PRSHANT GANDHI
Tomball,TX
Summary
A successful leader with hands-on experience, leading operational teams, while optimizing savings and improving services. Organized Operations Lead with background motivating, coaching and overseeing teams by employing excellent interpersonal and multitasking skills. Seasoned expert at establishing and implementing goals and objectives, identifying and managing risks and developing business potential. Strong independent judgment and critical-thinking abilities.
Overview
21
21
years of professional experience
Work History
Client Executive
CARLSON WAGONLIT TRAVEL
09.2019 - Current
- Client portfolio
- Manage relevant accounts taking care of customer management at country, sub-regional or multinational level
- Client Activity
- Own and build the relationship with a defined base of local/multinational clients and work collaboratively with them to drive results for their travel program and CWT
- Set up business rhythm including business reviews both internally and externally with agreement from customer
- Leverage CWT tools and relay relevant communication and updates in a timely manner
- Maximize client satisfaction and mitigate risks
- Monitor client satisfaction indicators and adherence to SLA
- Deliver insight & actionable recommendations to the customer, leveraging CWT resources (RCE, PM Effectiveness) and tools (e.g., CWT AnalytIQ's)
- Optimize Client Relationship
- Support a bid avoidance strategy or strategy to win, 18 months before end of contract end or sooner by taking the following actions: Intelligence gathering, review of relationship mapping, voice of the customer feedback and identification of customer pain points along with previous contract execution and delivery and a review of current financial health and fees
- Build a compelling RFP proposal where appropriate with support from multi-functional teams
- Follow CWT process and seek necessary validation when required
- Present to client in coordination with other functional teams and senior team members /stakeholders when required
- Frequent engagement with the customer to understand how CWT can bring value and mapping the CWT value proposition to client's needs to enable revenue generating activities such as upselling new offerings or cross-selling core offerings such as Hotel or Meetings & Events
- Negotiation and Implementation
- Support the local/multinational sales team in new business negotiations associated for assigned accounts whenever required, with activities such as introduction to prospects and sharing experiences/ data trends and/or best practices with prospective customers
- Support new local /multinational account implementation for assigned accounts including:
- In partnership with the implementation team check in on implementation progress and provide guidance as needed
- Execute required communication and change management with the client
- Train the client in the acquired CWT products (myCWT, CWT Messenger, Price Tracker, AnalytiQs)
- Schedule further training as needed
- Work with implementation team on Sales handover aligning contractual obligations
- Client Consultation
- Partner with the customer to fully understand their traveler needs and company imperatives in order to determine exactly the right mix of services to take care of the customer employees and help them achieve their business goals
- Deliver tangible cost savings for the client program through boosting compliant behavior by client travelers at the point of sale
- Provide insight, performance benchmarking and recommendations to the customer
- Use industry best practice from inside and outside CWT, along with peer benchmarking and opportunity analysis to provide unique and actionable insight that drive values and incremental savings
- Regularly review progress and program adoption through focus groups and data in order to make adjustments to improve the client's travel program
TRAVEL SERVICES OPERATIONS LEAD
CARLSON WAGONLIT TRAVEL, CWT
12.2016 - 09.2019
- Lead Global Travel Counselor teams in the Energy Resources and Marine (ERM) Division
- Works directly with management to support and build processes that increase profitability and quality
- Keeps management promptly and fully informed of all operations matters of significance and takes prompt corrective action where necessary or suggests courses of action which may be taken
- Deliver professional and exceptional service by responding to internal and external clientele, by satisfying their needs in a timely manner
- Assist the leadership team, by identifying a clear understanding of client needs and develop solutions
- Provides leadership to day-to-day counselor, which aids in the development of talent
- Continuously identifies and develops organizational needs
- Sets clear, measurable performance expectations
- Aid in the implementation and structuring of Travel Counselor teams
- Drives operational excellence and highest levels of customer service
- Assist the management team with the implementation of processes that will aid client Services Standards
- Maintain knowledge of all products, services, and systems to ensure superior service
- Motivated and trained employees to maximize team productivity
SR
INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL COUNSELOR, CARLSON WAGONLIT TRAVEL, CWT
11.2007 - 11.2016
- Provide support to the traveler/travel arranger and all CWT Energy Resources and Marine clients
- Maintains appropriate level of confidentiality for information shared between clients
- Engineered both domestic and international travel arrangements for clients to include air, hotel, rail, and ground transportation
- Utilized online resources and agency tools, to ensure compliance with clients' travel policy
- Educated traveler/travel arrangers of international travel requirements such as visas, passports, immunizations, etc
- Expert level working knowledge and understanding of international pricing rules and procedures
- Actively supports one or more global accounts
- Operates within general procedures under minimal direct managerial supervision
- Proficient in fare calculations, pricing, processing tickets, refunds, and exchanges
- Consistently achieves team goals, while working within given parameters
INTERNATIONAL CUSTOMER SERVICE COUNSELOR
AIR FRANCE
05.2006 - 11.2007
- Clear communication, both verbal and written to aid in customer service resolutions
- Maintains appropriate level of confidentiality for information shared between clients
- Quickly and professionally resolve incoming requests
- Efficiently and thoroughly gather information that allowed access to fulfill customer's needs, provide education the customer, which aided in reducing the need for future contacts
- Troubleshoot customer issues
- Use automated information systems to analyze the situation
- Successfully maintained Provide the balance between company policy and customer benefit
- Evaluate and identify opportunities to drive process improvements that positively effects the customer's experience
- Generating and compiling reports as they relate to customer service surveys
INTERNATIONAL CUSTOMER SERVICE COUNSELOR
AIRLINES
06.2002 - 01.2007
- First point of contact for passengers at the airport and over the phone
- Check luggage and print boarding passes
- Provide information and assistance to passengers
- Aided in the production of flight reservations, itinerary changes, baggage concerns, and customer loyalty programs
- Assisted the passengers with seat upgrades, check boarding passes, and oversold situations
- Maintained a positive atmosphere under pressure
Education
Bachelor of Commerce, S.B - Computer System Management
GARDA COLLEGE, APTECH COMPUTER EDUCATION GUJ
Skills
- KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES(KSAs)
- Leadership
- Passion
- Caring
- Integrity
- MS Office
- Knowledge of multiple Global Distribution (GDS)
- Avaya Phone Systems
Additional Information
- AWARDS AND RECOGNITONS, CWT recognition of operational excellence and winner of the Golden Derrick Award.
Timeline
Client Executive
CARLSON WAGONLIT TRAVEL
09.2019 - Current
TRAVEL SERVICES OPERATIONS LEAD
CARLSON WAGONLIT TRAVEL, CWT
12.2016 - 09.2019
SR
INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL COUNSELOR, CARLSON WAGONLIT TRAVEL, CWT
11.2007 - 11.2016
INTERNATIONAL CUSTOMER SERVICE COUNSELOR
AIR FRANCE
05.2006 - 11.2007
INTERNATIONAL CUSTOMER SERVICE COUNSELOR
AIRLINES
06.2002 - 01.2007
Bachelor of Commerce, S.B - Computer System Management
GARDA COLLEGE, APTECH COMPUTER EDUCATION GUJ
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