Christopher Westray
Virginia Beach,United States
Summary
Proactive- Client Focused Customer Relationship Manager with over 23 years of experience who is able to prioritize and execute through delegate tasks efficiently to ensure timely project completion within a team environment. I am highly organized and efficient in fast-paced multi-tasking environments. Hardworking and passionate job seeker with strong organizational skills eager to secure entry-level position. Ready to help team achieve company goals.
Overview
16
16
years of professional experience
Work History
Owner
Westray's Assorted Cheesecakes and Desserts
09.2008 - Current
- Managed day-to-day business operations.
- Developed and maintained strong relationships with clients, resulting in repeat business and referrals.
- Managed financial aspects of the business, including budgeting, financial reporting, and tax preparation.
- Enhanced operational efficiency and productivity by managing budgets, accounts, and costs.
- Negotiated contracts with suppliers for better pricing and terms, reducing overall costs for the business.
- Increased customer satisfaction by implementing efficient business processes and providing exceptional service.
- Organized and attended trade shows and special events to showcase products, network with other businesses and attract new customers.
- Achieved financial growth with strategic planning, cost control measures, and targeted marketing efforts.
- Strengthened relationships with vendors, negotiating prices for better cost control and improved profit margins.
- Reduced food waste by effectively managing inventory levels and rotating stock as necessary.
- Consistently met or exceeded sales targets through upselling techniques and suggestive selling strategies.
Collections Representative
Oliphant USA
12.2023 - 10.2024
- Processed payments and applied to customer balances.
- Worked in call center environment handling manual and automatically dialed outbound calls.
- Maintained high volume of calls and met demands of busy and productive group.
- Negotiated to collect balance in full.
- Delivered exceptional customer service on collection calls and maintained calm and professional demeanor.
- Counseled debtors on payment options and arranged installment agreements.
- Used probing techniques to determine debtors' reasons for delinquency.
- Played a key role in reducing account aging by proactively identifying at-risk accounts and initiating early intervention measures.
- Recorded all information regarding financial status of customers.
- Resolved challenging situations with friendly but firm strategies.
- Demonstrated exceptional problem-solving abilities in addressing complex collection scenarios, leading to successful resolutions.
- Used skip tracing resources to locate debtors and updated information in company system.
Supervisor
CKS Financial
07.2021 - 10.2023
- Oversaw daily operations of the department, ensuring smooth workflow and timely completion of tasks.
- Applied strong leadership talents and problem-solving skills to maintain team efficiency and organize workflows.
- Enhanced communication within the team by holding regular meetings and encouraging open dialogue among all members.
- Demonstrated commitment to the organization's core values, leading by example and fostering a culture of excellence.
- Enhanced customer satisfaction by promptly addressing inquiries and resolving issues.
- Reduced average call time through efficient problem-solving skills without sacrificing quality of service provided.
- Developed effective strategies for managing challenging situations, resulting in positive outcomes for both customers and the organization.
- Resolved customer billing errors by researching issues in system, asking open-ended questions, and determining root causes of problems.
- Leveraged strong interpersonal skills to build lasting relationships with customers, fostering brand loyalty and repeat business.
- Exhibited high energy and professionalism when dealing with clients and staff.
- Processed payments and applied to customer balances.
- Contacted customers to collect outstanding payments via one-time or negotiated installment methods.
- Documented conversations with consumers and research into accounts.
- Developed customized payment plans for clients experiencing financial difficulties to minimize losses.
Senior Account Executive
Portfolio Recovery Associates
09.2008 - 07.2021
- Reviewed collection reports regularly with management to provide updates on progress and potential areas for improvement.
- Managed account portfolio effectively, ensuring accurate record-keeping and timely follow-ups on outstanding balances.
- Streamlined collection processes for increased efficiency, resulting in a higher success rate of collecting outstanding debts.
- Reduced overdue accounts by implementing strategic collection techniques and maintaining consistent communication with clients.
- Collaborated with legal counsel on complex cases, ensuring all necessary documentation was prepared for litigation.
- Utilized analytical skills to identify trends among delinquent accounts and develop targeted action plans.
- Negotiated settlements with customers facing financial hardship to maintain goodwill while recovering outstanding debt.
- Maintained up-to-date knowledge of industry trends and developments, applying new approaches as needed to improve overall collections performance.
- Provided excellent customer service while resolving disputes, addressing concerns, and finding win-win solutions for both parties involved.
- Trained new team members in company policies, procedures, and best practices for successful collections management.
- Developed comprehensive knowledge of relevant regulations and industry best practices to ensure compliance in all collection activities.
- Assisted in developing new strategies to increase recovery rates on delinquent accounts without compromising client relationships or business reputation.
- Monitored customer accounts for payment delinquency and initiated collection efforts.
- Responded to customer inquiries and provided detailed account information.
- Listened to customers and negotiated solutions that met creditor and debtor needs.
- Processed debtor payments and updated accounts to reflect new balance.
- Analyzed customer financial records to determine appropriate payment plan.
- Enhanced skip tracing success rate by adopting innovative search techniques for efficient results.
- Managed high-stress situations effectively, maintaining professionalism under pressure while resolving disputes or conflicts.
- Handled escalated calls efficiently, finding satisfactory resolutions for both customers and the company alike.
- Adapted quickly to changing industry regulations or company policies, updating collection strategies as needed to maintain compliance and effectiveness.
Education
High School Diploma -
Lake Taylor High School
Norfolk, VA06.2001
Skills
- Microsoft Office
- Negotiations
- Word Perfect
- Finance Analyst
- Skip Tracing
- Sales
- Typing speed 60 wpm
- Project Management
- Social Media Marketing
- Account Management
- Credit and Collections
- Customer Relations
Timeline
Collections Representative
Oliphant USA
12.2023 - 10.2024
Supervisor
CKS Financial
07.2021 - 10.2023
Owner
Westray's Assorted Cheesecakes and Desserts
09.2008 - Current
Senior Account Executive
Portfolio Recovery Associates
09.2008 - 07.2021
High School Diploma -
Lake Taylor High School
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