Susan Lenske
Montgomery,IL
Summary
Dynamic leader with proven success at Donati’s Ristorante, enhancing customer satisfaction by overhauling service protocols. Expert in team leadership and Adobe Creative Suite, driving innovative solutions and fostering collaboration. Achieved significant cost savings through strategic vendor negotiations, boosting profitability. Skilled in problem-solving and communication, committed to continuous improvement and professional growth. Working in customer service in the sales and design industry helped me to develop skills that enhance my employment and customer satisfaction.
Overview
2026
2026
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
Assistant Manager
Cownpoint Ammusement
2018 - Current
- Assisted in developing staff schedules to optimize operational efficiency.
- Monitored daily operations, ensuring adherence to safety and quality standards.
- Coordinated training sessions for new employees, enhancing team performance.
- Implemented inventory management practices to reduce waste and improve accuracy.
- Provided customer support, resolving inquiries and enhancing guest experiences.
Manager
Donati’s Ristorante
2008 - 01.2012
- Supervised daily operations, ensuring adherence to food safety and quality standards.
- Trained and mentored staff, fostering a collaborative team environment.
- Developed and implemented efficient workflows to optimize service delivery.
- Managed inventory levels, minimizing waste while ensuring stock availability.
- Coordinated scheduling to align staffing with peak business hours effectively.
- Resolved customer complaints promptly, enhancing overall dining experience satisfaction.
- Analyzed financial reports to identify cost-saving opportunities and improve profitability.
- Managed and motivated employees to be productive and engaged in work.
- Accomplished multiple tasks within established timeframes.
- Maintained professional, organized, and safe environment for employees and patrons.
- Enhanced customer satisfaction by resolving disputes promptly, maintaining open lines of communication, and ensuring high-quality service delivery.
- Resolved staff member conflicts, actively listening to concerns and finding appropriate middle ground.
- Maximized performance by monitoring daily activities and mentoring team members.
- Cross-trained existing employees to maximize team agility and performance.
- Controlled costs to keep business operating within budget and increase profits.
- Developed and maintained relationships with customers and suppliers through account development.
- Developed a strong company culture focused on employee engagement, collaboration, and continuous learning opportunities.
- Improved safety procedures to create safe working conditions for workers.
- Achieved departmental goals by developing and executing strategic plans and performance metrics.
- Built high-performing teams through effective recruitment, onboarding, and talent development initiatives.
- Managed budgets effectively, ensuring optimal financial performance while investing in necessary resources for business growth.
- Improved marketing to attract new customers and promote business.
- Reduced operational costs through comprehensive process improvement initiatives and resource management.
- Oversaw inventory management, optimizing stock levels, and reducing waste.
- Enhanced product quality by instituting rigorous quality control procedures, resulting in fewer customer complaints.
- Achieved significant cost savings by renegotiating contracts with key vendors, without compromising service quality.
- Boosted employee morale and reduced turnover through development and implementation of comprehensive rewards and recognition program.
- Developed comprehensive risk management plan, minimizing potential disruptions to business operations.
- Fostered partnerships with industry leaders, enhancing company's reputation and creating new business opportunities.
- Improved customer satisfaction scores by overhauling customer service protocols and training staff in customer engagement techniques.
- Maintained positive customer relations by addressing problems head-on and implementing successful corrective actions.
- Established team priorities, maintained schedules and monitored performance.
- Evaluated employee performance and conveyed constructive feedback to improve skills.
- Maintained professional demeanor by staying calm when addressing unhappy or angry customers.
- Opened and closed location and monitored shift changes to uphold successful operations strategies and maximize business success.
- Recruited, interviewed and hired employees and implemented mentoring program to promote positive feedback and engagement.
- Used industry expertise, customer service skills and analytical nature to resolve customer concerns and promote loyalty.
- Successfully managed budgets and allocated resources to maximize productivity and profitability.
- Trained personnel in equipment maintenance and enforced participation in exercises focused on developing key skills.
- Set aggressive targets for employees to drive company success and strengthen motivation.
- Identified and communicated customer needs to supply chain capacity and quality teams.
- Reduced waste and pursued revenue development strategies to keep department aligned with sales and profit targets.
- Streamlined and monitored quality programs to alleviate overdue compliance activities.
- Planned, created, tested and deployed system life cycle methodology to produce high quality systems to meet and exceed customer expectations.
Rogers Flooring
Sales and Customer Service
2004 - 2008
- Self-motivated, with a strong sense of personal responsibility.
- Worked effectively in fast-paced environments.
- Skilled at working independently and collaboratively in a team environment.
- Proven ability to learn quickly and adapt to new situations.
- Excellent communication skills, both verbal and written.
- Worked well in a team setting, providing support and guidance.
- Demonstrated respect, friendliness and willingness to help wherever needed.
