Customer Service Sales

SUE HOWTON-STICH

**** ******** *****, *** *****, CA 530-***-**** • *********@*******.***

CUSTOMER SERVICE & CONTACT MANAGEMENT EXECUTIVE

With demonstrated success driving cost-efficient solutions for high-impact business results in large-scale, cross-industry sales, customer service and contact management operations

Results-focused executive offering 20+ years of proven contributions in the customer contact industry, with rare blend of qualifications spanning telesales & service, workforce management and optimization, program/project management and multi-site operations.

Led turnaround and revitalization of failing sales centers and customer service operations, rooting out and correcting inefficiencies, restoring order and organization and rebuilding customer trust.

Championed operational and organizational changes that resulted in sales increases exceeding $8 million annually, cost savings totaling more than $3 million per year and gains in sales conversion rates of more than 100%

Launched new telesales and call center operations and led expansion of existing operations to facilitate achievement of corporate objectives and accommodate business growth resulting in 2-fold increase in customer base.

Superb leader skilled at building cohesive, high performing teams. Progressive, solution oriented approach to building and leading customer service organizations, applying deep insight into the customer experience to achieve strategic corporate goals. Operational efficiency specialist, implementing best practices with comprehensive knowledge of call center technologies and solutions with emphasis on turnaround of at-risk processes and projects. Excellent record delivering large-scale projects ahead of schedule and under budget.

Telesales/Call Center Management • Strategic Planning • Training & Quality • Operations Management

New Business Development • Sales Support • Workforce Management • Negotiations • Vendor Relations

Project Management • Team Building • Direct Marketing • Offshore Teams • Market / Trend Analysis

Process Reengineering • Technology Implementation • Service Level Agreements

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

CARROLL ENTERPRSES/SMALL BUSINESS INSURANCE AGENCY, San Diego, CA 9/11-present

Carroll Enterprises, Inc and its subsidiary the Small Business Insurance Agency, Inc. (SBIA), is a 30-year-old traditional full-service and online insurance agency with offices throughout the United States.

Director, Sales & Operations

Senior site executive tasked with developing strategies and driving execution of new telesales and customer service center, providing west coast coverage for online insurance provider including office site selection and improvements, hiring and training sales and service staff, developing call service strategies and procedures as well as defining compensation plan and geographic insurance licensing requirements to facilitate strategic achievements in both sales and customer service.

• Executive sponsor for project team focused on successful launch of on-line marketplace and web based quoting engine, delivering insurance services direct to consumer online. Hired marketing and IT staff, facilitated UAT and optimization of website, built strategic alliances with partners to identify and implement operational plans for sales operations, customer service centers and e-commerce lines of business.

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• Executive sponsor and team leader tasked with successful implementation of Microsoft Dynamics CRM for enterprise users. Integrated with multiple back end systems to create a single customer view across business divisions encompassing full reporting and client management by multiple users and divisions.

• Developed specific and measurable sales and contact center KPI’s to facilitate the achievement of the organizations strategic objectives. By translating strategic objectives into specific tactical plans that included technology improvements and hands on training, sales and service teams have met and exceeded revenue targets and service level goals.

THE STANDARD INSURANCE COMPANY, Portland, OR • 2009-2011

National provider of employee benefits, retirement plans and insurance products

Director, Customer Experience

Key customer experience advocate and evangelist recruited to lead installation of new Contact Center & Telesales operation including developing strategy for new Member Services department including building enterprise customer loyalty and experience program, developing workforce management, training, quality and project management teams for this major employee benefits provider, aligning learning & development, workforce management, performance analytics and operations teams to build an entirely new contact center organization focused on significantly increasing customer satisfaction.

• Implemented new IEX WFM program, focused on delivering performance metrics and performance measurements utilizing telephone technologies to deliver workforce scheduling, call routing and quantitative reports surrounding service levels, call volumes and AHT to populate CSR monthly scorecards and track individual performance.

• Spearheaded implementation of new program and process improvements including the NICE Workforce Optimization platform to deliver focused, effective contact center learning to CSR’s and leaders while driving results focused on the Customer Experience.

