Operator Services Manager Position Opening

Operator Services Manager Position Opening greatly appreciated the privilege of being considered for the position of Operator Services Manager. My past two years of employment with ConnecTel have provided me with the opportunity to function as an Operator and as a Shift Supervisor. The opportunity to work with Kim Smith as Operator Services Manager has been enjoyable, and I look forward to continuing our working relationship as she takes on the role of Regional Operations Manager.

The situation facing ConnecTel two years ago was serious and demanded immediate attention to ensure improvement. Client dissatisfaction was high, with an increasing proportion of clients indicating that they were considering switching phone companies. Client complaints with regards to customer service provided by operators were at an all time high. Morale among staff was low, the staff absentee rate was high, and productivity measures indicated that drastic improvements needed to take place.

The first major effort instigated by Ms. Smith was to apply rigorous productivity evaluations for all employees. This allowed for the identification of employees that may have needed further training or disciplinary action. After employees were identified that required improvement and proper measures were taken, productivity increased by 25% within the first year, and leveled off within the second year.

Although this positive increase in productivity did aid in the retention of existing clients, the amount by which it has done so is not in proportion to the number of clients lost in the past due to poor customer service.

Today

Ms. Smith implemented three major changes for Operator services in order to maximize productivity and ultimately improve customer relations and retain current customers. These changes included:

The development of a series of standardized training modules for new employees that focus on consistency, detailed thoroughness, and excellence in customer service.

The adoption of a "three strikes" policy in regards to employee lateness and absenteeism.

Seminars for employees that encourage motivation and increased morale in the workplace.

Strengths

The changes implemented by Ms. Smith increased productivity among employees by a considerable amount in the first year (25%). This did result in a marginal increased retention of customers. The "three strikes" policy reduced absenteeism and lateness among employees, and led to the dismissal of employees that were unproductive due to their lateness or absenteeism. Through simple observation, it could be concluded that morale in Operator Services is higher as a result of the motivational seminars.

Weaknesses

Although the new employees are receiving adequate preparation for work in the department, the existing employees are not receiving the same high quality of training. This may influence the fact that even though customer retention has somewhat improved, customers are still choosing to change phone companies. Another weakness of current operations is that no measures have been put in place to assess the progress being made with regards to the changes implemented by Ms. Smith.

Proposed Changes propose to make three major changes that I believe will significantly improve the productivity, morale and competitiveness of Operator Services:

It will become mandatory for all employees, both new and old, to complete the training modules designed by Ms. Smith. This will instill consistent skill-sets within each employee and will provide all staff with awareness of the high level of customer service expected on each and every contact with clients. In order to facilitate this change, I will request the hiring of a Learning Services Manager that will focus solely on the training of employees.

The productivity and skill levels of each employee will be assessed on a regular basis through testing procedures, including listening to their contacts with clients.