Experience

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  Internal Revenue Service

  • Baltimore, Maryland Area

  • Contact Representative

    • Jan 2012 - Present
    • Baltimore, Maryland Area

    Provide technical assistance to individuals and/or businesses primarily through telephone interaction in a dynamic call center environment, and/or face-to-face contact;Address wide range of issues/problems that require unique solutions;Apply the tax code to assist taxpayers in understanding and meeting their tax responsibilities;Secure, analyze and protect sensitive personal and financial information;Make determinations and use sound judgment to resolve taxpayer disputes and delinquency issues; AndDevelop, analyze and evaluate information involving the research of computerized records by accessing multiple online/database systems.

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  Visa

  • MULTILINGUAL CUSTOMER SERVICE ASSOCIATE

    • Jul 1995 - Dec 2010

    Assessed needs of international customers whose credit cards were lost or stolen. Informed customers of relevant options related to preventing misuse of their accounts and obtaining replacement cards or cash while traveling. Negotiated and advocated for these cardholders to obtain approval of their requests for assistance from their card issuing banks. Advised traveling and non-traveling cardholders of benefits and services inherent in their card portfolios. Educated member financial institutions regarding services and benefits available to help them compete for cardholder market. Fielded inquiries from international law enforcement personnel regarding payment card criminal investigations, supplying available information on card account status and financial institution names and contact numbers for further proprietary information. Translated written service quality reviews from German and French speaking cardholders. Conferred with departmental managers and training staff to implement streamlined and more effective procedures. Consistently selected by management to pilot new services and products: e.g., Visa Signature card, Visa Payroll card, Visa Extras. Fielded escalated calls from frustrated and irate customers in an effort to diffuse potentially damaging interactions, acknowledge customer concerns, assuage doubts, uphold company standards, and protect brand. OTHER RELEVANT EXPERIENCEFielded requests for transportation from Maryland Transit Administration's paratransit riders prior to passing of the Americans with Disabilities Act.

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  State Street Bank

  • Multilingual Customer Service Associate

    • Jan 1991 - Jul 1995

    Assessed needs of English, French and German speaking customers whose payment cards had been lost or stolen, informed them of relevant options to prevent fraud and obtain emergency assistance. Call center acquired by Visa in 1995 and employment transferred.

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  The Alternative

  • Contributing writer

    • Jan 1988 - Jan 1990

    Contributed theater and book reviews to free monthly newspaper.