Executive Resume
Katie Bryant
8227 Tower Court Granite Bay, CA 95746
Cell Phone: (916) 710-6318 Email:
Leadership Profile
Sales Force Development, Start Up Experience, Call Center Leadership, Business Development Leadership,
P&L Responsibility, Strategic Planning, Vertical Channel Development, Diversified Industry Expertise
Industry-recognized inbound and outbound call center leader with 20 years of in-depth call center expertise in e-commerce, start up operations, telecommunications, cable and wireless, and computer systems. Solution-oriented business strategist with a proven record of success in growing customer base, revamping operations to cut costs and improve cash flow, and driving profits to new heights. Proficient at developing company policies and procedures and implementing state-of-the-art technologies in a multi-cultural environment. Documented results in developing and directing a sales and marketing team to consistently exceed corporate sales revenue goals. Expertise in formulating creative strategic plans and implementing operational, marketing and vital business culture changes. Exceptional leadership, collaboration, and communication skills coupled with industry insights into emerging opportunities, trends, issues and challenges. Breadth of experience across industry platforms including B2B and B2C, utilizing multiple channel strategies, managing over Well-developed interpersonal skills with proven ability to lead, motivate, and inspire cross-functional teams to meet and surpass corporate objectives.
Professional Experience
HealthCompare, a Word and Brown Company Orange, California
Vice President, Sales 2008 to present
First employee hired to start up company to sell health insurance to individuals and families as well as Medicare in all 50 states as an e-commerce model with virtual agents. Drove growth through expansion of the customer base, development of strategic partnerships, and executed a comprehensive revenue plan. Achieved more than 116 percent of plan in the first 12 months of launch.
· Key player in product development and acquisition strategies, revenue growth, sales and marketing programs, vendor management systems, and recruitment, training, and management of a completely virtual organization.
· Carried full P&L responsibility and provided expense projections on a monthly basis.
· Strategized on scaling the business as well as pipeline development and sales distribution strategy by channel.
· Participated in the design of a new website and the “customer experience.”
· Collaborated with department heads of all Word and Brown companies (CONEXIS, Quotit, Choice Administrators, and the Word and Brown General Agency) to establish internal lead generation activities.
· Implemented current technology to support the sales team and increase sales productivity.
· Conducted monthly business reviews with health insurance carriers.
eHealthinsurance Gold River, California
Director of Sales and Operations 2004 to 2008
Began tenure as director for the small business division; promoted to director for the entire sales organization. Drive new revenue and sales and retain existing book of business for eHealth within an e-commerce model, leading a sales force of sales professionals as well as account managers. This is in a call center environment with responsibility for 77 employees. Key efforts include setting marketing strategy and vision with headquarters, in addition to recruiting, hiring, training, motivating, and delivering results—exceeded all sales goals every year.
· Boosted sales by 143 percent in three years by hiring the right people, providing a very motivating environment, establishing accountability through performance management, building compensation plans to drive behavior.
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· Successfully led the largest acquisition for the company that generated more than $650,000 in new revenue, and over 450 new accounts, representing 13,000 new company members (these numbers are not included in the graph above, since they were the result of an acquisition).
· Initiated and implemented a new internal sales strategy of making outbound calls to prospects, which produced an ROI of 444 percent. Created an outsource pilot of this campaign, managed and selected the vendor, and managed the results, producing an ROI of 267 percent. The company adopted this strategy as a way to generate new revenue for the company and adopted it as a full-time program.
· Reengineered the sales organization five times over three years to cut expenses, improve efficiencies, and drive more revenue for the company.
· Provided leadership for an effective small business sales team with zero attrition for three years.
RSM Equico, Subsidiary of H&R Block Costa Mesa, California
Senior Vice President, Business Development 2004
Provide hands-on leadership for all domestic and international lead generation through the outbound calling efforts of two call centers, totaling 110 employees. Charged with hiring and managing the best sales team in the industry. Collaborated in the formulation of long-term corporate goals for one-, three- and five-year targets. Engineered a strategic plan for business development, meeting and exceeding sales quotas, streamlining data management, and staying abreast of current market trends to research and develop lucrative new offerings. Crafted comprehensive, effective go-to-market strategies to address lead generation and qualification in each new target market identified.
