Manager Sales
Resume:
Mark J. O'Connell
Sioux City, Iowa 51106
Career Profile
For more than twenty years, my career has been rooted in sales,
training/development and personnel leadership, predominantly in call center
environments. My skills that have made the most impact are the ability to
unite a group of diverse people and motivate them to achieve a common goal;
to be able to use differences as pillars to build from; and to develop
programs/curriculums that support the company's mission and goals.
Edge Teleservices, Inc.
March 2005 to March 2010
Senior Site Manager, North Sioux City, South Dakota
. Grew a team of call center professionals from 25 to 250 in two years,
serving as a vendor for several diverse clients, ranging from
telecommunications providers, to pharmaceutical, insurance, political,
BPA customers, etc.
. Instilled a culture change by managing, teaching, leading, and building
trust with our internal customers (employees) and external customers
(clients).
. Initiated programs to globalize and unite our home office and another
call center location: Focus Group Sessions, Employee Survey and Feedback
Sessions, Management/Leadership sessions, launched our Management
Development Intern Training program, Developed and facilitated training
on how to utilize, analyze and coach data from our data bases to maximize
productivity and retention.
. Facilitated the outstanding performance of a sales/retention team from
start up to the client's #1 vendor within 4 months. After 3 years, our
team consistently ranks in the top 1 to 3 out of 20 plus vendors.
.
The Locator
July 2003 to February 2005
Sales Manager, Whiting, Iowa
1. Responsible for the sales staff at John Holmes Publishing, DBA The
Locator, an international print and online advertising service for
recycled auto and truck parts.
2. Facilitated a downsizing effort and with half of the original staff,
my team maintained revenue levels in both the online and print
segments.
3. Restructured processes in training, account analysis, analyzing
performance and industry trends, workflow and procedures within my
department and with other functions.
4. This role was multi-facetted, requiring me to balance several
priorities: analytical problem solving, administrative/reporting,
using interpersonal skills to resolve conflicts, and preparing
motivation, incentives and rewards for my team.
Orion Mortgage and Financial Services
August 2001 to July 2003
Teleservices Director, Sioux City, Iowa.
5. Responsible for full suite of marketing operations and management for
a young, family owned mortgage brokerage firm. My department
generated all of the leads for loan officers in the Sioux City, Sioux
Falls, Omaha and Des Moines offices.
6. In the first year, I doubled the size of my team and increased company
productivity by over 200%.
7. Established procedures and business plan for additional satellite
offices.
Third Party Verification (TPV)
April 1991 to July 2001
Assumed increasing responsibility over a ten-year span for Third Party
Verification (TPV) of MCI's telesales. This verification contract
transitioned among three vendors, where I was retained to direct a variety
of leadership and management responsibilities.
RMH Teleservices International, Inc. August 1999 to July 2001
Director of Operations, Sarnia, Ontario, Canada
8. Initially based in Sergeant Bluff, Iowa, I transitioned 1000 employees
from TeleQuest to RMH, including downsizing two of four locations in
Iowa and Colorado.
9. In June of 2000, I relocated to Sarnia, Ontario, Canada to lead the
ramp up of a 500 employee inbound call center. Provided leadership for
the Production Team, Training Department, the Recruiters, the Human
Resources Generalist, and dotted-line responsibility for the
Information Technology staff.
10. Developed training and objectives focused on quality customer care,
while incenting employees to be more efficient. Increased
productivity (CPH) by 40%.
11. Balanced needs of both the internal customers (employees) and the
external customers (daily contact/accountability with the client).
TeleQuest, Inc. January 1996 to July 1999
Center Manager / Director of Operations, Sergeant Bluff, Iowa
12. Promoted from Center Manager to Director of Operations in May 1998.
Helped grow and develop four centers in Iowa, Colorado, Texas, and
Kentucky, including over 1200 employees.
13. Developed programs for effective recruiting, hiring and retention, as
well as career development and recognition/incentive programs to
engage employees and drive productivity/quality service levels.
14. Worked with client, MCI, to define and manage a complex project that
handled daily sales verification of 30,000 to 60,000 transactions.
