Jun. 1, 2021
By Ethan Colchamiro, Digital Content Specialist, Breakthru Beverage Group
Every organization has unsung heroes — the folks who keep the lights on and the trains arriving on time. You may not know their names or how much you rely on them, but you couldn’t get by without them. At Breakthru Beverage Group, some of those heroes are the associates that make up the Customer Care team.
The Customer Care team is tasked with managing and processing orders for businesses throughout the entire Breakthru Beverage footprint. They respond to customer queries with timely, courteous, and accurate communication through phone, email, and now, interactive chat applications.
“The Customer Care and Inside Sales teams are the front line to our customers,” said Leverne Laws, Senior Director, Customer Care & Inside Sales, Breakthru Beverage Group. “Often, they represent the first impression of BBG.”
In 2020, the associates on these teams handled hundreds of thousands of calls and transactions. They processed millions of dollars of orders while achieving a 99.8% accuracy rate, demonstrating the associates’ commitment to a positive customer experience.
One of the associates who demonstrated this successful approach is Treasure Jefferson, a Senior Customer Service Representative.
“Normally as a consumer, you see an item in a store and never really know where it comes from or how it got to be in the store,” Jefferson told us. “I now know firsthand what it takes for our customers to be able to put a bottle on the shelf. I take pride in being part of the Breakthru team and being part of that journey.”
Learning all of the ways Jefferson helps support our customers was a real treat for us, and we’re excited to share her story.
Tell us about your current role and responsibilities on the Customer Care team.
Treasure Jefferson: As a Senior Customer Service Representative, my primary task is to assist our accounts with placing orders while also providing support in the phone queue and online chat queue.
How has your career evolved during your time at Breakthru?
I started at Breakthru a year and a half ago as a Customer Care Representative. During that time, I was able to develop into a Senior Customer Service Representative by learning more about the day-to-day operations of supporting our customers in the digital space. As we’re rolling out BREAKTHRU NOW, our new eCommerce solution, I’ve been facilitating the customer care chat and guiding our customers through the platform when they need assistance.
There is no such thing as a typical day! I am often doing a couple different things at once. Every day is an adventure!
- Treasure Jefferson
Describe a typical day for you in the Customer Care Team.
There is no such thing as a typical day! I am often doing a couple different things at once. Sometimes I could be helping a customer on the phone tracking the delivery truck that has their order while also placing airline orders. Another time I might be assisting in the online support chat queue while also processing orders from emails in the Customer Care orders queue. Every day is an adventure!
What are some of your biggest challenges in your role?
One of the biggest challenges is time management, like learning when to take a break or sometimes even taking your time with some tasks. This is a fast-paced environment, and I love the momentum but sometimes errors are made when things are rushed.
In your time on Breakthru’s Customer Care team, is there an achievement you’re most proud of? How did you accomplish it?
I am most proud of overcoming all obstacles during my transition into my new role as a Senior Customer Care Rep. During this pandemic we have seen people go through a lot of adversity. I myself went through a season of self-doubt. I had to learn new procedures for a multitude of different accounts. Some account’s needs would consist of pallet deliveries and different input options and routes. With the help of both my managers, Shannon and Kelly, everything just clicked. They really helped me reassure myself that I could learn these new procedures and be able to help someone in the future who would like to join our senior team as well.
What are some of your favorite parts of your role?
Our department blitzes! This is when we compete against each other to make new placements on items that we are recommending to our customers. The top two representatives that have the most placements receive prizes. It’s a great way to break the ice if you are new to the team and it is a way to spice up the workday.
Where would you like your career path at Breakthru to progress from here?
In the long term, I hope to work as a Customer Service Supervisor. My current role is preparing me to take on leadership responsibilities, so I will be looking forward to taking on that role if the opportunity is available.
What is something about your role that you’d want our readers to know?
Honestly, the thing about being a part of Customer Care is we are jacks of all trades. We are the liaisons to the sales department, the credit department, the warehouse, and our customers. You name it, we do it.