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Prior Lake, MN PHONE NUMBER AVAILABLE EMAIL AVAILABLE LINKEDIN LINK AVAILABLE Vice President of Operations / Customer SuccessWith over two decades of leadership experience, I excel in driving customer success and operational efficiency. In my current role as Vice President of Operations at NOREX, I've led strategic initiatives to enhance member support, streamline processes, and boost retention. At FastBridge Learning and Illuminate Education, I directed customer support and success teams in a SaaS environment, developing strategies for user experience, workflow automation, and compliance, significantly improving customer retention and satisfaction. My extensive tenure at Pitney Bowes involved managing technical sales support, customer service, and regulatory compliance in both B2B and B2C contexts, resulting in substantial revenue growth and customer satisfaction. I bring a proven track record of success in fostering member engagement, operational excellence, and leadership in dynamic environments. WORK EXPERIENCENOREX, Prior Lake, MN October 2022 PresentVice President, OperationsNOREX brings the information technology community together to share and learn among peers from all industries. As Vice President of Operations, provide strategic direction and supervision for the Member Success and Events teams. Lead and develop the membership support functions for both internal and external facing teams. Ensure successful event development and membership retention. Responsible for leading the business operations and development of new strategies to grow membership. Build short- and long-term roadmap for the business to ensure continuous improvement, best in class workflows and member retention. Streamlined and optimized operational processes to enhance efficiency and productivity. Identify areas for operational improvements and work with the team to implement. Restructured and collaborated with cross-functional teams to drive improvements in events and support. Implemented best practices for member success and office operations. Defined performance metrics, developed new KPIs and goals for different departments to increase operational efficiency and employee satisfaction. Built new workflows, implemented automation, and refined existing ones to improve retention and enhance employee satisfaction. Established a new offering for Members to improve peer to peer networking. Created new outreach processes to improve retention and establish membership management. Lead and manage business planning and roadmap to success. NOREX, Prior Lake, MN April 2022 October 2022Vice President, Member SuccessNOREX brings the information technology community together to share and learn among peers from all industries. As Vice President of Member Success, I provided strategic direction and supervision for the Member Success team. Successfully created a consistent support model for the Member Success team while improving member retention and support within 6 months. Continued improvements and reach within the organization as Vice President of Operations. Guns Dot Com, Burnsville, MN December 2020 February 2022 Director, Contact CenterGuns.com is a hassle-free place for consumers to buy new and used guns, ammunition, and accessories online. As Director of the Contact Center, I provided oversight and deploy necessary technologies, resource planning and hiring, development and execution of departmental processes, and KPI and reporting management. Restructured the contact center to develop scalable solutions to support growth and sustainability. Executed the Guns.com Contact Center vision by hiring, training, and coaching full-time employees and contractors to provide positive customer experiences. Established a team lead reporting structure to capitalize on the deep experience of key employees and leverage their expertise as part of a shared leadership model. Designed a COVID safety plan for the return to the onsite work environment, ensuring the health and wellbeing of both vaccinated and unvaccinated employees. Collaborated with IT leadership to increase efficiencies in processing client orders, thereby minimizing delivery delays. Negotiated contracts with local staffing agencies to acquire a qualified and engaged workforce at equitable pay rates. Reduced call volume and wait time by 50 percent within first 90 days of hire through improved employee scheduling and restructuring via a shared leadership model. Solicited regular feedback from Contact Center staff on perceived customer pain points and scalable solutions to create delightful client experiences. Deployed and enforced a robust return policy; provide coaching and support to workforce on navigating challenging situations related to this initiative. Illuminate Education, Irvine, CA January 2020 December 2020 Senior Director, Customer SupportIlluminate Education was a K-12 EdTech SaaS assessment and analytics company that has since been acquired by Renaissance Learning. As Senior Director of the FastBridge Customer Support team, I led continuous improvement of the customer experience and ensured strong customer retention. Provided necessary support to direct reports during a transition period in which FastBridge Learning was acquired by Illuminate Education. Led the organizations Back-to-School Readiness Team to identify risks and ensure company preparedness during the peak business period. Served on the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion team. FastBridge Learning, Minneapolis, MN January 2019 December 2020 Senior Director, Customer SuccessFastBridge Learning was a K-12 EdTech SaaS assessment company that was acquired by Illuminate Education and is now part of the Renaissance Learning portfolio. As Senior Director of Customer Success, I was responsible for both the Implementation and Customer Support teams. Determined and developed a strategy for user experience from implementation and onboarding to ongoing support for the full lifecycle of the account. Created roles and responsibilities for Customer Support and Implementation teams for scalability. Developed a cross departmental review process for product defects to evaluate, prioritize product deficiencies and form a consensus for resolution which improved customer retention. Assembled the Sr. Leadership team for cross-departmental discussions to drive alignment of objectives. Development of workflow and data tracking process within the implementation team to improve efficiencies and inform decisions. Implemented processes and guidelines, within teams to meet industry standards for monitoring and protecting student PII to maintain compliance of FERPA. Led overall investigation of data security inquiries from customers, which resulted in a defined escalation process around student data and security. Proven