Lori Ratzlaff
Summary
Customer Service Leader with extensive experience managing contact centers and deploying programs to optimize the customer journey while achieving industry-leading service metrics. Expertise analyzing and utilizing customer feedback through programs and surveys. Highly collaborative with immaculate communication and project leadership skills with fluency in all aspects of retail, banking and credit card sectors.
KEY COMPETENCIES
Call Center Leadership / Strategic Planning / Commitment to Excellence / Results Driven / Program Development / Program Implementation / Processes / Streamlining Problem-Solving / Customer Survey Design / Metrics / Cost Control / Voice of Client Program / Feedback Reporting / Systems Implementation / Continuous Improvement / Staff Management / Training / Performance Improvement / Cross Functional Collaboration / Teamwork / Regulatory Compliance / Adherence to Policy Performance
Overview
26
26
years of professional experience
Work History
Vice President, Client Services
Banc of California
06.2022 - 02.2024
- Retained responsibilities (below) with additional responsibility for managing a team of 6 Client Banking Officers (CBOs) supporting community branches
- Oversaw interactions between CBOs and branches on opening new accounts
- Grew new account processing from 30% to 85% by driving branch leadership teams to adopt and utilize CBOs
- Collaborated with branch leadership, product, legal and marketing teams on programs and initiatives
- Implemented internal survey for CBOs to gather feedback on service delivery to branch staff
- Supported branch locations with inquiries related to procedures, legal escalations and new account inquiries
- Streamlined and improved controllable steps in the new account opening process and response time
- Processed documentation for all accounts including business, consumer and trust
- Handled email inquiries from branches regarding over-limit approvals for transactions and wire processing
- Audited new account packages prior to QA which improved accuracy and completion of documentation
Vice President, Client Services
Banc of California
05.2015 - 06.2022
- Hired to oversee Call Center Operations supporting clients, branch employees and improving the client service experience
- Managed team of 20, worked closely with IT on automated response system, and developed the Voice of Client program
- Launched Voice of the Client program through SharePoint with complex form submissions to gather and track client feedback and monitor for compliance
- Heavily involved in customizing the automated voice response system, worked closely with IT team to implement front-end messaging for clients calling into branches and configured skill-based call routing through Cisco
- Fielded and managed all account-related inquiries including debit card maintenance, mobile and online servicing, and incoming calls from branch employees
- Managed debit card functions, debit card dispute processing, chargebacks and fraud rule monitoring
- Developed and implemented client survey for branch transaction experience, an automated phone survey for call center experience, and published monthly reports with survey results and VOC data to leadership
- Worked closely with Marketing teams to develop a new business account survey and managed all survey feedback
- Handled all regulatory complaints, worked with legal and compliance on responses to regulatory agencies and clients, drafted communications and managed letter and template library
Vice President, Loyalty Marketing
Nordstrom
01.2013 - 09.2014
- Supported the nationwide customer loyalty marketing and rewards program and oversaw 6 direct reports
- Worked closely with each store’s management team to promote and enhance programs and to help stores meet and exceed goals
- Trained store teams to improve store credit customer experience
- Launched a non-credit-based pilot rewards program and utilized feedback data to implement improvements
- Compiled and analyzed daily reports to update stores on customer data, rewards program, and goal attainment
Vice President, Customer Service
Nordstrom
01.1998 - 01.2013
- Promoted to VP of the California call center in 1998 and Colorado call center in 2000
- Managed staff of 5 direct reports and 350 indirect reports
- Delivered highly successful credit and debit card programs which increased member enrollment and spend, oversaw training and reporting
- Implemented an automated voice response to modernize call center service
- Launched 24x7/365 days a year servicing 14M customer calls annually on credit, store transactions and rewards
- Worked closely with IT to implement and maximize an automated voice response system and designed prompts, routing, and self-service options which increased customer usage by 5% and redistributed workload for 9 FTEs
- Tracked customer feedback to reduce total calls by 35% and made improvements to the department including simplifying monthly statements and redesigning web experience for users
- Managed comprehensive development and conversion to new custom GUI to improve accuracy and service
- Helped select and implement CRM system to track requests, pending approvals and accounts
- Consistently exceeded industry metrics by 10% on service levels and increased phone productivity by 5%
- Set daily service level goals to ensure call centers were staffed appropriately to handle daily call-volume fluctuations resulting in minimal to no wait times for calls from stores and customers
- Reduced overtime by 20% reassigning, adding and optimizing staff using software and forecasting
- Represented the Call Center in a Concierge Project to manage requests for services and had direct input in selecting the provider, training professionals and designing targeted team training on handling concierge requests
- Published and delivered monthly reports of all customer feedback data to leadership teams
- Approved bank policies and worked closely with legal and compliance teams to ensure adherence to regulations
- Collaborated with the Fraud Team to monitor accounts and set fraud rules, dispute processing and parameters, and provided targeted training to minimize risk from disputes related to outside merchants
- Ensured appropriate credit line extensions and handled large and complex credit decisions
- Designed and delivered targeted training on Rewards programs, soft skills, procedures, and implemented a skill- based pay-for-performance program
Education
A.A - Fashion Merchandising
Orange Coast College
Professional Certificate in Fashion Merchandising - undefined
Orange Coast College
Leadership Training - Nordstrom Corporate Training Coursework in Consumer Credit Banking - Bankcard School, American Bankers Association Coursework in Leadership, Management, Banking, and Financial Compliance - Visa USA Management School - undefined
Skills
- Client Inquiries
- Customer Service and Assistance
- CRM Systems
- Operational Efficiency
- Customer Needs Assessments
- Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI)
- Team Goals
- Strategic Partnership
- Performance Goals
- Operational Planning
- Special Projects
- Process Transactions
- Calm and Professional Under Pressure
- Understanding Customer Needs
- Investigate Claims
- Interpersonal Communication Skills
- Improvement Plans
- Personnel Management
- Staff Meetings
- Training Programs
- Revenue Generation
- Strategic Vision
- Microsoft Office
- Business Policies and Procedures
- Departmental Collaboration
- Employer Branding
- Reporting Tools
- Salesforce Software
- Application Assessments
- Training Junior Team Members
- Loyalty Programs
- Candidate Screening
- Call Control
- Excellent Attention to Detail
- Merger Integrations
- Vendor Relationship Management
- Staff Development
- High Net Worth Individuals Marketing
- Client Rapport-Building
- Customer Retention Strategies
- Core Values Management
- Business Development and Planning
Timeline
Vice President, Client Services
Banc of California
06.2022 - 02.2024
Vice President, Client Services
Banc of California
05.2015 - 06.2022
Vice President, Loyalty Marketing
Nordstrom
01.2013 - 09.2014
Vice President, Customer Service
Nordstrom
01.1998 - 01.2013
A.A - Fashion Merchandising
Orange Coast College
Professional Certificate in Fashion Merchandising - undefined
Orange Coast College