Service Recovery Agent

Job Description

Synopsis

The Service Recovery Agent is responsible for handling customer escalations, managing service recovery cases, and performing critical back-office activities within the 24/7 Service Recovery Desk. This role serves as the primary operational point of contact for escalated customer matters, taking ownership of cases from initial receipt through to final resolution and closure.
The Agent acts as the operational owner of assigned cases, coordinating with internal departments to achieve timely and effective outcomes, maintaining accurate records of all customer interactions, and ensuring compliance with service level agreements, company policies, and customer experience standards.

Accountabilities

•    Escalation Handling & Case Ownership
•    Receive and handle customer escalations from multiple channels including voice, email, chat, and internal referrals.
•    Take full ownership of assigned cases from receipt through to closure, ensuring no case is abandoned or overlooked.
•    Assess each escalation to determine priority, required actions, and appropriate resolution pathway.
•    Apply the escalation matrix correctly, routing cases to the appropriate level or department when beyond personal authority.
•    Service Recovery Execution
•    Manage service recovery activities within approved authority levels, ensuring commercial decisions are justified and documented.
•    Determine appropriate recovery actions based on case merit, customer history, and policy guidelines.
•    Process compensation, goodwill gestures, and recovery offers in accordance with delegated authorities.
•    Negotiate and communicate recovery outcomes to customers with professionalism, empathy, and clarity.
•    Back-Office Operations
•    Perform critical back-office activities assigned to the Service Recovery Desk, including case documentation, data entry, and administrative processing.
•    Update and maintain the CRM system accurately with all customer interactions, actions taken, and resolution details.
•    Process refunds, travel vouchers, and other recovery instruments in line with approved procedures.
•    Maintain high-quality documentation standards to ensure audit readiness and knowledge transfer.
•    Stakeholder Coordination
•    Coordinate with internal departments including Contact Centre Operations, Guest Relations, Commercial, Airport Operations, Revenue, Refunds, Flight Editing, and Digital to achieve timely case resolution.
•    Follow up on pending actions with internal stakeholders to prevent case aging and SLA breaches.
•    Provide clear and concise handovers at shift change, ensuring continuity of case management.
•    Callback & SLA Management
•    Deliver all callbacks within agreed service level timeframes, meeting commitment times and quality standards.
•    Manage personal callback queue, prioritising effectively and rescheduling where necessary with customer agreement.
•    Proactively communicate with customers on case progress, setting clear expectations and following through on commitments.
•    Compliance & Quality
•    Follow all operational procedures, policies, and guidelines governing service recovery activities.
•    Ensure compliance with company policies, customer experience standards, and regulatory requirements.
•    Maintain confidentiality and data protection standards in all customer interactions and record-keeping.
•    Support irregular operations and critical events as directed, adapting to changing operational priorities.
•    Decision Making Authority
•    Approve service recovery actions within individual authority limits as defined by the company compensation and service recovery policy framework.
•    Determine case prioritisation and sequencing within assigned workload based on urgency, complexity, and customer impact.
•    Select appropriate recovery approaches and communication strategies within approved guidelines.
•    Escalate cases to the Supervisor when recovery requirements exceed delegated authority or involve exceptional circumstances.
•    Make real-time decisions on case handling approaches within established procedures and quality standards.

Qualifications

Education & Experience

•    Experience – Essential
o    Minimum 2 years of experience in airline customer service, contact centre operations, or a related customer-facing role.
o    Demonstrated experience handling customer complaints, escalations, or dispute resolution.
o    Working knowledge of airline passenger service processes, fare rules, and basic commercial policies.
o    Experience using CRM systems, case management tools, or contact centre platforms in a professional environment.
•    Experience – Desirable
o    Previous experience in a service recovery, complaints handling, or escalations team.
o    Exposure to back-office processing, refunds, or revenue protection functions.
o    Multilingual capabilities relevant to the airline’s route network and customer base.
o    Experience in a 24/7 shift-based operational environment.
•    Qualifications – Essential
o    High school diploma or equivalent secondary education qualification.
o    Customer service or contact centre operations certification (e.g., COPC, customer excellence, or equivalent).
•    Qualifications – Desirable
o    Diploma or degree in Business, Aviation, Hospitality, Tourism, or a related field.
o    Additional certification in conflict resolution, negotiation skills, or emotional intelligence.
o    IATA qualification or airline industry-specific training.

Additional Information

Etihad Airways is more than the UAE’s national airline - we’re shaping the future of global aviation. From our hub in Abu Dhabi, we connect people across continents and cultures, while driving our “Journey 2030” ambition to double our fleet, expand our network and grow our people for a new era of excellence. Join us and become part of a vision where the world is your workplace and extraordinary experiences take flight.

To learn more visit www.etihad.com

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