· Developed/implemented new data management and performance strategies that effected a 22 percent sales performance increase within 60 days.
· Reshaped hiring profile for business development managers, resulting in a sales productivity ramp increase of 50 percent.
· Reengineered organization to save 15 percent of total monthly costs.
· Created new daily national scorecard reporting system, highlighting all key performance metrics.
Apple Computer Elk Grove, California
Outbound Sales Director 2002 to 2003
Led strategic initiative for outbound sales channel with the objective of increasing market share and revenue through telesales strategies and tactics. Implemented strategic marketing plans to penetrate new vertical markets and expand existing client base. Initiated “recipe for success” that included scrapping current processes and building new strategic tactics from job descriptions, recruiting, interviewing, hiring, reporting results, technology advancements setting expectations, measuring results, and delivering record breaking revenue results. Revamped and reengineered hiring/recruiting strategy that reduced attrition rate by 50 percent.
· Targeted, identified, and brought in new sales sources, increasing revenues over tenfold within the first six months.
· Increased sales by 112 percent within the first six months, generating an additional $11 million in revenue in 2003. Booked over $1 million dollars on a brand new “saves” calling campaign within the first 90 days of inception. Increased other sources of revenue over 250 percent in one year.
· Increased average order size by over 30 percent. Achieved a 71 percent higher average order size than of the entire Apple inbound sales organization.
· Increased overall close rate by 200 percent in one year. Increased revenue per hour of agents by 73 percent in nine months. Boosted agent productivity by 100 percent through advancements in predictive dialer intelligence.
Qinteraction Philippines, Manila
Vice President, Marketing and Program Management 2002
Implemented short- and long-term product and marketing strategies to increase penetration of the U.S. market by providing outsourcing alternatives in the Philippines. Identified and targeted new vertical markets to maximize revenues. Generated reporting and revenue forecasting systems to track results and achieve effective program execution and management. Completed RFPs for customer bids to secure new business.
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· Secured three new customer programs within the first 30 days, increasing the U.S. revenue base by 20 percent.
· Set performance and productivity goals for reps that tracked productivity on a minute-by-minute basis. Implemented new processes that improved operational effectiveness by 20 percent.
· Established customer care strategies to ensure customer retention. Followed up on all customer programs to ensure 100 percent effectiveness, representing a seamless cut to the customer.
Frontier Communications Elk Grove, California
Vice President, Sales and Customer Service 1999 to 2002
Provided leadership for three inbound customer contact centers with 550 employees in the telecommunications industry. Established new telemarketing channel by outsourcing all outbound calling campaigns to multiple vendors. Provided superior customer care, answer time, and up-sell efforts in a B2C and B2B environment in 26 states, ensuring compliance with each state’s service regulations. Successfully negotiated a multiple-union contract, as 60 percent of employee base was comprised of a bargaining unit. Increased effectiveness and saved over $8 million in operational expense by consolidating call centers. Maintained high employee morale and sales performance, even during downsizing.
· Piloted and championed a brand new sales channel that catapulted revenues from zero to $10 million for 2000 and increased 200 percent in 2001, reaching $30.5 million.
· Increased customer satisfaction by 49 percent in one year.
· Consistently exceeded revenue objectives—over $30 million in incremental revenue–121 percent of plan.
· Coordinated and implemented sales strategies to drive new revenue in an inbound and outbound environment, resulting in a 157 percent increase in sales.
Cable & Wireless USA Sacramento, California
Senior Call Center Director 1998 to 1999
Transitioned MCI’s 1,000-employee inbound and outbound call center to Cable & Wireless as a result of asset acquisition, maintaining high employee morale during the process. Consolidated 12 customer support segments to 2 due to change of customer and product support to Internet products only. Developed and executed outsourcing plan to identify and select vendors for consolidation. Ensured a seamless transition with no customer impact while maintaining high service and sales efforts.
· Outsourced local call center, reducing annual labor and facility costs by $20 million and $3 million respectively.
· Built and automated new process with Web technology to improve reporting and service results.
· Achieved record-breaking sales in excess of 4,000 new accounts/month by employee spiffs and motivation.
