Customer Service

SIGNATURE ASSIGNMENT: Informational Interview
Introduction to Management

Interviewee First and Last Name
Interviewee Job Title or Team Leadership Role- Customer Service Supervisor
Interviewee’s Employer or Business (if owner)- Movement Mortgage
Interview Date- April 7, 2024
Interview Time- 4:00pm
Interview Modality (i.e., phone, in person, WebEx, email, etc.)- Phone/Video Chat

Interview Questions

1. Please describe the navigation of your career path that led to your current management or team leadership role.
   I had moved to a new city and was looking for a “new beginning” of sorts as I wasnt 100% happy in the current role I had. I was told about mortgage servicing and I knew that with my background in hospitality that I would be able to learn and adapt to that field rather quickly. Once I started I knew it was a career I could see longevity in and slowly made it my goal to learn at least one new thing about my field a day. That mindset opened the door to other departments and ultimately to leading the department.
2. What are the qualifications (e.g., education, certification, special skills, training, and experience) necessary to perform in your current management or team leadership role and how do you keep your skills current?
   I have to stay abreast of ever changing regulations at the federal, state and investor levels. We are constantly updating policies and procedures to ensure proper handling but also to keep the “customer first” mentality intact. As for education for this role, I was fortunate enough to be able to learn my skills within the lower job titles I held and work my way up. I wouldn’t say that a degree is a must for this position but it can’t hurt to have the extra skills.
3. Briefly share three or four main strengths regarding your hard/soft skills or experience that will allow me to gain a healthy perspective of what makes you successful in your management or team leadership role.
   I am a big supporter of self empowerment. We employ adults and as such I am here to provide you with the appropriate training and then be the resource that you may need to handle your day to day. My motto is to have you prepared so that the only thing I need to truly focus on for you is growth and upward mobility on the career path that you choose. Another area I really push is in transparency with my team, I want everyone to know that I am the leader that wants to see you succeed, and at times that means I may need to know you outside of the standard workplace too. I provide an open and honest lane of communication so that I can be equipped with the knowledge to best support you. In the spirit of self empowerment and transparency I like to focus on the “sandwich method” as a soft skill for this. I am going to bring 2 positives for every negative. Starting with something you are championing, then covering an area of opportunity and wrapping up with another item you are doing well. I find this allows me to build up my agents while also setting clear goals for the future.
4. How do you incorporate the four functions of management—planning, leading, organizing, and controlling—into your work routine and which of these functions do you tend to practice or focus on the most?
   Planning: I have to monitor the volume on a month, weekly and daily basis to properly staff. Our team has to prepare for large changes such as service transfers or minor changes such as a policy shift.
   Leading: I choose to lead with example method, so when we have a change coming through I will hold a class that walks everyone through the expectations and goals in a way that allows them to see it in real time.
   Organizing: I started this department from the ground up, with that came the task of building and organizing our resources in a way that would lead my team to thrive
   Controlling: Control is used as a tool, I control things such as the training and procedures we put into place. I control the projected staffing needs and policies implementation and maintenance. Out of these items my focus tends to lie in the leading area. I cannot expect a team to want to follow me if they cannot see me leading effectively, and ultimately I cannot plan, organize or control if I am failing to lead.
5. Please describe a typical workday or work week and the decisions you must make on a frequent basis regarding management or team leadership issues.
   A typical day in my role consists of forecasting the call volumes, plotting schedules, meeting with vendors both internally and externally, and managing borrower complaints/issues.
6. What do you enjoy the most and what do you enjoy the least about your management or team leadership role and why?
   I genuinely enjoy helping my team grow and blossom into their roles. This helps me set them up for future growth opportunities without the company. I detest having to micro-manage, as I previously stated….we employ adults. As such I expect that we follow the basic rules. Show up on time, follow your schedule, and be professional. If I am placed in a position to have to correct you on things that are rudimentary I am not thrilled.
7. What are your upward mobility aspirations with regard to a promotion, greater responsibility, or a possible career change?
   At this junction in my life/career I am happy where I am. I recently had a baby and the role I am in allows me the freedom to work from home and be a fully present parent to her. However, if I was looking for an opportunity this company would definitely provide it. I am part of the team who built this group and as such I am able to look for mobility within the company because our team has done what no other has been able to achieve. If I was interested in leaving my resume would boast my ability to take on a role like VP or AVP.
8. With a focus on strengthening cohesion within the teams that you lead, what do you look for (in terms of criteria) when assigning or selecting new team members?
   I am looking for someone with an inviting presence and a personable attitude.
9. To what extent is compensation based upon individual accomplishment and to what extent is it based upon achieving team or department goals?
   Our compensation is hourly plus a bonus. That bonus is based on individual accomplishments such as getting someone to sign up for a refinance or optional products, but it is also based on group goals of customer satisfaction.
10. How are the team members or employees in your group evaluated and what reward criteria is offered to motivate them beyond just compensation?
    Team members receive weekly coaching sessions as well as semi-annual reviews. There is not much in the area of “reward” outside of compensation.
11. With regard to conflict resolution, please discuss an example of conflict that occurred within your team or department and describe how you effectively resolved this conflict.
    When making a major change to have some loans serviced by another company we had to meet and breakdown the functionality of this decision and help our team understand the positivity outlined in the change. The team was uneasy about the decision and was worried this meant a “culling” was on the horizon. Our ability to move swiftly in disseminating information to the team as a whole helped in the correction of misinformation.