Meet the Finalists: Managers

The scores have been tallied and the votes are in! Our dedicated judges have narrowed the 2012 Manager of the Year nominees down to two finalists.

The nominees for Customer Service Business Leader of the Year were scored based on the leadership qualities they have demonstrated in the call center over the last year, including: a clear understanding the skills offered by their team, improvement of the overall customer experience, implementation of strategy into practical reality and how the individual has held up the call center as an important part of the business as a whole.

I recently chatted with our two finalists, Alberto Garcia, of BuildASign.com and Kaye Hendrick of Chesterfield County Department of Utilities

Meet Alberto Garcia - Winner, 2012 Manager of the Year

 Alberto Garcia is Customer Love Department Manager, BuildASign.com

How does it feel to know that you were nominated for Manager of the Year?
Alberto: It’s actually pretty humbling - but awesome! I really respect ICMI.

Can you tell us a bit about your role at BuildASign? What is the Customer Love Department?
Alberto: I manage the Customer Love team. We’re not just a regular customer service, we’re not just going to answer a question – we are going above and beyond in crazy ways! My main role is meeting with our team managers and developing them by working through the problems and issues that would prevent our folks from doing the best job possible in providing the ultimate customer service experience every single day! A large part of what I do is look for best practices and share them with the rest of the team. Also, I test our newsletters and 27 different websites because they are part of the customer experience. We want to make sure our customers are having the best experience or we will get their calls.

What do you feel has been your greatest accomplishment while working there?
Alberto: Starting from the ground up and building the team. I took it from a small customer service group and one website to a team of 40-plus and 27 websites. We had to change buildings because we outgrew the one we were in!

If you had one piece of advice to give to a fellow contact center Manager, what would it be?
Alberto: It always goes back to investing in your people. And that means from the types of questions asked in the interview process, to the qualities and standards you uphold in your department. Developing your folks, growing your people. Giving them the “why” of the decision making, taking care of their concerns and removing any barriers in the way of them performing their jobs to the fullest.

What is your favorite Customer Service Week memory?
Alberto: In past years, I’ve given out candy, food, and awards, but this year I want it to be bigger and better, so I did a lot of research on best practices. I sent a list of best practices to my management team to get their creative juices flowing. I got some great ideas back from them, such as “Star Moments,” which are snippets of recorded calls, to share with the rest of the company, so they can hear the feedback from our customers. We will still be doing the games and awards, because we want to recognize our people.

Learn more about Albert and the team at BuildASign.com: The Customer Love Team at BuildASign.com

Meet Kaye C. Hendrick

 Kaye Hendrick is Customer Operation Manager, Chesterfield County Department of Utilities

How does it feel to know that you were nominated for Manager of the Year?
Kaye:I was shocked! I didn’t believe it until I started getting emails from my supervisors congratulating me.

Can you tell us a bit about your role at the Chesterfield County Department of Utilities?
Kaye:I oversee the call center and the collections area. I also oversee the billing area. So it is a very fast paced, crazy atmosphere.

What do you feel has been your greatest accomplishment while working there?
Kaye: To get everybody to see that there are two sides to each person and each story, and to try to develop my staff to be empathetic toward others: their team internally and customers externally.

If you had one piece of advice to give to a fellow contact center Manager, what would it be?
Kaye: Lead by example. I don’t sit behind a clean desk. I get out there. There is nothing that my team does that I don’t know how to do.

What are you planning for Customer Service Week this year?
Kaye: I try to do something each day, maybe breakfast, maybe buy trinkets, just little gifts to let them know that I appreciate all that they do.

See this year’s winners announced live during the From One Rock Star to Another: How to Build and Be a Rockin' Customer Service Team webinar, now available on demand.