MCI Telecommunications Sacramento, California
Center Director II, Mass Markets 1993 to 1998
Employed a “lead-by-example” management style to lead and direct a 1,000-employee inbound and outbound call center focused on sales, service and support for telecommunications products. Designed process improvements to centralize operations, generate new revenues, and increase customer satisfaction in a rapidly changing environment. Administered a $36 million operating budget and initiated cost control strategies that saved $5 million.
· Earned Top Center/Circle of Excellence award a total of ten times as a result of top-level performance: 140 percent plus in sales, 120 percent in productivity, 110 percent in quality, and efficient fiscal management.
· Implemented new compensation plan that increased sales performance by 75 percent.
· Reduced average call handling time by 30 percent, representing an annual headcount savings of over $2 million. Implemented new call flows to reduce talk and work time.
· Recognized as the mass markets call center with the lowest attrition in the nation at 2.5 percent per year.
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Senior Manager, International Mass Markets 1992 to 1993
Led national efforts in building MCI’s first international inbound call center from the ground up, supporting seven different languages and comprised of 250 employees. Coordinated interviewing, hiring, training, reporting, and performance management. Developed hiring profile to ensure bilingual proficiency, as well as sales ability. Successfully managed and implemented cultural diversity within the organization. Provided training in the art of up-selling and cross-selling every customer contact. Formulated strategies designed to provide optimal customer care.
· Achieved record-breaking scores in customer satisfaction. Increased first-call resolution by over 33 percent.
· Broke all sales targets through coaching and training. Achieved a 50 percent year-over-year revenue run rate.
· Achieved operational efficiencies by reorganizing department and sharing calls via load balancing with sister center in Arlington, Virginia.
Sales Manager, Mass Markets 1991 to 1992
Transformed the culture of a 500-employee inbound call center from “service only” to “sales and service” through matrix managing methods. Conducted regular reviews with supervisors/managers to identify trends and opportunities. Developed weekly sales goals/forecasting reports. Provided training and motivation to foster a sales-driven mentality. Implemented recognition programs, contests, incentives, spiffs, and compensation to drive results.
· Increased sales by over 500 percent within the first 60 days.
· Recognized as "#1 Center” in 1991 for sales achievement.
· Earned Top Sales Manager at Circle of Excellence, where top 1 percent of employees are recognized.
Branch Manager, Business Markets (Walnut Creek, California) 1986 to 1990
Directed a team of 35 outside account executives and customer care consultants with revenue responsibility for the Sacramento and Walnut Creek branches. Formulated and implemented vertical marketing strategies to increase recurring revenue and increase customer loyalty and retention. Recruited, hired, and trained sales management professionals. Provided monthly and annual revenue forecasts.
· Increased revenue by $10 million, a 25 percent increase year over year.
· Turned around Sacramento branch, taking it from last in the region to number 3 of 12 branches.
· Assigned to Walnut Creek branch to improve revenue performance and employee morale. Reduced annual attrition rate from 50 percent to 20 percent in first year.
· Hired and recruited top-notch sales executives and sales management professionals who were recognized multiple times at President’s Club.
Employment Prior to 1986
Held various account executive and sales management positions for MCI and Xerox with increasing responsibilities. Developed programs to establish new customer relationships, expand the customer base, and achieve corporate revenue goals. Significant accomplishments included:
· Achieved 125 percent of revenue objective on a $33 million dollar base.
· Achieved 200 percent of plan.
· Named #3 sales representative in the region.
Education
· Bachelor of Science–Political Science, UC Berkeley. Emphasis on Business and Economics.
Key Accomplishment Summary
Katie Bryant
Revenue Acquisition in a Call Center Environment
Situation:
The outbound sales center at Apple Computer was in complete dysfunction. The “employee” base consisted of 75 percent contract employees without compensation plans. Salary rates were at least 40 percent below market, resulting in poor caliber sales reps. Management style was negative and did not provide a motivating environment. Program management was non-existent, and calling campaigns were launched where Apple did not have a hardware and software solution. As a result, close rates were less than one half of one percent.
Action Plan:
· Worked with team to gain respect by “hands on” management style, staying visible and accessible. Strove to “catch people doing something right” and administer praise. Developed weekly and monthly one-on-one meetings with each individual to review performance and discuss areas of opportunity.