Experience

PPL Electric Utilities

• Utilities
• 500 - 600 Employee

• Director, Customer Service Operations

  • 2022 - Present

  Develop short- and long-term goals aligned with the strategic priorities of the company, leading and coaching a team of managers in overseeing day-to-day operations, driving performance excellence, and championing continuous improvements. Lead data-informed decisions, develop robust training and QA programs, and continuously review performance to provide actionable business insights. Communicate proactively to empower team members to embrace process and system ownership.⫸ Ensure the delivery of a world-class customer service experience across all customer-facing touchpoints, collaborating with leadership to define performance targets and promote accountability, transparency, and empowerment.⫸ Working diligently with union leadership to clearly define and socialize analytical measures of success including average handle time, first-call resolution, and other key customer service organization objectives.⫸ Reintroducing performance appraisals following a several-year absence, reinforcing the importance of constant feedback in the proactive identification of training opportunities, talent development, and succession planning.⫸ Designing new processes for system enhancement requests, instilling first-time procedures to update and maintain contact center knowledge base, and improving ownership of the regulatory reporting process.

• Manager, Customer Care

  • 2020 - 2022

  Oversaw almost 125 team members across 2 contact centers in handling customer calls related to billing, payments, outages, and account maintenance. Served on the 2022 union contract negotiation team, successfully securing new contract terms and ensuring the expectations and KPIs were in place to assess results and identify opportunities for improvement.⫸ Provided change management leadership as the organization transitions from a rigid to a more people-centered culture, leading 9 nonunion direct reports and cultivating relationships with a largely unionized workforce.⫸ Reduced AHT by 138 seconds, increasing service levels by 45 points; taking customer satisfaction from the teens to 60%+; and implementing the strategic plans, training, and resources to continue elevating scores.⫸ Achieved a staggering reduction in union grievances—from 50+ in 2020 to just 3 in 2022—by clearly outlining performance objectives, leading with a people-first approach, and providing onboarding resources for leaders.⫸ Created an interview prep guide for contact center employees that was subsequently adopted by all leaders in the Customer Service Business Unit, supporting the identification of best-fit talent with performance potential.



American Electric Power

• United States
• Utilities
• 700 & Above Employee

• Customer Operations Manager, Hurricane, WV

  • 2017 - 2020

  Led day-to-day operations including a $6.4M annual center budget and performance management of 11 direct reports. Oversaw establishment of all center performance metrics, strategic plan, and succession strategy. Responded to customer communications, inbound calls, web and email inquiries, low-income payments, subpoenas, bankruptcy, and complaints. Served as point of contact and liaison between customer operations leadership and two local operating company presidents.⫸ Directed the daily activity of the customer operations center comprised of 220+ staff accountable for omnichannel contact for more than 5.3M customers across 11 jurisdictions.⫸ Optimized the CX through design of objective strategies in collaboration with presidents, customer operations leadership, and performance management team. Achieved Gallup satisfaction rating in the 75th+ percentile.⫸ Continued to meet and exceed expectations through the design and implementation of an overall strategic plan. Boosted staff performance by creating and leading employee development initiatives.⫸ Fostered a highly secure working environment by facilitating “Journey to Zero Harm” safety training. Served as the culture champion providing training on the CX and instructing supervisory staff on proper coaching of employees.

• Customer Operations Manager

  • 2013 - 2017

  Provided oversight of a $4.3M annual budget, 5 direct reports, and 110 personnel. Created all center performance metrics, employee development initiatives, a succession proposal, and an overall strategic plan. Delivered Lean training to 25 employees. Additional accountability for business-customer communications, inbound calls, web support, and email inquiries. Led account fraud investigations. Managed collections and online reconciliation payments. Resolved senior executive complaints.⫸ Gained an upsurge in the Gallup Mean Score for customer operations from 3.67 (25th percentile) in 2014 to 4.13 (50th–75th percentile) in 2016.⫸ Facilitated “Learning Map” training for staff in 2016 to outline company goals and strategies; demonstrated impact of the customer operations center on company objectives and success.⫸ Advanced customer satisfaction through execution of effective approaches, achieving all customer satisfaction metrics, and earning top rating for customer service among all 6 call centers for 2015 and 2016.⫸ Selected to participate in the AEP Companywide Targeted Development Program focused on cultivating future senior-level leaders and succession planning.

