Description
Job Description
The primary responsibility of the Manager, Consumer Support is to provide leadership and direction to a team of Consumer Support agents whose primary responsibility is to assist customers with Private Seller ad placement.
In this role you will, among other duties: assist in monitoring the performance of the department; assist in initiating, monitoring and participating in innovative solutions to better serving our customers; assist in meeting all Consumer Support performance goals; participate in strategic planning efforts and create and maintain an environment conducive to the professional growth and development of your staff.
The person in this role is expected to exercise sound judgment within broadly defined practices and policies; regularly interact with all levels of management, staff, other organizations within the company, and customers (private sellers, consumers shopping for a car and new and used automobile dealers).
This position is responsible for the oversight of Consumer Support, and contributes to the management and strategic direction for Consumer Sales (approximately 50 full and/or part time employees).
Consumer Support-Support and aid consumers, via phone, online chat and e-mail, advertising their vehicle for sale on ATC. This position also manages the consumer support various other disposer services such as white glove selling services and Trade-in Marketplace (a consumer to dealer network) as well as test pilots of new products. You will help supervisors and agents deliver outstanding service while consulting with customers on the effective use of AutoTrader.com advertising products. Finally, you will ensure we deliver outstanding service in support of our consumers requests for help in using our website in general,
Consumer Sales-Provide assistance and support to a team of outbound telesales agents contacting both existing and potential customers to offer ATC products and services for sale or upgrades to higher priced products and services.
Responsibilities
Daily Communications: Build relationships with other organizations both internal and external, including
Internal: Customer Operations, Private Seller, Marketing, Product Management, and Dealer Sales
External: Call Center Advocacy and Trade Associations, Law Enforcement, Cox Corporate and other affiliated companies
Receive and respond to telephone and e-mail inquiries or escalated concerns regarding advertising products and/or services. Other interaction via telephone, fax, e-mail, and face-to-face may occur with consumers, private seller customers, other Customer Operations teams and other internal and external teams as applicable.
Management of Personnel: Responsible for overseeing the operations of the Consumer Support group(s). Includes hiring, recruiting, and retention; coaching your teams for continuous improvement of performance standards, quality measures and career growth; preparation and administration of quarterly and annual performance evaluations; monitoring daily activity reports; proactively identifying the development needs of team members and coaching them for success, mentoring and identification of training opportunities to improve their knowledge or skill sets. Responsibilities include performing quarterly and annual evaluations on individual performance.
Goal Setting: Direct the development and implementation of activities for personnel engaged in the department's daily operations to attain organizational goals consistent with quality and delivery requirements.
Drive Change: Continuously analyze and evaluate departmental productivity and identify opportunities for improvement of systems and processes.
Issue Resolution: Proactively work to identify and resolve issues; maintain a working knowledge of AutoTrader.com applications, products, customers, and reporting capabilities.
Problem Solving: Must have strong statistical and analytical ability to identify areas for improvement and recommend solutions across and up the management chain.
Workforce Management: Responsible for managing forecasting, scheduling and capacity planning for Customer Support Department as needed ensuring resources are optimized to meet workload requirements and employees are adhering to policies.
Employee and Customer Relations: Foster effective relationships with management, consumer and dealer customers, dealer and consumer sales and all employees. Communicate effectively and often to keep teams and other business partners informed of relevant news, changes in company policies, and goals. Must be able to build and maintain diverse teams.
Reporting: Utilize computerized systems to document section metrics and standards as directed. Notate accounts regarding issues, concerns and trends, other reporting as necessary. Includes producing, formatting and appropriate distribution of reports as necessary to management, and other internal and external departments not limited to the use of Outlook, Excel, Word and other programs and applications as required.
Processes & Procedures: Adapt to ongoing procedural changes and provide suggestions for improvements to current processes and procedures. Work with Management team to plan and execute departmental goals. Keep other internal departments informed and up-to-date when procedures and/or processes change. Keep team informed of updates and changes to company and departmental policies and procedures, and make sure they are implemented.
Ad hoc responsibilities: Demonstrate the flexibility necessary to adjust to changing duties and responsibilities as the department/company evolves. Additional responsibilities may be assigned in order to assist the department/company meet their objectives.
Qualifications
Minimum of four years of contact center, sales and service center or customer service management experience is required. Delivery of customer service in an online, or e-commerce environment preferred. Preference will be given to candidates with Internet-enabled sales and service experience.
Ability to work in a fast paced, deadline oriented, multi-task, team environment in which strong attention to detail is expected.
Superb communication, follow-up, facilitation and customer service skills.
Positive and professional image; highly motivated and team-focused with a proven track record of coaching and development for the purpose of building bench strength is required.
Demonstrated experience in organizing, prioritizing, and coordinating complex team efforts.
Demonstrated ability to multi-task successfully.
Track record for execution with the ability to develop creative ideas for solving issues.
Knowledge of, and experience with Internet delivery of products and services, with strong preference for those candidates with online advertising experience.
Knowledge of various computer applications including experience with Customer Relationship Management (CRM), contact center and business support applications such as MS Office (Word, Power Point, and Excel) required.
Knowledge of the automotive industry is helpful but not required.
Clear and effective written and verbal communication skills.
Hours are extended and varied must have an ability to accommodate a flexible schedule and work overtime as needed.
Bachelor Degree required (or equivalent experience)
Closing Statement
AutoTrader.com, created in 1997 and headquartered in Atlanta, Ga., is the Internet's leading auto classifieds marketplace and consumer information website. AutoTrader.com aggregates in a single location about 3.5 million new cars, used cars and certified pre-owned cars from 40,000 dealers and 250,000 private owners and the site attracts about 14 million unique monthly visitors. Through innovative merchandising functionality such as multiple photos, videos, detailed descriptions and comprehensive research and compare tools, AutoTrader.com unites new and used car buyers and sellers online to improving the way people research, locate and advertise vehicles. AutoTrader.com is a majority-owned subsidiary of Cox Enterprises. The venture capital firm Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers is also an investor. For more information, please visit www.autotrader.com.
