Althea Barnes
Chicago,IL
Summary
Dedicated Customer Service professional with knowledge of service delivery and proven multitasking abilities. Committed to maintaining professional relationships to increase profitability and drive business results.
Committed to ensuring customer satisfaction by providing exceptional service and unmatched support. Proficient in utilizing customer service best practices and adept at exploring different solutions to address customer needs effectively.
Overview
30
30
years of professional experience
1
1
Certificate
Work History
Customer Service Representative
Social Security Administration
- Advise caller of all potential benefits, policies and eligibility guidelines available
- Complete benefit screenings and schedule appointments as requested
- Independently resolve complex issues of non receipt of benefit payments, delinquency notices and dispute of benefit amounts
- Negotiate and process installment agreements on overpaid accounts
- Research appropriate protocol to ensure correct action has been taken
- Minimize escalation of critical situations by thoroughly identifying all measures have been implemented
- Accurately processes public requests for additional information, forms and provide contact information of local resources
- Explain technical program information in latent common language manner
- Maintain positive and productive working relationships within the office, work unit or group
- Assist new trainees with directives as needed
- Adapt to changes in workloads, priorities, and work assignments in a positive manner
- Treat the public and fellow employees with courtesy and respect
Reimbursement Officer
Illinois Department Of Human Services
10.1993 - 09.2018
- Provide administrative support to the Hospital Administrator, Senior, Process billing and procurement summary reports for facility and third-party entities
- Draft proposals, addendum and amend Business Office procedures according to state guidelines
- Develop marketing strategies in order to engage the interest of prospective vendors
- Network with public and recipients to obtain community resources and reduce recidivism
- Complete purchase orders, supply requisitions and fiscal contracts
- Prepare routine fiscal audits, accounts receivable, accounts payable ledgers
- Perform complex calculations and invoices for commodities and disbursed goods
- Ensure accurate processing of payments via Excel
- Conduct investigative research of clients' available benefits, assets and income
- Generate correspondence to Accounting team regarding critical deficiencies with facility budget
- Document daily activity and resolutions made on clients' cases via SharePoint, Access and Microsoft programs
- Perform calculations of benefits for state public assistance program units accurately
- Evaluate and train subordinates work performance/ capabilities to proficiently utilize public assistance programs
- Prepare Investigative Reports handled by the Office of Investigator General
- Perform additional clerical and executive support functions and enact as facility liaison
- Conducted surveillance to detect suspicious activity.
- Attended personnel meetings and training sessions to improve skills and learn new policies and procedures.
- Coordinated operations with other emergency service groups.
- Wrote detailed narrative reports for use in investigations.
- Supervised, directed and evaluated assigned staff members and newly hired officers.
- Prepared and submitted detailed reports regarding assignments and ongoing investigations.
- Addressed public questions, complaints and requests and provided necessary assistance.
- Collected, arranged, and input information into database system.
- Gathered, organized and input information into digital database.
- Helped meet changing demands by recommending improvements to business systems or procedures.
- Provided reporting for forecast analysis and ad-hoc reporting in support of decision-making.
- Maintained database systems to track and analyze operational data.
- Cultivated positive relationships with vendors to deliver timely and cost-effective supply of services and materials.
- Evaluated staff performance and provided coaching to address inefficiencies.
- Supported creation of detailed, technical financial models to value potential acquisition targets.
- Conducted regular reviews of operations and identified areas for improvement.
- Generated reports detailing findings and recommendations.
- Devised and implemented processes and procedures to streamline operations.
- Optimized customer experience by delivering superior services and effectively troubleshooting issues.
- Created and managed project plans, timelines and budgets.
- Evaluated customer needs and feedback to drive product and service improvements.
- Educated staff on organizational mission and goals to help employees achieve success.
- Developed effective improvement plans in alignment with goals and specifications.
Business Office Associate
CarMax
10.2015 - 01.2017
- Institute appropriate office practices in order to Open/Close the retail business office to the general public
- Handle accounts payable functions, tendering cash transactions, preparing bank deposits
- Process client data applications for legal funding eligibility in a call center based environment
- Review/process documents associated to customer vehicle purchases
- Assist customers with questions regarding title information, and preparing motor vehicle documents
- Interact with sales staff and merchants to obtain payoff information
- Assist our purchasing team with appraisal purchases and in-store auctions
- Maintain professional rapport with customers and direct inquiries to the appropriate departments
- Uphold Metrics standards and assist with training new employees
- Answer multi-line phone system
Assistant Sales Manager
Florsheim Shoes
10.1988 - 10.1993
- Institute appropriate office practices in order to Open/Close store to the general public
- Independently compute balances associates banks via general accounting procedures
- Reconcile tendered transactions to ensure accuracy of daily revenue
- Audit store inventory and generate reports based upon sale trends
- Analyze regional data and develop strategies to acquire marketable goods and products
- Render quality services based on customer needs and weekly sales projections
- Maintain personal contact with customers to provide product updates and sales promotion information
- Solicit soft lines and accessories for major retail stores routinely
- Provide superior customer service by maintaining a cohesive rapport with vendors, consumers and staff
- Conduct interviews with potential candidates for vacancies
- Evaluate employee job performances and institute coaching
Education
BS - Business Administration, Human Services Management
Ashford University
Cedar Rapids, IAVocational Certificate in Communications Media - Radio And Television Broadcasting Technology
Illinois School of Broadcasting
Lombard, IL10.2013
Skills
- Accounts Payable
- Microsoft SharePoint
- Financial Report Writing
- Time management
- Microsoft Excel
- Sales
- Microsoft Word
- Computer literacy
- Typing
- Analysis skills
- Communication skills
- Office experience
- Computer skills
- Medicare
- Documentation review
- Epic
- Process improvement
- Assessments
- Work Style: Reliability — Expert
- April 2019
- Measures a candidate's tendency to be dependable and come to work
- Full results: Expert
- Work Style: Conscientiousness — Expert
- May 2019
- Measures a candidate's tendency to be rule-abiding, well-organized, hard-working, confident, and think
- Before acting
- Protecting patient privacy — Proficient
- September 2021
- Understanding privacy rules and regulations associated with patient records
- Full results: Proficient
- Work style: Reliability — Proficient
- June 2021
- Tendency to be reliable, dependable, and act with integrity at work
- Customer focus & orientation — Highly Proficient
- February 2021
- Responding to customer situations with sensitivity
- Full results: Highly Proficient
- Verbal communication — Highly Proficient
- May 2022
- Speaking clearly, correctly, and concisely
- Customer focus & orientation — Expert
- March 2022
Certification
- Management (10+ years)
- Windows (10+ years)
- Excel (10+ years)
- Editing (5 years)
- Account Management (10+ years)
- Administrative Support (10+ years)
- Retail Management (10+ years)
- Receptionist (10+ years)
- Office Management (10+ years)
- Executive Support (10+ years)
- Customer Service (10+ years)
- Case Management (10+ years)
- Records Management (10+ years)
- Data Entry (10+ years)
- Project Management (10+ years)
- Public Relations (10+ years)
- Employee Evaluation
Timeline
Business Office Associate
CarMax
10.2015 - 01.2017
Reimbursement Officer
Illinois Department Of Human Services
10.1993 - 09.2018
Assistant Sales Manager
Florsheim Shoes
10.1988 - 10.1993
Customer Service Representative
Social Security Administration
BS - Business Administration, Human Services Management
Ashford University
Vocational Certificate in Communications Media - Radio And Television Broadcasting Technology
Illinois School of Broadcasting