• Collection Support Coordinator

  • 2011 - 2013

  Directly collaborated with company regulatory leadership in maintaining compliance of all credit policies and procedures for AEP Ohio’s 1.5M clients. Established credit business guidelines for Ohio competitive retail projects. Supported the design of training and reference materials on credit policy updates and system improvements. Oversaw low-income assistance programs focused on customer issue resolution, the public utilities commission, and state social agency complaints regarding credit policies and program compliance. Supported the development of business cases and IT requirements. Conducted user acceptance testing. Prepared and submitted annual reports for the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio.⫸ Served as credit policy subject matter expert for competitive retail-related projects. Directed internal business relationships with public utility commission staff, state agencies, and electric utility peer companies.⫸Trained and developed future mid-level leaders within the company in 2011 after being selected for the Target Development Program directed by the Vice President of the business unit.⫸ Recognized for advancing credit operations through the execution of successful process improvements leading to a reduction in company credit risk and a decrease in annual net charge-off to revenue percentages.⫸ Coached the Ohio Social Assistance Agencies on utilization of the AEP Agency Website across 12 workshops at the annual Energy Assistance Training Sessions hosted by the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio and the Ohio Office of Community Assistance.⫸ Propelled a 53% increase in utilization of the AEP Agency website designed to assist social agencies in locating customer information to determine eligibility for low-income programs and assistance.

• Supervisor, Billing & Account Operations

  • 2010 - 2011

  Partnered with internal departments in resolving all billing and medical exceptions and addressing customer needs and interests. Created and implemented major policies and directed staff through change in collaboration with cross-functional divisions. Ensured SOX audit requirements were met while overseeing the development of weekly, monthly, and quarterly reports. Promoted employee development by tracking staff, team, and department performance through the evaluation of reports. Served as change agent leader in guiding employees through various transitions. Responded to all subpoena requests.⫸ Oversaw successful completion of all billing and account activity for 2.7M customers across 4 states while supervising a team of 17 employees, ensuring compliance with the service level agreement.⫸ Managed project team in accomplishing a 20% reduction in the annual billing workload systemwide.⫸ Maximized operational efficiency through the execution of various process improvements and the implementation of business policies and procedures in collaboration with cross-functional departments.⫸ Boosted customer satisfaction while supporting staff in examining and settling customer commission complaints.

• Interim Customer Services Support Analyst

  • 2010 - 2010

  Supported customer operations leadership by supervising safety performance, incident tracking and investigations, and monthly reporting. Ensured successful completion of annual training and monthly reporting to VP, customer, and distribution services while managing the Red Flags Program and Personal Identifying Information teams.⫸ Directed the customer services central safety team in designing and implementing safety programs for 700 personnel.⫸ Drove customer satisfaction improvement through the efficient settlement of customer complaints to the CEO/chairman, sr. executives, complaint hotline, and public utility commissions.

• Supervisor, Customer Solutions Center

  • 2007 - 2010

  Achieved status as “Top Performing Team” for 2 consecutive years while supervising 20 associates in the daily oversight of calls from 5M customers across 11 jurisdictions. Improved employee/customer satisfaction survey results.

• Interim Customer Solutions Center Manager

  • 2009 - 2009

  Contributed to a positive and team-focused working environment centered on collaboration and support while serving as the communication liaison between CSC director and leadership team at the solutions center.⫸ Managed the daily operations of the customer solutions center overseeing 170 employees. Addressed human resource issues in support of eight supervisors. Monitored outcome of targeted CSC goals and completion of performance coaching plans.

• Customer Service Associate

  • 2004 - 2007

  Positioned within the top 6% of associates—on a quarterly basis—for customer service excellence while maintaining a customer-centric working environment addressing all inquiries and client-related issues across 11 jurisdictions.

• Interim Administrative Assistant

  • 2006 - 2006

  Served as subject matter expert for the “Improving the Customer Experience Rapid Results Project.” Implemented process improvements and maximized customer satisfaction.