Customer Service Manager

Kim Carlson

Email: *********@********.***

Address: *** * **** **

City: Phoenix

State: AZ

Zip: 85020

Country: USA

Phone: 469-***-****

Skill Level: Director

Salary Range: 100

Willing to Relocate

Primary Skills/Experience:

See Resume

Educational Background:

See Resume

Job History / Details:

Kim S. Carlson

201 E. Echo Lane

Phoenix, AZ 95020

Email: *********@********.***

Mobile Phone: 469-***-****

Director Operational Excellence

Expertise utilizing data, collaboration and applying proven Six Sigma tools to deliver solutions that measurably improve profitability and organizational efficiency through the use of people, innovation and technology.

PROFILE: Proven record of business development, strategic planning and financial analysis with the ability to sift through large amounts of data and collect the nuggets of business critical information. Organized and self-starting professional with experience in operations management for large multi national entities.

AREAS OF EXPERTISE / CORE STRENGTHS

Organizational Development

Data Market Analysis

6 Sigma Black Belt

Process Management

Process Improvement

Resource Management

Operations Management

Team Leader / Player

Process Design

Change Management

Customer / Vendor Relations

Communication / Documentation

ACHIEVEMENTS / PROVEN HISTORY

Organizational Development / Strategic Planning: Chairman of a super-regional lending institution recognized need to diversify and build a retail bank to increase deposits. Retail customer satisfaction was low as measured by survey results. Led the first cross-functional teams to address the most significant opportunities identified in the survey. These included Measurement, Signage, Customer Privacy, and Problem Resolution. Over 4 months, 65 team members developed 80+ solutions including a new facility layout, problem resolution process, and a balanced scorecard to measure retail performance. Result: Management saw the benefit, employees engaged in the improvement process and customer satisfaction improved 5% over 12 months, satisfaction scored 97% satisfied or very satisfied.

Data / Market Analysis: Banking industry was facing increasing pressure to increase profitability. The chairman decided to tackle the cost in the equation by establishing an internal team of consultants who would apply McKinsey's Activity Value Analysis methodology across the organization to reduce non-interest expense (NIE) by 25%. In Frankfurt, the controllable expense was $6MM with a headcount of 72. As the lead consultant in Frankfurt, I led team(s) of employees in the development of an idea portfolio of strategic and traditional AVA ideas to reduce expense. Strategic initiatives included Treasury reconfiguration, adjust commercial banking staff level to business outlook, streamline senior management structure, and shift/consolidate some operations to London. Additional suggestions included discontinuing several vendor contracts, renegotiating legal retainers, and renegotiating building lease. This project achieved a 45% reduction in NIE and headcount was reduced from 72 to 42.

Organizational Excellence /Resource Management / Process Improvement: I identified and delivered solutions to quantify and reduce the cost of collection and recovery services and improve vendor satisfaction by consolidating Vendor Invoice Processing into one site, process, and system. I hired and established a centralized team to do the processing, spearheading a different mindset: "VIP treats vendors as VVIP's". Vendor satisfaction improved and our assignments were given priority by our vendors. Impact: Cycle time was reduced from 30+ days to 7 days. The process handled 120% more volume with 50% fewer staff. Unit cost was calculated and declined 72% resulting in savings of $1.5MM annually. Per vendor: "Kim is the WOW factor in auto finance."

Process Improvement 6 Sigma Black Belt: In a startup 6Sigma initiative, I combined the process mapping and measurement building with improvement projects to create results AND enthusiasm. For example, fraud was increasing 48% per year. Fraudulent accounts were handled in multiple sites using multiple processes and measures, roles & responsibilities were not clear, delays and inconsistent communication were common. I led a cross-functional team that centralized fraud handling, created a measurement plan for input, output and process measures, as well as a fraud database to track cases and required actions. Fraud: Monthly fraud loss decreased from $337K to $31K over 10 months. In another case, the annual cost of poor quality (COPQ) related to auto lease personal property tax errors was $2.5MM. We were losing money and incurring audit-imposed fees. I created a tool that displayed the cost of poor quality relative to the number of defects so that the items with low performance and highest cost were addressed. COPQ was reduced to $.6MM and actual benefit of $2.4MM was achieved. Dealer Refund process inefficiencies required work of an employee and 3 temporary staff and were not recovering all refunds possible. I recognized that the loan booking system captured the data required and recommended an automated solution to capture this data and shift work time from identifying potential refunds to obtaining the refunds. This project Dealer Refund generated $1.7MM in additional revenue, elimination of 3 FTE, and satisfying work for the remaining employee.

