performance reviews.

My role here included:

• Greeted incoming visitors and customers professionally and provided friendly, knowledgeable assistance.
• Confirmed appointments, communicated with clients, and updated client records.
• Answered phone promptly and directed incoming calls to correct offices.
• Kept reception area clean and neat to give visitors positive first impression.
• Resolved customer problems and complaints.
• Handled cash transactions and maintained sales and payments records accurately.
• Responded to inquiries from callers seeking information.
• Supported office efficiency by performing clerical tasks such as data entry, photocopying, scanning, and faxing documents.
• Demonstrated strong multitasking abilities while managing numerous tasks simultaneously under tight deadlines.
• Handled sensitive information with discretion while maintaining strict confidentiality standards.
• Managed multiple tasks and met time-sensitive deadlines.

My role here included:

• Enhanced call center efficiency by effectively managing high call volumes and multitasking in a fast-paced environment.
• Improved customer satisfaction ratings by efficiently addressing and resolving inquiries, complaints, and requests.
• Consistently met or exceeded performance targets through diligent attention to detail and strong communication skills.
• Demonstrated empathy and understanding when dealing with difficult situations, ultimately diffusing tension while finding satisfactory resolutions.
• Boosted client retention rates by providing exceptional customer service and building rapport with callers.
• Exceeded daily call center metrics, consistently maintaining a high level of productivity and customer satisfaction.
• Helped large volume of customers every day with positive attitude and focus on customer satisfaction.
• Utilized CRM software to track customer interactions, ensuring timely follow-up on outstanding issues.
• Delivered exceptional customer service to every customer by leveraging extensive knowledge of products and services and creating welcoming, positive experiences.
• Adhered to company policies and scripts to consistently achieve call-time and quality standards.