- Assisted with day-to-day operations, working efficiently and productively with all team members.
- Passionate about learning and committed to continual improvement.
- Managed time efficiently in order to complete all tasks within deadlines.
- Organized and detail-oriented with a strong work ethic.
- Paid attention to detail while completing assignments.
- Used critical thinking to break down problems, evaluate solutions and make decisions.
- Strengthened communication skills through regular interactions with others.
- Adaptable and proficient in learning new concepts quickly and efficiently.
- Learned and adapted quickly to new technology and software applications.
- Proved successful working within tight deadlines and a fast-paced environment.
- Developed and maintained courteous and effective working relationships.
- Demonstrated strong organizational and time management skills while managing multiple projects.
Associate Designer
DHR Horton
1996 - 2001
- Collaborated on design projects, assisting with concept development and execution.
- Supported senior designers in creating visual presentations and prototypes.
- Utilized design software to produce detailed renderings and layouts.
- Conducted research on current design trends to inform project direction.
- Assisted in coordinating project timelines, ensuring deadlines were met efficiently.
- Participated in team brainstorming sessions to generate innovative design solutions.
- Reviewed design materials for accuracy and adherence to brand standards.
- Engaged with clients to gather feedback and refine design concepts based on their needs.
- Streamlined workflow processes for better efficiency, resulting in faster project completion times.
- Championed sustainable design practices within the company, leading to a more environmentally conscious approach to projects.
- Enhanced design quality by consistently applying industry best practices and staying current with design trends.
- Developed visually appealing graphics while adhering to brand guidelines and maintaining a cohesive visual identity.
- Spearheaded innovative design solutions for complex projects that required out-of-the-box thinking and creative problem-solving skills.
- Mentored junior designers, fostering an environment of creativity, collaboration, and professional growth within the team.
- Helped create seasonal product lines to drive brand growth.
- Applied knowledge of structure to complete high quality designs.
- Organized samples, documents and supplies to facilitate smooth team operations.
- Managed multiple simultaneous projects effectively prioritizing tasks and meeting tight deadlines without sacrificing quality.
- Continuously refined personal design skills through professional development opportunities staying abreast of emerging trends, tools, and software in the industry.
- Optimized client communication by providing clear updates on project progress, addressing concerns promptly, and incorporating feedback effectively into the final designs.
- Assisted sales teams in crafting visually compelling pitch decks increasing win rates for new business opportunities.
- Completed hand sketches of potential designs using artistic skills and understanding of desired direction.
- Participated in brainstorming sessions for new product launches, contributing valuable insights from a designer perspective to inform marketing strategies.
- Used Adobe Creative Suite to edit images for use in marketing materials and website content.
Education
Bachelor of Science - Political Science And Sociology
Loyola University of Chicago
Chicago, IL05.1995
Skills
Customer service
Money handling
Team leadership
Decision-making
Problem-solving
Time management
Customer relations
Team motivation
Staff training and development
Staff supervision
Goal setting
Task delegation
Staff management
Workload management
Conflict resolution
Retail operations
Team building
Employee scheduling
Customer rapport
Recruiting and interviewing
Customer relationship management (CRM)
Sales growth
Policy enforcement
Staff training
Customer relationship management
Hiring and training
Multitasking
Active listening
Organizational skills
Multitasking Abilities
Problem resolution
Computer skills
Teamwork and collaboration
Reporting and documenting
Business development understanding
Team motivation techniques
Microsoft office expertise
Closing oversight
Orientating and training
Graphic and media design
Employee engagement
Rewards program oversight
Customer service and satisfaction
Vendor relationship management
Recruitment and hiring
Coaching and mentoring
Employee supervision
Workplace safety compliance
Multitasking and organization
Contract management
Meeting facilitation
Schedule oversight
Performance reviewing
Strategic thinking
Verbal and written communication
Financial reporting
Performance evaluation
Adobe creative suite (photoshop, illustrator, dreamweaver)
Scheduling and coordinating
Professional and courteous
Accomplishments
Being one of our top sales employees, with an extremely high customer satisfaction rate, Creating designs that I am extremely proud of! I graduated Summa cum laude at Loyola University of Chicago, In my current job Creating an Environment that helps other people thrive, I managed a team and right now and our customer service team has increased significantly.
Affiliations
Yorkville Chamber of Commerce,
Certification
Basset Trained, Sexual harassment Certificate, training certificate, Oursource certificate in customer service.
Timeline
Assistant Manager
Cownpoint Ammusement
2018 - Current
Manager
Donati’s Ristorante
2008 - 01.2012
Rogers Flooring
Sales and Customer Service
2004 - 2008
Associate Designer
DHR Horton
1996 - 2001
Bachelor of Science - Political Science And Sociology
Loyola University of Chicago