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

JP Morgan Chase, formerly BankOne

4/01- present

Vice President, Process Improvement Manager, Phoenix, AZ

*Introduce teams to techniques and processes for continuous improvement. Lead cross-functional teams through process mapping of existing processes and development of desired processes. Conduct root cause data analysis to be used in remediation efforts and to prevent re-occurrences in the future.

*Developed centralized process, MIS, and measurements to handle Vendor Invoice Processing for national collections and recovery from multiple sites into Phoenix within 6 months and reduced cycle time from 30 days to 7 days. Process was handling 120% more volume with 50% fewer staff. Unit cost decreased 72% resulting in savings of $1.5MM annually. Designed and implemented vendor survey to determine prioritized requirements. Facilitated development of a different mindset toward collections vendors with -VIP (Vendor Invoice Processing) treats vendors as VVIP`s (Very, Very, Important People).- Led efforts to consolidate processing of all vendor invoices by Accounts Payable. Demonstrated effective cross-functional management, leading members in multiple locations, domestic and offshore. And, in the words of one vendor: -Kim is the WOW factor in CAF.-

*Acted as a change agent, driving for and being a proponent of change to improve business performance and customer satisfaction following the merger. Projects included auto title consolidation to reach decision to -make- versus -buy- the service, evaluating potential external providers, and fine tuning internal processes to attain desired results.

*Led team of 5 HPC (High Performance Culture) consultants through engagement of front-line and middle management to create the social and operating architecture required for continuous improvement and close performance gaps using collaborative problem-solving methodologies including HPC, LEAN and Six Sigma.

*Led multiple process improvement and design teams using DMAIC and DMADV methodology resulting in approximately $7MM in cost reduction and/or revenue generation in 2002.

*Developed Voice of the Customer strategy and engaged appropriate external resources to implement.

*Built project pipeline and project prioritization process and tools

*Created and executed Six Sigma Communications and VOC strategies

*Developed business process measurement systems for Automotive Recovery and Retail Real Estate Acquisitions.

General Electric

1997-2001

GE Lighting, National Customer Service Center, Glen Allen, VA

Manager, Customer Service

1999-2001

Managed and developed 5 high touch teams and team leaders (approximately 45 FTE) responsible for service delivery to Strategic, Original Equipment Manufacturing, Canadian, and Business-To-Consumer channels as well as data entry. Responsibilities included interviewing, hiring, and coaching employees; planning, assigning, and directing work, addressing complaints, and resolving problems. Accomplishments included:

*Led Transfer Of Work effort to Mexico facility and managed relationship with offshore provider; improved process performance from 7% defect rate to 1% for accuracy and timeliness

*Developed and implemented E-Talk/Teknekron call quality monitoring system

*Developed standards and processes to handle business-to-consumer web inquiries

GE Financial Assurance, Richmond, VA

Six Sigma Blackbelt/Quality

1997-1999

Led cross-functional process improvement and design teams using DMAIC and DMADV methodology. Accomplishments included:

*Led development of a predictive model that used logistic regression analysis to determine those customers most likely to defect and developed strategy to retain them. Gathered and integrated data from multiple

systems. Demonstrated effective cross-functional management, leading members in multiple locations (Seattle, Stamford, Schenectady, and Richmond) representing multiple functions.

