Service Manager
Resume:
RUTH BALTON
Haddonfield, NJ 08033
****.******@*******.***
PROFILE Successful, results-driven leader with extensive staff and line
experience and outstanding record of call center and service desk
development, ITIL implementation and achieving cost effective
results, with expertise in:
Help Desk/ITIL Tools Development IT Service Management
Assessments
Service Desk/Desktop Process Workshop facilitation
Support Design/Improvement
Performance Measurements Training Design and Quality Assurance
Delivery
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
The Balton Group, LLC, Haddonfield, NJ. President
2005 - Present
Provide guidance based upon employing ITIL best practices for service
improvements within IT and business operations, training and quality
assurance programs, process development and implementation, tool
development, project management, performance measurements and customer
satisfaction surveys
Key Clients:
STV Incorporated - an Engineering Firm 2009 -
Present
Conducted ITIL Process Maturity, Service Desk, Tools, and Personnel
Assessment; provided roadmap, recommendations, and templates to launch
measurements and programs. Conducted ITIL training, implemented IT
Dashboard and reshaped IT survey instruments.
TIAA-CREF - a Financial Services Company
2005 - 2009
Conducted Service Desk assessment, mentored two Service Desk Managers;
implemented IT Quality Assurance Program, surveys; designed and conducted
ITIL workshops; participated in tool due diligence, selection and
implementation, instrumental in bringing about Knowledge Management, self
service website, and Service Catalog
Dow Jones - an Information Company 2006
Built an Infrastructure Dashboard, including attendant KPIs with
recommendations for associated Service Manager Roles, data repository, and
performance management reporting
Day & Zimmerman - an Engineering Company, Parent company of YOH
2006
Conducted several IT Service Delivery assessments (Level I/II IT support)
for D&Z and some of their clients; recommended improvements and
provided road maps
ITSM Solutions - a Training Company 2008
Conducted ITIL courses in ITIL Foundations Version 2 and Version 3;
conducted ITIL Practitioners Course
CIGNA CORPORATION, Voorhees, NJ
1996 - 2005
Senior Director, IT Service Management (2004 - 2005)
Currently at 26,000 employees and $40.0B in assets, CIGNA is one of the
nation's leading providers of health care, disability, life, and accident
insurance benefits; direct the creation, analysis and marketing of IT
service measurements and improvement of IT service support.
Selected Accomplishments:
Changed the CIGNA IT culture through reactive and proactive problem
management from crisis management to performance management, resulting in
the following improvements:
. 21% reduction in severity one problems in one year
. 3% reduction in time-to-repair by initiating a monthly IT
scorecard on service delivery, providing a focus for CIO and
Senior IT Leadership Team review for action.
. 20-second improvement in Call Center average call handling time
by publishing metrics which highlighted IT infrastructure
performance and resulted in capacity investments.
. 30% improvement by streamlining the New Hire Provisioning
process
. Designed and produced CIGNA-wide service catalog website to
optimize business partner access into IT.
Manager of CIGNA's Service Desk (1996 - 2003)
Developed and directed CIGNA's "single point of contact" service desk
which resolves IT incidents for 500 proprietary applications and all
other IT support for 33,000 CIGNA employees and over 1MM CIGNA
subscribers, providers and professionals. Staffed 24x7 with 150
technical and staff positions; built and managed the annual $10MM
operating plan and the $2.0MM capital plan.
Selected Accomplishments:
. Achieved "world class" recognition in 2003 by McKinsey Consulting for
providing excellent service with a 92%+ customer satisfaction rating for
four consecutive years:
. Sourced, implemented and enhanced all help desk technologies
. Created and implemented problem management (ITIL) process and
tools
. Implemented 'best practices' help desk metrics; consistently
performed in upper quartile
. Established recruiting, hiring, quality assurance program and
career paths
. Developed key client management and vendor relationships
. Designed and implemented a tiered service model and service
teams
. Decreased cost/contact from $30 in 1998 to $8.45 in 2003.
. Designed, implemented and enhanced the Online Help Desk, a self-service
website which in 2003 serviced 63% of the Help Desk's 1.2MM internal
contacts.
. Developed innovative training and recognition programs that attracted and
retained staff; annual employee attrition rate in 2003 was 3% compared to
industry standards of 12%+.
. Benchmarked by the Gartner Group as "best in class" in 2001 and 2002; won
Help Desk Institute's Team Excellence Award in 2001.
. Met all annual service level commitments from 1999 - 2004
TOWERS PERRIN, Philadelphia, PA 1993 - 1996
Employee Benefits Call Center Manager, National Employee Benefit Center
A 5,000 person global consulting firm specializing in reinsurance, employee
benefits and health care services; designed, built, managed and sold an
employee benefits call center.
Created and directed all elements of the center: training, quality
assurance programs, knowledge management database, performance measurements
and client reporting.
Selected Accomplishments:
. Built from inception a 125 person employee benefits call center which:
. Acquired 30 Fortune 500 companies within three years
. Experienced an annual revenue increase from start-up to year
three of $8MM
. Served as a footprint for the rapid expansion of New Jersey and
Virginia sites
CITIGROUP, New York, NY 1977 - 1992
Vice President & Manager, Citicorp Information Resources (1988 -
1992)
Directed 100-person customer service unit which provided compensation,
benefits and human resource information across 60K employees and 8K
retirees. Responsible to deliver timely and effective customer service
through selection and training of in-house staff, and the development of
knowledge management databases for Citicorp's payroll and benefit plans,
and payroll and benefits software. Served as blueprint for eventual
outsourcing to FiServ.
Vice President & Service Quality Manager, New York Banking (1984 - 1988)
Developed service quality programs for "first ever" comprehensive consumer
banking initiatives ranging from: service quality components in new product
introduction, service measurements and reporting, root cause analysis and
elimination of service problems, training of customer contact personnel,
service recognition programs. Over a period of two years, overall customer
satisfaction across the division improved two percentage points and was
ahead of all major New York City retail banks.
Branch Manager, New York Banking (1977 - 1984)
Managed two branches in Lower Manhattan with $225MM in assets and
liabilities, recognized at headquarters as the fastest growing branch in
Lower Manhattan in 1980.
EDUCATION
BA, English, Queens College, City University of New York -1972
MA, English, Queens College, City University of New York - 1975
Adjunct Instructor, Nassau Community College of NY State University -1975-
1977
Additional Certificates
ITIL Foundations V.2 - April 2006, V.3 March 2008; IT Service Manager's
Certificate - October 2007
Six Sigma Yellow Belt and Lean Processes - CIGNA - 2004
Call Center Management Courses, ICMI -1990, 1991, 1994
Employee Benefits, International Foundation of Employee Benefits - 1990
Service Quality, University of Michigan - 1989
Negotiation Skills, Harvard Negotiation Project - 1987
Leadership Skills, Simmons College - 1985
AFFILIATION - Help Desk Institute
Northeast Regional Director on National Member Advisory Board, 2002 -2004
President, Delaware Valley Chapter, 2000-2002
Team Excellence Award - 2001
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