success at creating team metrics and key performance indicators that drive desired results. Development of reports and dashboards for tracking metrics and implementation activities for capacity planning and scaling. Planning and implementation of workflow automation to improve productivity. Improved the user experience of clients from onboarding through business lifecycle to increase retention. FastBridge Learning, Minneapolis, MN December 2017 December 2018 Senior Director, Customer SupportFastBridge Learning was a K-12 EdTech SaaS assessment company that was acquired by Illuminate Education and is now part of the Renaissance Learning portfolio. As Senior Director of Customer Support, I created a scalable approach to customer support to promote growth and future user needs. Directed and oversaw all aspects of the organization's customer service policies, objectives, and initiatives. Aligned customer service activities and initiatives to support and enhance the objectives of the organization. Designed infrastructure, workflows, escalations, positions, etc., to gain efficiencies and improve productivity within the support channel. Set and maintain internal SLA's for client support including; reduction of average first response time from 767 hours to 2 hours average first response. Developed a scalable model to support seasonality within the support team to improve the user experience during peak periods of testing. Implemented, collected and evaluated metrics weekly and monthly for resource forecasting, monitoring of customer service activities, and evaluating of internal process needs to inform organizational decisions. Created weekly and monthly reporting, dashboards and analytics for tracking metrics to inform internal decisions on product and tools. Oversaw training of customer support staff on the platforms, tools, and communication skills necessary for strong customer service. Partnered with the leadership of each business function to create a cohesive leadership team and develop open communication for business alignment. Responded to customer inquiries and problem solved in a professional and effective manner to drive retention. Questar Assessments, Apple Valley, MN January 2017 December 2017 Senior Director, Customer Support and Field Systems Engineers Questar Assessments was a K-12 EdTech SaaS testing company that is now part of the Houghton Mifflin Harcourt portfolio. As Senior Director of Customer Support and Field Systems Engineers, I determined a tactical plan for in-state support during critical testing windows and partnership with the Program Management team to ensure client satisfaction and support needs were met fully. Secure handling of summative testing details and adherence to FERPA and state-specific data privacy laws. Developed and implemented policies for the department to meet company objectives and growth. Enhanced employees training and development plan for increased productivity and improved customer experience. Developed emergency and disaster recovery program Improved talent development and increased employee retention. Partnered with the management team to align customer service department policies and systems with the company's objectives. Collected and evaluated metrics daily, weekly, and monthly for resource forecasting, monitoring of customer service activities, and evaluating of internal process needs. Provided internal stakeholders (such as program management, TT, executive team) summary information regarding customer service metrics and key activities per client. Oversaw customer issues and ensured effective and long-term problem resolution. Developed and implemented procedures pertinent to the effective and efficient operation of the Customer Service Department. Implemented processes and guidelines within teams to meet industry standards for monitoring and protecting student PII to maintain compliance of FERPA. Led overall investigation of data security inquiries from customers, which resulted in a clear escalation process around student data and security. Monitored programs and procedures to ensure timely support and customer satisfaction. Maintained in-depth working knowledge of Questars systems and processes. Set performance standards to meet service goals of company. Coached Customer Service Team to achieve high performance. Measured Customer Service Representatives, Technical team and Systems Engineers performance and made employment decisions. Provided feedback to the company regarding service failures or customer concerns. Worked continually towards self-development to stay current on customer service, sales and supervisory procedures and practices. Responded to customer inquiries and problem solved in a professional and effective fashion. Questar Assessments, Apple Valley, MN January 2016 December 2017 Director, Customer Support and Field Systems Engineers Questar Assessments was a K-12 EdTech SaaS testing company that is now part of the Houghton Mifflin Harcourt portfolio. As Director of Customer Support and Field Systems Engineers, I was responsible for the improvement of Customer Support channels, development of multi-tiered support within the call center, and growth and implementation of Field Systems Engineers. Grew and developed support teams for scalability. Further refined and improved process workflow. Created, developed, and implemented new FSE position for new levels of support including onsite support. Installed improved infrastructure including call center software and Salesforce Service. Implemented client survey processes and refinements. Questar Assessments, Apple Valley, MN January 2015 December 2016 Manager, Customer SupportQuestar Assessments was a K-12 EdTech SaaS testing company that is now part of the Houghton Mifflin Harcourt portfolio. As Manager of Customer Support, was responsible for overseeing both the Level 1 (Customer Support Representatives) and the Level 2 (Technical Support Representatives) teams. Developed and maintained coverage schedules for both CS Level 1 and CS Level 2 resources to ensure Service Level Agreements (internal and external) were met for every incoming call. Ensured appropriate development and maintenance of client-specific documentation. Provided updated schedules of each project to ensure proper staffing and tools needed for quality customer service. Collected and evaluated daily, weekly, and monthly metrics for resource forecasting, monitoring of customer service activities, and evaluating of internal process needs. Provided internal stakeholders (such as program management, training, executive team) summary information regarding customer service metrics and key activities per client. Communicated cross-departmentally as needed to ensure resolution of customer service issues. Answered calls, emails, and chat as needed from state personnel, district personnel, school