Customer Success Experience

ERIC A. VAN CLEEF

Clearwater, FL ***** 407-***-**** ***********@*****.*** linkedin.com/in/ericvancleef CUSTOMER SUCCESS & OPERATIONS EXECUTIVE

Strategic and collaborative Executive Leader with 15+ years of experience driving customer engagement, operational excellence, and team performance across sales, service, and distribution functions. Proven track record of scaling high-performing teams, optimizing customer-facing processes, and leading large-scale change initiatives in complex, multi-site environments. Adept at reducing churn, improving customer retention, and driving cross-functional alignment to enhance customer experience and lifetime value. Passionate about transforming customer success operations through data, process, and people to deliver meaningful outcomes at scale. CAREER HIGHLIGHTS

● Scaled and led customer-facing teams of 160+, boosting engagement, productivity, and retention; delivered 13% YoY customer growth and reduced churn through performance initiatives.

● Improved operational efficiency and customer fulfillment, raising delivery accuracy from 88% to 94% across three years by partnering with supply chain and integrating cross-functional insights into scalable processes.

● Reduced customer escalations by over 80% and accelerated resolution time from 3 weeks to 2 days by building a dedicated escalation team, introducing proactive tracking tools, and redesigning service procedures.

● Drove multi-million-dollar integration and expansion initiatives, successfully onboarding 23,000+ customers and $11M in revenue during a major acquisition with no business disruption.

● Expanded customer engagement by 500%, growing Costco participation from 60K to 360K, adding 55+ locations, and exceeding program execution plans for 7 years straight.

● Achieved consistent EBITDA performance and optimized customer-facing operations by managing $30M–$45M OPEX budgets, deploying incentive programs, and driving strategic cost containment. SKILLS

Customer Success Strategy ● Team Leadership & Development ● Customer Retention & Expansion ● Cross-Functional Collaboration

● Scalable Process Design ● Operational Excellence ● Customer Onboarding & Engagement ● Performance Metrics & KPIs ● Customer Experience Optimization ● Change Management ● Conflict Resolution & Coaching ● Data-Driven Decision Making ● Client Relationship Management ● Program & Project Management ● Strategic Planning & Execution PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

Primo Brands (FKA DS Services of America, Inc.), Clearwater, FL Feb 2007 – Jan 2025 Director of Sales, Home & Office Delivery – Eastern, Southeast and Central Divisions Oct 2019 – Jan 2025

● Led cross-functional sales teams of 25–80+ across up to 20 states, driving customer acquisition, retention, and satisfaction across home and business segments.

● Assumed interim leadership of Central US Division during reorg, overseeing 40+ associates across two territories while meeting or exceeding KPIs in both regions.

● Delivered consistent EBITDA performance through strategic expense reduction, workforce optimization, and internal cost controls.

● Developed behavioral programs and incentive plans that boosted productivity by 10% and improved new label retention YoY

(8% in 2020, 7% in 2021, 5% in 2022).

● Grew customer base by 13% in 2020 during the pandemic by redeploying sales resources to local branch initiatives and high-impact markets.

● Surpassed machine-on-location (MOL) growth target by 41% in 2021 through direct coaching, expectation setting, and performance enablement strategies.

● Spearheaded launch of redesigned equipment, driving 48% of total national sales with the smallest team in the U.S.

● Reduced lost-time accidents by 5% YoY (2020–2021) by embedding safety into sales culture via training, observation, and proactive risk identification.

● Led seamless integration of acquired business, onboarding ~23,000 customers and $11M in revenue while aligning teams, systems, and compensation plans with zero service disruption.

● Improved fulfillment rate from 88% to 94% (2019–2021) through operational collaboration and proactive alignment of supply chain, delivery capacity, and customer needs. National Implementation Manager Apr 2013 – Oct 2019

● Directed national roadshow operations for Costco, scaling from 40 to 110 weekly events and managing execution across 60–160 sales reps and 27 managers.

● Revived a stalled program by launching reporting tools, metrics, and training that increased engagement and expanded market presence by 50% within the first year.

● Built strong relationships with Costco leadership, aligning strategies and developing customer-facing tools to deliver a consistent, high-impact brand experience.

● Grew member participation from 60K to 360K and executed 32K+ events annually, outperforming growth targets and becoming the most-utilized service among Costco members.

● Expanded retail footprint from 405 to over 460 locations and consistently delivered 15% more events than planned for 7 consecutive years.

● Reduced weekly escalations from ~75 to ~12 by implementing formal service workflows in collaboration with Operations and Marketing.

● Cut average resolution time from 3 weeks to ~2 days by establishing a dedicated escalation team and redesigning pain-point response procedures.

● Improved past-due customer aging from 6.3% to under 3% through integrated efforts across Sales and Customer Support, driving proactive outreach and process discipline. Regional Manager, West FL Mar 2009 – Apr 2013

● Oversaw five distribution centers, a $19M business unit, and 150+ employees across operations, fleet, production, and business development, servicing 40K+ locations.

● Held full P&L responsibility, annual budgeting and led multi-channel growth through water, coffee, and filtration offerings, supporting 150 East Coast branches with 200–600 SKUs.

● Rebuilt leadership culture by replacing toxic managers and instilling values of fairness and communication, leading to union decertification at the region’s largest Teamster facility.

● Drove a 17.5K increase in coffee service customers by integrating Standard Coffee acquisition, streamlining SKUs, relocating distribution, and implementing inventory controls.

● Successfully led multiple acquisition integrations, aligning teams, processes, and expectations while sustaining operational performance.

● Launched a dedicated logistics and routing team, reducing stem time and increasing revenue per mile through improved delivery planning.

● Advanced production and KPI-driven performance at a 20K sq ft water plant, promoting experimentation and continuous improvement.

● Mentored high-potential leaders into expanded roles, building a strong succession pipeline and ensuring business continuity across functions.

Route Operations Manager,Tampa, FL Feb 2007 –Mar 2009

● Managed daily operations and performance of branch location, overseeing sales and support team of 18.

● Led hiring, training, and coaching initiatives to improve route sales effectiveness, service quality, and team accountability.

● Supported strategic planning and execution across business development, cost containment, and operational efficiency for the regional market.

EARLIER CAREER

District Manager / Territory Manager Aramark Uniform Services, Ft. Worth, TX (Jul 2006 – Jan 2007) Co-Founder Designer Water USA, Arlington, TX (Oct 2005 – Apr 2006) Director of Employee Development LE Bleu Corp, Advance, NC (Apr 2004 – Sep 2005) EDUCATION & TRAINING

Business Administration and Management / Daytona State College Post-Crisis Leadership Certificate / University of South Florid ● Certified Facilitator, Counselor Sales / Wilson Learning ● Certified Facilitator, Interaction Management, Leadership Strategies, Targeted Selection, Techniques, Service Plus / Developmental Dimensions International ● Adult Learning Techniques / Rollins College ● Designing Training / Mager Associates

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