• Sponsored and delivered Interaction Analytics process program to enterprise operations including developing program strategy, hiring and training analytics staff to effectively implement and launch program and delivering communications to corporate executives surrounding call analytics, voice analytics and customer feedback mechanisms to drive toward understanding customer experience and revising processes and procedures internally to assist contact center teams in meeting the customer’s requirements.

INTELLIQUOTE INSURANCE SERVICES, El Dorado Hills, California • 2007-2009

Property/Casualty, Life insurance and annuity firm with $21.5M in annual revenue.

Director, Sales & Operations

Launched and oversaw call center operations to support sales, business development, and customer service objectives with full P&L accountability. Served as key advisor to CEO in formation of strategic plans, and headed executive management team. Oversaw inside sales team, and assembled and led outside field-sales team of 15. Built and maintained an extensive network of carrier and vendor relationships.

• Spearheaded the development of a call center from scratch, driving all phases of installation and implementation of a full suite of call center tools including installing new CRM system, workforce management program as well as an inbound/outbound dialer system (Interactive Intelligence).

• Bolstered sales production and conversion ratings to all-time company highs by devising winning sales and operations strategies for the creation and training of remote agent teams.

• Formed a blended call center and sales operation by relaunching an I:3 Scripted Dialer system.

• Enhanced performance of remote and internal sales team platforms and technology tools by establishing a technical help desk and robust agent training programs.

• Selected by carriers AIG and Genworth to participate as a market insight leader in direct marketing roundtable events.

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BLUE SHIELD OF CALIFORNIA, Lodi, California • 2006-2007

Non-profit health plan serving approximately 3.4 million subscribers throughout the state; member of the BlueCross BlueShield Association.

Senior Manager, IFP Operations • 2007

Commanded operations of a 400-seat customer service call center to address eligibility and claims inquiries. Oversaw cross-functional teams in support of a broad range of product and service lines, including commercial, individual/family, and portfolio products, and special/custom accounts and Medicare Advantage programs.

• Recognized by executive management for achieving service level objectives by spearheading a major initiative across 6 call centers and an offshore vendor, utilizing strategic workforce management and optimization methods.

• Increased member satisfaction scores by 23% by implementing empowerment training programs, establishing first call resolution call handling processes, and instituting metrics.

Senior Manager, Operations Support Center • 2006-2007

Directed a centralized performance monitoring & workforce management center to support operations of 6 customer service call centers and one offshore facility with a combined customer service staff of 1700. Oversaw performance of telecommunications infrastructure and ACD utilizing a broad range of technologies, including Avaya (EAS, CMS), Aspect (eWFM), Intervoice, and AT&T. Developed and administered comprehensive training programs, and performed workforce management planning.

E*TRADE FINANCIAL SERVICES, Sacramento, California • 2004-2006

Major equity compensation provider with 3300 employees nationwide.

Senior Manager, Service Quality

Oversaw nationwide technical training and quality program for stock plan administration software customized for corporate accounts. Managed team of 15+ course training developers, quality review analysts and corporate trainers. Conducted market analysis, and established processes and procedures.

• Played key role in driving up sales by 17% within a year of winning executive buy-in to shift strategy to develop educational resources and programs rather than implementing a call center.

• Launched E*Trade University certification program, yielding the certification of 2700 software end-users.

MCKESSON CORPORATION, Sacramento, California / Westlake, Texas • 2000-2003

Fortune 500 health care company with more than 32,000 employees worldwide.

Director, Sales and Customer Service

Led national customer service operations across multiple sites for the sales and service division of the Medical Pharmaceutical Group. Managed a $21M annual budget, and performed financial analysis and forecasting. Identified opportunities to improve attrition, spending, and performance, and devised and implemented strategic solutions.

• Slashed attrition from 100%+ annually to less than 30% by revamping operational requirements and developing metrics to foster achievement of performance goals.

EDUCATION & TRAINING

Federal Aviation Administration Certified: Air Traffic Control Operator; Coursework in Business Communications, Cosumnes River College, Sacramento, California; Six Sigma Green Belt & Operational Business Owner - 2000; Property and Casualty Insurance, California License #0787156; Life and Disability Insurance, California License #0787156

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