Contact Center Celebrates Serving the Best Customers in the World

Andrea Fites

National Customer Service Week, Oct. 1-5

“I just love helping people!”

That’s how Andrea Fites sums up her enthusiasm for helping Exchange shoppers as a customer contact center agent. The sentiment is shared by her colleagues who work at the 24/7 center, answering calls from service members, retirees and their families about online orders, MILITARY STAR_® and more.

Let’s celebrate!

From Oct. 1 through 5, Fites and all associates in the Contact Center will celebrate National Customer Service Week. It’s a week to recognize the demanding—and sometimes thankless—work many in customer service do, but Exchange Contact Center associates see it a different way.

“I truly love it. It’s an experience,” agent Vickie Scott-Cowart said.

Vickie Scott-Cowart

Two of her uncles served in the U.S. Army, and she cherishes the opportunity to help the military community.

“I’m really amazed by our customers,” Scott-Cowart said. “I sometimes hear their stories while I’m on the phone with them and realize how blessed I am because of them. That’s why I love my job so much.”

Doing so much behind the scenes

As much as associates appreciate their customers, the Exchange wants Contact Center associates to know they are appreciated, too. Each day of Customer Service Week will feature a fun dress-up theme, free food, activities, games and giveaways.

“Contact Center associates do so much behind the scenes—helping callers place orders, track orders, make payments—to ensure our shoppers are satisfied,” said Customer Contact Center Manager Corliss Boettcher. “We want to take this special week to celebrate the work they do in living out the Family Serving Family values.”

Kevin Fredrick

Making cure customers are satisfied

Many Contact Center associates are from military families or are Veterans themselves and know how important the Exchange is to Soldiers and Airmen living far from home, as well as their families and retirees. They see their work as a privilege.

Kevin Fredrick, a customer contact team manager, served 20 years in the Air Force and now continues to serve military members through the Exchange.

“Taking care of my customers is the best thing about my job,” Fredrick said. “As a Veteran myself, I love taking care of Veterans, taking care of all of our customers, and making sure they’re satisfied.”

Serving the military is the best

Virginia Garza, who served in the Marine Corps Reserves, agrees that serving the military is her favorite part of the job.

“I love how military-oriented the Exchange is, not just in serving our military, but they recognize the Veterans who work here, too,” she said. “It’s nice to be recognized.”

Virginia Garza

The Contact Center will also celebrate Customer Service Week by hosting its Third Annual Associates Growth and Wellness Fair on Oct. 4. The fair, open to all associates, will take place from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on the lawn by the vendor entrance and will feature booths from Human Resources, Loss Prevention, Exchange Credit Program and Finance and Accounting.

The booths will provide associates information on career opportunities, benefits, health, personal finance and more.