personnel, and parents to ensure resolution of issues that did not require additional technical assistance. Oversaw training of CS staff on the programs, tools, and communication skills necessary for strong customer service. Monitored and documented all client communications utilizing Customer Service software. Audit customer service calls for consistency and quality of responses. Audited tickets to ensure standardized collection and documentation of needed information to best serve and support Questar clients. Assisted Program Management or other Customer Support staff with the resolution of concerns and/or testing issues.Pitney Bowes, Minneapolis, MN January 2010 December 2014 Manager, Sales Support Central / Senior AnalystPitney Bowes is a global shipping and mailing company that provides technology, logistics, and financial services to Fortune 500 companies. As Manager of Sales Support Central, I developed, designed, and implemented a remote call center staff of eight and was responsible for all presale statements of work to ensure full compliance with federal postal regulations and security. Implemented document review and audit to enforce compliance with federal regulations for privacy and document handling. Created new process for supporting nontechnical products to improve efficiency and reduce costs. Developed process to identify obstacles, assign ownership to bring installation process to a successful conclusion reducing the lease backlog of $50M by 86% resulting in implementation of solutions for $43M. Coached and mentored employees through targeted training, enhanced responsibilities for individuals and creating informal leadership roles for career development and planning. Conducted phone analysis to identify largest volumes and developed customized document sets to streamline approval process for orders and improve installations and customer satisfaction. Streamlined pre-approval process for orders by providing team-based approach for immediate response, consistency and accuracy reducing the presale cycle time. Built a supportive, cohesive team to leverage skills and knowledge and improve employee engagement. Partnered with IT to develop Sales Force Automation (SFA) database to track, manage, analyze outstanding equipment leases and new additions to assess roadblocks and develop next steps. Created national process to partner with all departments to troubleshoot and assign ownership of next steps to appropriate party in installation process. Developed national reports identifying status of all open installations for executive team to manage finances and ensure federal compliance. Developed national tracking tool for all large orders to ensure focus and visibility of critical business. Led national sales conference calls with key leaders to manage large orders. Pitney Bowes, Minneapolis, MN January 2008 December 2010 Area Solutions ManagerPitney Bowes is a global shipping and mailing company that provides technology, logistics, and financial services to Fortune 500 companies. As Area Solutions Manager, I led a team of 12 technical professionals supporting 18 states across 14 sites with software-based solutions, application development, and product integration. Partnered with sales leadership at each site to create cohesive sales leadership team and provide continuity for each location. Managed team to ensure linkage between our customers, the sales team and customer service effectively reducing the presale cycle time and order accuracy. Coordinated and managed regional development meetings for employees to leverage skills and develop employees. Participated in marketing meetings to provide communication with the sales organization, Pitney Bowes systems engineers and other Customer Service Representatives to delivery strategy and corporation direction. Team accountability for pre- and post-sales support including product demonstrations, application feasibility studies and technical presentations to exceed customer needs. Pitney Bowes, Minneapolis, MN & Beaverton, OR January 1992 December 2007 District Manager, Customer ServicePitney Bowes is a global shipping and mailing company that provides technology, logistics, and financial services to Fortune 500 companies. As District Manager of Customer Service, I was responsible for full line implementation, service, installation, and support for captive products in five states. For a team of 17 professionals, established career development plans, developed territories, prioritized assignments, set goals, arranged team schedules to maximize customer satisfaction. Managed facility, inventory, and financial responsibility for profit and expense control. Maintained a relationship with the Postmaster and the United States Postal Inspector while enforcing Federal Postal Regulations P030, including security and handling of postal funds and the destruction of material under the law. Increased revenues in Service Level Agreements, Billed Labor, Billed Parts, and Professional Services exceeding$3M with 2% growth in 2005 by partnering with sales and customers. Successfully integrated team members from acquired company focusing on seamless transition for newly obtained customers and motivating and directing subordinates. Developed team of 13 Technicians and Authorized Service Providers for installation with a 95% rating of satisfied customers. Responsible for facility security and meeting government compliance for security handling of postal equipment. Developed Systems Implementation Process for integration products to create a professional installation and partnership with customers. Partnered with marketing in pre-sales support; liaison between sales staff and customer advocate. Maximized customer satisfaction by providing timely response to service needs; customer survey results of 94.8% rating of satisfied customers in 2005. Negotiated significant contract terms, conditions and pricing, regularly generating multiple customer orders exceeding $50,000 per transaction. Managed field expenses, product maintenance, freight, travel expense, tools and all controllable expenditures, not exceeding 98% in a seven-year period. Met annual postal regulations via implementation of meter security and completion of annual and semi-annual meter inspections to meet USPS requirements. Instrumental in the development of reports directed at driving national success for all service organizations. Provided company-wide training and facilitation in new technologies (CIP and AIM). EDUCATION & CERTIFICATIONSDeVry Technical InstituteAssociates Degree in Digital ElectronicsDeVry UniversityTechnical Business ManagementAmerican Management AssociationEffective CommunicationPitney BowesSix Sigma: Yellow BeltTOOLS & TECHNOLOGIESSalesforce Service, Microsoft Office, Google Workspace, Five9, FreshDesk, ZenDesk, InfoTech, Growth Zone |
