 Director"Training is one of the main reasons that I have been able to grow with the company and get where I am today. The fact that I had the opportunity to move around to different areas and learn different aspects of this business has helped me expand my knowledge and grow as a professional. What separates Macy's, Inc. from other companies are the opportunities to advance."
 | Why did you join Macy's Credit and Customer Services and why have you stayed? |  |
I joined Macy's Credit and Customer Services for the first time out of high school. I left for four years while I was attending college and then returned while I was in graduate school. The reason that I came back and stayed is the flexible schedule. During graduate school, the company worked with me in providing hours that fit with my class schedule. I also love the people I work with, the culture and the diverse environment here at Macy's Credit and Customer Services.
| What do you enjoy most about what you do and what are your overall job responsibilities? | |
I oversee a staff of 150 people. There are six managers that report to me and each manager has two or three supervisors under them overseeing a team of about ten to twelve people each. A lot of the high-level customer service reporting goes through me. I ensure that service levels are being met. We take inbound calls from customers and ensuring their satisfaction is our priority. The people I work with are what I enjoy most. You can manage a project and work with numbers all day, but the people aspect is what differentiates this job from others. Another aspect that I enjoy is the community involvement that we have here at Macy's Credit and Customer Services. I can be the boss but I can also be a friend to my employees working hand-in-hand with them on a Partners in Time project.
| What contribution do you make to your division and how does this contribute to the company's overall success? | |
One of the things that I contribute is my knowledge of the industry. I've acquired quite a lot of experience during my time at Macy's Credit and Customer Services. Before ending up as a director, I had the opportunity to move around between departments. I think this definitely contributes to the overall success of the company. My knowledge of other areas within the company has helped me improve and expand on what we do here. I have the freedom to evaluate processes and adjust them as I see fit. Macy's Credit and Customer Services believes that just because things are done a certain way doesn't mean they have to be that way forever. I am always looking for ways to change what we do in order to provide the best customer service.
| What has been your most memorable moment since joining the company? | |
The skits that we do here to raise awareness for United Way campaigns are always memorable. We put on little skits in our building to raise money for United Way. It's a fun way for the associates to come down and get a laugh out of their managers and contribute to the community by donating money. I've played a number of roles including a clown, Madonna, Little Orphan Annie and many others. I never would have imagined doing these things before I got to Macy's Credit and Customer Services.
| How has the training you've received since joining the company benefited you? | |
Training is one of the main reasons that I have been able to grow with the company and get where I am today. The fact that I had the opportunity to move around to different areas and learn different aspects of this business has helped me expand my knowledge and grow as a professional. What separates Macy's Credit and Customer Services from other companies are the opportunities to advance. Most of the managers that we have here today have been promoted from within the organization. I started as a phone rep and worked my way up to the director level because of the training opportunities.
| Is community involvement important to you, have you been involved in any projects in your division and was this something you considered when joining the company? | |
Yes, community involvement is important. I have been involved in a number of projects here besides United Way. For Bag Hunger, we run a food drive and have fun with it by decorating the building and having parades where we dress up like food items. I also participate in the March of Dimes collecting money and participating in the walk. Other things that we do include the holiday food drive and Adopt a Family. To see the smiles on the people's faces that we help is priceless.
| What do you like best about your work environment? | |
The first thing that I enjoy is the casual atmosphere. It's business casual here at Macy's Credit and Customer Services which makes for a very comfortable work environment. I also enjoy the people that I work with and the flexible schedule. We offer full-time and part-time positions with a variety of shifts available. We will make accommodations with employees that have special needs for hours. If an associate needs to go to school or has a child, we will bend over backwards for the employee to work off hours so they can do what they need to do.
| What personal interests/hobbies do you have and how do you balance them with your work? | |
I enjoy traveling, cooking and scrapbooking. I have a very large family in the area and they are very important to me. My philosophy is to give Macy's Credit and Customer Services 100 percent Monday through Friday and then dedicate myself to my family when I am at home. I think that Macy's Credit and Customer Services definitely supports a balanced work and home life. We do work weekends every once in a great while but the company makes sure that you know far in advance. This is especially important for those people who have kids. Even in this management position, I know of very few occasions where I've had to drop something at home to come in. Macy's Credit and Customer Services knows the importance of time away from work.
| What advice would you give to a new employee joining the company in a position similar yours? What helped you establish yourself and move ahead with your career goals? | |
First and foremost, be open-minded. Ask a lot of questions. There are no stupid questions. Be sure to get involved early on. Macy's Credit and Customer Services offers a number of opportunities to get involved in cultural and diversity projects as well as community involvement events. My work ethic and willingness to learn has really helped me in my career. I learn something new every day. I've been here almost ten years now and even now I still am learning things. As long as you're open minded, you will go far in this company. Advancing does take effort on your part. You have to initiate new responsibilities and be a leader.
| What do you see in the future for Macy's, Inc. and specifically for Macy's Credit and Customer Services? | |
For Macy's Credit and Customer Services I see a stronger commitment to customer satisfaction and the overall customer experience. We are focused on increasing awareness of the customer especially in taking care of the customer in one call. We try to avoid the repeat call and having the customer go through three or four people to get the answers they need. I see some great things for Macy's, Inc. in the future as well, especially in our efforts to improve the shopping experience. I see a lot of changes taking place at the store level.
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