Managed and resolved client concerns through contract negotiations,
regular communication, and account management.
DialAmerica Marketing, Inc. April 1991 to December 1995
Center Manager, Sergeant Bluff, Iowa
Spearheaded a first-ever sales verification call center operation after
legislative mandate required MCI to find a third party to validate its
telesales.
Hired, trained and developed agents, supervisors, trainers and managers for
the120 seat center.
Projected staffing needs and created performance standards with no
historical data.
Participated and counseled the ramp up of similar call centers in
Albuquerque, Austin, and Boston, to accommodate 13 non-English
speaking campaigns.
MCI / Pioneer TeleTechnologies
December 1985 to March 1991
I had the unique opportunity to be involved in the evolution of a newly
created company, Pioneer TeleTechnologies, Inc. (PTI) when they began as a
vendor for MCI. I started as a Sales Supervisor, leading a team of
outbound telemarketers who sold MCI's long distance products and services
and grew into several positions.
Regional Training Manager v April 1990 to March 1991
Coordinated three center's associate level training curriculum for a
diverse range of applications: Inbound & Outbound Sales, Verification,
Partner Marketing, and Retention. Responsible for the selection and
grooming of a training staff of 25 Trainers and 3 Managers; constant
observation and communication with the centers' management and their
agents; creating materials and coaching on presentation skills; and
ensuring consistency in product and performance.
Center Manager v March 1989 to March 1990
Responsible for Outbound Sales and Partner Marketing Departments. The
Outbound efforts were general acquisition sales for MCI, while the Partner
Marketing included both Inbound and Outbound. Coached and mentored up to 6
Managers and 45 Supervisors, responsible for their performance in staffing,
sales, forecasting, motivation, incentive and compensation programs. In
Springfield, Missouri for 6 months to coordinate the center start up.
Supervisor v December 1985 to March 1989
Began in Sales, moved to Verification, promoted to Sales Manager and Center
Manager.
Development Training
Extensive experience and expertise in training and development, including
identifying the need for, the creation of, and the implementation and
measurement of business-focused programs designed to drive productivity,
enhance quality and motivate employees. Below are some examples of modules
I have helped develop and/or facilitate throughout my career. Most were
geared toward leadership/management employees.
Coaching, Counseling and Positive Discipline Goal Setting
Presentation and Facilitation Skills 7 Habits of
Highly Effective People
Leadership: Balancing the Scale Creating a
Positive Work Environment
Effective Call Monitoring & Feedback Meeting
Effectiveness
Principle Centered Leadership Consistent Levels of Selling
Excellence
Team Building Sessions
Incoming Call Management Institute (ICMI)
Education
Morningside College in Sioux City, Iowa
Graduated with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Business Administration with an
emphasis in Industrial Relations; minor field of study in Industrial
Psychology. Cumulative GPA of 3.47. Financed 90% of college through
employment, financial aid and scholarships. As a non-music major, was
selected to participate in the Chorale and Chamber Singers. In 2002,
acquired 13 hours toward a teaching certificate with a 4.0 GPA.
Affiliations
Telemarketing of Iowa (TAI) member and Board Officer, 1987-90; United Way
Committee Member and Chairperson; Church Choir Member, Soloist, and
Organist and Cantor; Eucharistic Minister and Lector; Confirmation Mentor
and Sponsor; Nativity Parish Council and Men's Club Member
References
Jim and Beverly Wharton
4529 Grayhawk Ridge
Sioux City, Iowa 51106
Carol B. Clark
Former Senior Vice President of Operations, TeleQuest
310 Cedar Street
Sloan, Iowa 51055
Carole Greentree
Sr. Vice President, NCO
507 Prudential Road
Horshan, PA 19044
Cindy Hamer
Former Regional Vice President of Sales, MCI
3619 East Topeka Drive
Phoenix, AZ 85050
Mary Margaret Cropp
Vice President of Operations, Edge Teleservices, Inc.
5275 Harter Farms Manor
High Ridge, MO 63049
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