*Led first joint quality team with key financial institution (Bank of America) to develop joint goals and measures of success related to production and retention. Created surveys and database to gather VOC from policyholders and brokers. With IT support, developed database and process to track results. Managed database and analyzed data. Project results included: $2.0MM of net income, $56.5MM in production, a 23% increase in GEFA capture rate, and first positive cash flows for this product/client in over one year. Completion of this project met BB certification requirements.

Bank of Boston, Boston, MA 1983-1996

Senior Manager, Customer Relations and Quality,

1988-1996

Managed and developed staff of 21 (budget of $2.1MM) composed of internal Process Improvement Consultants, Customer Relations Associates in multiple states, paralegal, and administrative support.

*Developed first cross-functional teams responding to improvement opportunities identified in Retail customer satisfaction surveys. Identified, recommended, and engaged external consultant expertise as needed. Collaborated with business partners to implement solutions for improvement opportunities identified.

*Created and facilitated first consistent problem-solving process for Personal Banking, resulting in 5% improvement in customer satisfaction over a twelve month period.

*Created, implemented, and managed first Mystery Shopping program in Telebanking. Set standards, measured performance, provided developmental feedback, and improved conformance to standards from 80% to 97% over twelve months. Customer satisfaction scores exceeded other Retail areas by 10-15%.

*Sponsored Retail Measurement project to create the first balanced scorecard of sales, service, financial, employee, and operational performance measures.

*Provided consulting services to business units as part of a bank-wide initiative to improve efficiencies and reduce non-interest expense (NIE) using McKinsey`s Activity Value Analysis (AVA) process. Clients included Corporate Systems, International Private Banking, Law Office, General Services, and International Operations. Analyzed data and advised management on how to reduce NIE by 40% and increase revenue. NIE was reduced on average by 25% areas reviewed. As the lead consultant in the Frankfurt project, Treasury was reconfigured, operations across Europe were consolidated, administrative services were outsourced, and lease and large vendor contracts were renegotiated. This project achieved 45% reduction in NIE composed of traditional AVA solutions and strategic business initiatives.

International Trade Services

1983-1988

Sales Representative& Unit Manager, International Trade Services

As the first sales representative for export products, created and implemented sales plans for letters of credit, documentary collections, and banker`s acceptances.

*Designed, developed, and installed export functionality for electronic Letter of Credit processing in customer`s offices. Conducted client interviews and evaluated market information to determine customer /product needs. Coordinated advertising efforts and developed related marketing materials. Partnered with external programmers, coordinating development efforts between PC and mainframe applications. Developed and delivered training for customers, prospects, lending officers, and staff.

*Project manager for first nationwide advertising campaign of Trade Services. Created fulfillment and coordinated delivery. Tracked inquiries, developed response letters, and made follow-up calls.

*Consistently met fee and revenue generation goals, bringing in one target or two non-target customers per month. Target customers generated approximately $2 million annual sales volume.

*Issued and negotiated moderate to complex letters of credit including export, import, and standby letters of credit for assigned customers. Managed 8-16 Letter of Credit Professionals processing moderate to complex Letters of Credit for corporate customers.

*Promoted and participated in the development of corporate client relationships by providing technical and operational expertise. Successfully managed processes and staff during primary systems conversion, consolidating three groups into one, while maintaining service delivery to customers.

Education

*Bachelor of Arts Degree, University of Mary Washington, Fredericksburg, VA; Majors: Economics & French

*PSI Seminars: In 2006: Basic Seminar and PSI7 Advanced Leadership. In 2007: Pacesetters Leadership Dynamics Monarch Award and Women`s Leadership. (PSI stands for People Synergistically Interacting and is the oldest and largest personal growth and leadership development company in the United States).

*The Perfect Service Engine, TBM Consulting Group, Inc., 2003 (a LEAN Time Based Strategy approach)

*Minitab for Windows, 2002

*GE Six Sigma Black Belt Training, including Change Acceleration Process, 1997

*Developing Procedures, Policies, & Documentation, Information Mapping, Inc., 1996

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