Agile Practices in Contact Centres

Information Technology’s Agile software development practices are being incorporated into many companies’ broader business models. The idea of focusing on the “Customer” is second nature in a Contact Centre – where the VoC is heard and resides in many organizations. But what does it mean to be “Agile” – there is definitely a what and a how.

Come join the LoyaltyOne team to discuss their journey to work differently by organizing by Value Stream, using Kanban to manage tasks, leverage data to optimize processes and all working with a Servant Leadership mindset.

Speakers

​Ron Houston, Associate Vice President, Channel Products, LoyaltyOne. Ron has a history of working in the marketing and advertising industry. Ron is skilled in Agile Transformation, IT Strategy, Loyalty Programs, Analytical Skills and Digital Applications. He has a demonstrated ability to lead large teams, multi-million dollar technical initiatives with a people first orientation. He is known for his ability to build strong relationships and partner with business stakeholders to help define the future looking technology platforms. Continuous learning is definitely a focus as he builds on his Computer Science degree from McMaster with courses in leadership development and other Agile Methodologies like SAFe, Scrum and Kanban.

Sharmane Good, Senior Vice-President, Member Experience, AIR MILES Reward Program, LoyaltyOne. As LoyaltyOne’s Senior Vice President, Member Experience, Sharmane is responsible for the strategic planning and service delivery for the AIR MILES Reward Program’s Member Experience team. A well respected leader, she is in charge of defining and implementing the core functions of a scalable and cost effective contact centre, while cultivating an agile and collaborative team environment across multiple teams including MX Rewards, MX Care and Business Transformation. Sharmane oversees approximately 400 MX multi-channel Support Associates, ensuring they are equipped and confident to provide impactful customer support to over 5,000 customer calls a day, representing close to 1.3 million voice contacts a year. At the same time, the MX Rewards team is responsible for delivering the relevant and valued selection of rewards that AIR MILES Collectors have come to expect from the program. This team is responsible for overseeing relationships with more than 350 rewards suppliers; from major airlines, hotel chains and other travel partners, to entertainment attractions, merchandise manufacturers and brand-name retailers.

Prior to joining LoyaltyOne, Sharmane held the position of Director of North America Operations at Percepta’s Toronto office, where she was responsible for contact management services within the automotive industry. Sharmane brings forward an extensive background in customer service, having worked in many verticals including insurance, telecom, cable and private label credit cards throughout her career.

Sharmane currently sits on the Canadian Marketing Association’s Customer Experience Council, a respected group of industry experts who work to educate, share and leverage compelling customer experience initiatives and best practices that drive business results