Customer Escalation Manager

"Innovative solutions for sustainable and affordable beverages, food and essentials" - we have a clear vision at Krones. For this purpose, we supply state of the art technology to our customers worldwide.

As a regional subsidiary for the Subsaharan Africa region, it is our commitment to optimise our customer reach in this region and to provide them with the best possible service. With our team of about 150 employees based in Lanseria Johannesburg, South Africa, we have made it our mission to provide our customers with outstanding support - throughout the entire Krones portfolio. This way we ensure the highest level of productivity and quality on a permanent basis.

Interested? Then join our team because: we can achieve more together!

Job Purpose:

The purpose of this role is to lead, coordinate, and manage all machine breakdown response activities to ensure rapid, structured, and effective resolution of equipment failures. The Customer Escalation Manager is responsible for minimizing downtime, restoring operational performance, and maintaining high levels of customer satisfaction through professional technical support and timely interventions.

This role oversees the full breakdown management cycle, including fault analysis, resource scheduling, on site intervention coordination, and closure of all technical and administrative actions. The position ensures that all breakdown activities adhere to company standards, safety requirements, and service level expectations while contributing to the overall operational and financial performance of the business.

• Lead and coordinate all machine breakdown response activities to ensure rapid and effective resolution
• Serve as the primary point of contact for customers during breakdown incidents
• Conduct initial fault assessment, determine urgency, and prioritize interventions
• Coordinate technician dispatch, resource allocation, and on site intervention scheduling
• Monitor breakdown progress and ensure timely updates to all stakeholders

• Oversee root cause analysis (RCA) for all breakdown events and ensure corrective actions are implemented
• Ensure all breakdown and repair interventions are formally closed with high quality technical reports
• Verify the quality and accuracy of technician reports before submission to customers
• Maintain accurate documentation and ensure loop closure on all technical and administrative tasks

• Build and maintain strong customer relationships, always ensuring professional communication
• Provide guidance on technical findings, repair timelines, and preventive recommendations
• Attend customer meetings (e.g. SPP/operational reviews) to address breakdown trends, concerns, and improvement opportunities

• Manage the full lifecycle of breakdown related interventions, from initiation to technical and commercial close out
• Collaborate with Service Managers, Dispatchers, and LCS Project Managers to align resources and improve service delivery
• Support planning and scoping of audits, overhauls, and other LCS interventions linked to machine reliability
• Track and manage costs related to breakdown activities to support departmental financial performance

• Ensure all breakdown processes adhere to company safety standards, operational procedures, and service level commitments
• Identify recurring issues and drive continuous improvement initiatives with customers to reduce downtime and enhance machine reliability
• Participate actively in developing and refining best practices for breakdown management

• Work closely with Service Managers, LCS Project Managers and Sales teams to identify value adding opportunities linked to breakdown events (retrofits, audits, upgrades)
• Provide technical clarification for suggestions or quotations arising from breakdown analyses
• Share planned customer visits to enable cross functional engagement

• Provide standby support as required by company procedures
• Ensure rapid response and support during after hours or critical breakdown events

• Lead, mentor, and manage the team of technical specialists, ensuring they are equipped with the skills, resources, and support required to deliver high quality breakdown response services
• Drive continuous skills development by identifying competency gaps, coordinating training interventions, and creating opportunities for technicians to gain exposure across diverse machine platforms and breakdown scenarios
• Set clear performance expectations and conduct regular performance reviews to ensure accountability, productivity, and alignment with departmental objectives
• Promote a culture of learning, collaboration, and technical excellence, encouraging knowledge sharing and best practice adoption within the team.
• Support career development planning for team members and provide coaching to enhance technical, analytical, and customer interaction capabilities
• Ensure effective workforce planning, including technician allocation, succession planning, and readiness for high priority or emergency interventions
• Lead by example in professionalism, communication, and customer oriented behaviour, reinforcing company values across all interactions
• Foster a high performance, safety focused environment, ensuring all team members adhere to operational, quality, and safety standards
• Engage in personal leadership development activities with line manager

• A National Diploma or Bachelor's Degree in Mechanical or Electrical Engineering
• A minimum of 7 years' experience in a maintenance management or similar role
• SAP experience
• MS Office (Including MS Projects)
• Effective communication and relationship management skills
• Ability to perform effectively in high pressure environments, maintaining high performance and sound judgement
• Outstanding organizational skills - the ability to plan, prioritize, and schedule tasks efficiently
• A solid understanding of the machinery and systems within the beverage industry

• Working knowledge of the Krones portfolio
• Project Management Certification - PMP or similar
• Very good analytical and problem solving skills
• Strong leadership, people management, and performance management skills