DELORES DRAKEFORD

*** *. **** ******, *******, IL

adz27i@r.postjobfree.com

Mobile - 773-***-****

SUMMARY

A highly experienced Customer Service professional with over fourteen (14) years of significant experience with a leading communications service provider. Demonstrated excellent listening, verbal, and written communications skills while providing quality resolutions to the public consumer. Proven ability to manage multiple tasks in a fast paced environment. Recognized for outstanding service in efficiency, quality service, and interpersonal relationship building.

SKILLS

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

Southern Company(Nicor Gas), Naperville, IL 2016- Present Customer Service Representative/Priority Call QueEmergency Team) Customer Service Representative inbound calls/email

• Answered customer requests/inquiries concerning services, products, billing, & reports problem areas

• Offered solutions to problems that were unstructured requiring reliance on conceptual thinking

• Prepared field orders; updates and maintains customer account information.

• Answered complex credit & billing inquiries, investigated bills, analyzed customer credit status, authorize extensions; make arrangements for payment of past due bills, final bills, & returned checks.

CVR, Chicago, IL 2015

Human Resources Assistant (6-week assignment)

Efficiently and thoroughly completed the I-9 re-verification process for a mid-sized organization providing affordable housing and finance solutions. Confirmed receipt and appropriate documentation for 225 employees’ eligibility to work in the United States.

• Customer Retention • Collections

• Account Management • Accounts Receivable

• Relationship Building

• Leadership

• User Testing

• Training/Coaching

AT&T, Chicago, IL 2001 - 2015

Enhanced Billing Collector

Provided team leadership for a high volume call center for the accounts receivable function. Handled various customer billing resolution matters from routine to complex. Responded to escalated issues and customer complaints while listening with empathy and offering various options for continued service.

• Answered a substantial level of inbound calls explaining billing process, issuing credits, making payment arrangements, and coordinating restoration of service.

• Navigated billing and collections systems that included Boss, Bi, CRMS-Uverse, Etracs, Ason, CSR, and MyCSP to review customer billing history, and retrieve payments electronically, or via check.

• Offered customer solutions to include individual payment schedules, or more affordable service plan options to avoid current and future suspension or disconnection of services.

• Selected as part of a 3-person team for User Acceptance Testing in the implementation of the Etracs billing system for the Midwest Region. The 6-month project entailed validating the system and business processes within a test environment. Successfully identified, documented and resolved customer issues incompatible with the new system resulting in improved software adaptability.

• Served as a Resolution Specialist for six (6) months of each year from 2003-2009, providing leadership for the call center team on AT&T branding, policy, and procedures. Conducted regular team meetings, provided learning tools for achieving call-time goals (2-3 minutes per call), and offered real-time solutions for trouble-shooting complex customer issues.

• As the Resolution Specialist, provided individual coaching to enhance a call member’s collection skills, and contributed observational input for team member performance evaluations.

• Awarded AT&T’s MVP for Outstanding Customer Service in 2007, and AT&T’s Platinum Circle Inductee for Outstanding Collections, consecutively, from 2002–2015.

• Utilized various software such as Word, Excel and PowerPoint to develop and present learning tools for the collection business processes and best practices. VOLUNTEER EXPERIENCE

Christian Temple Baptist Church, Chicago, IL 2006 - Present Executive Assistant

Provide administrative support to the Senior Pastor that includes maintaining church records, preparing written correspondence, and processing billing and staff payments. EDUCATION

AS, Healthcare Administration, Malcolm X College, Chicago, Illinois AWARDS

AT&T”s MVP Award Recipient for Outstanding Customer Service (2007) AT&T’s Platinum Circle Inductee for Outstanding Collections Performance (2002–2015) SOFTWARE SKILLS

MS Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook) Customer Relationship Management (CRM) Software