SERVING CUSTOMERS BEHIND THE SCENES
Customer Service Team Nearing 30 Years Of Support
Every great team has people behind the scenes who support the front lines. For nearly 30 years, our Customer Service team has done exactly that. What started out of necessity in 1995 has turned into an integral part of Averitt, with more than 180 total associates supporting our customers and
Director of Customer Service ELAINE GROSSHOLZ , who began her Averitt career in 1989 part time at our Nashville facility, has helped develop her team into a group that now features 180-plus associates.
other roles at our Corporate campus and in the field. For example, one of our newest Service Center Directors – BRANDON FOX – began his Averitt career 22 years ago as a part-time customer service associate. And in 2024 alone, five associates have transferred to other Corporate departments or to the field. Elaine herself knows a thing or two about career growth. She started part time at our Nashville service center in 1989 and went full time in 1990, handling payroll, purchasing and cargo claims, as well as the switchboard and customer service. Elaine moved back to Cookeville in 1991 and has steadily grown in her career to where she is today. “It was just a great experience,” she says of what she learned in the field. “Looking back on my time, it was just a couple of years that I spent in Nashville, but I got to learn so much, getting to see the operations and learn that firsthand. I think that definitely helped me over the years.” STRONG LEADERSHIP Our Customer Service team also features a strong group of 13 leaders, including nine who have 20-plus years of experience: CYNTHIA TAYLOR (29 years), KERI SMITH (27), JANICE FLOYD (26), MARCIE COUNTS (25), NICHOLE NORRIS (25), JESSICA BROCK (24), TIFFANY ANDERSON (21), MARC ROBINSON (21) and BECKY KING (20). “Out of that 13, nine of them have been in customer service for their entire careers,” Elaine says. “And the other four started in customer service, spent some time with other departments and came back to customer service. Their examples and the way they lead their teams make a difference. They show the value of our Winner’s Circle – Our Customers, Our Associates and Our Future. That’s what it’s all about.” We’re proud to have a strong backbone of customer service, and we’re thankful for the care these associates show each day as they help us move more freight In And Out Of The South. Because of their efforts, we’ve got an even brighter future ahead! T m 9 30 180+ 180+ Total customer service associates Years our customer service team has been in existence CUSTOMER SERVICE BY THE NUMBERS Customer service leaders with 20+ years of experience
associates in the field. A CENTRAL IDEA
The idea of creating a centralized Customer Service team came from the field. In the early 1990s, individual facilities handled customer service calls, while our Corporate team had a few associates who helped out. As our customer base grew, it became clear that we needed to have a dedicated group of customer service associates. So in 1995, that became a reality. “We started out with 1-800-AVERITT,” recalls ELAINE GROSSHOLZ , our Director of Customer Service. “That was the core – pickup, rate quotes, customer service. We quickly realized that not every customer fits into calling an 800 number. So we looked at what the customers’ needs were going to be. “There was voice recognition when they called into the local service centers,” Elaine adds. “As we developed, we did things like geographical routing within our call center. So when the call comes in, we look at the area code and prefix that a caller is calling from, and we route that to a group of people. Customers can talk to one to 10 people so they have that local customer service feel.” From there, we continued to branch out with creative and innovative solutions. Today, our Customer Service offerings run the gamut, featuring: • Core services like pickup and rate quotes • Truckload customer service • Truckload and LTL appointments • In-transit payments • Account-specific teams for larger accounts • A help desk that pairs customers with a leader or transportation specialist to resolve opportunities • Email, chat, and after-hours customer service • An inside sales team who contacts customers over the phone to offer services “We’ve done a lot of good things to customize everything we do,” Elaine says. “That helps it be a great experience for customers when they call in.” OPPORTUNITIES TO GROW One unique aspect of our Customer Service team is the in-depth training that associates receive. “The training gives associates the opportunity to learn about Averitt, all the services we offer, how the company operates and what our customers’ expectations are,” Elaine explains. “All of our associates go through eight weeks of training. It's classroom training. There are quizzes and final exams at the end of the training. It's pretty intense.” And because of their knowledge, many associates are able to transfer to
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