K KA AR RE EN N H HA AR RT TZ ZE EL LL L

khartzell6795@gmail.com www.linkedin.com/in/karenhartzell
CUSTOMER CARE / CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE EXECUTIVE
Turning around teams & improving business results with passion for the customer experience
Strategic Executive, assigned time-and-time-again to design and execute plans for call center startups,
consolidations, and large-scale transformations that turnaround the most underperforming areas.
People & Leader Developer who builds best-in-class, high-performing teams with a bench that produced 6
VPs in 5 years, and a process that raised morale and improved employee engagement 5 percentage points.
Consummate Goal Achiever, moving the number of agents hitting sales goals from 59% to 82%, increasing
customers saved 5%, and boosting lead generation of newly launched product 500% (20122013).
Drove $22M annualized new product revenue overachieving goal by 14%.
Enhanced customer service levels 23 points a 34% improvement.
Improved sales performance of care agents units sold 200% in 1 year.
Reduced absenteeism and FMLA/Disability claims 34% a $3M annual cost savings.
Developed/executed plan to build a centralized Business Service Care Center for 5 regions
with 300K business customers. Successful model was replicated across 2 other divisions.
Led geographically dispersed teams of in/outsourced agents (US, Mexico, Canada, Philippines).
Managed large budgets ($500M) and teams (12 direct/8000 indirect) in matrix organizations.
LEADERSHIP SKILLS & EXPERTISE
Strategy Development & Implementation | Operational Leadership | Turnarounds & Transformations
Developmental Leadership | Employee Engagement | Merger & Acquisition Integration
Financial Planning & Analytics | Metrics & Performance Measurements | Business Process Improvement
Organizational Effectiveness | Customer-Driven Cultures | Call Center Operations SME
SELECTED ACCOMPLISHMENTS
Change Leadership
Transformed the New England region into a division function, consisting of 5 distinct operating regions and a
core shared services team transitioning over 1500 employees into the newly established regional model.
In parallel, integrated 2 cable-system acquisitions to grow the customer base from 2M to 4M.
Strategy Development & Implementation
Led design of multi-faceted Care-Optimization Strategy to streamline/standardize operations; drive material
cost savings; and maintain operating performance of customer service leading initiatives that spanned
multiple organizations and touched 8000+ agents. Delivered $23.6M in annualized savings.
Turnaround Management
Led turnaround of top competitive market (Greater Boston), bringing Care team to best-in-class performance
(service, sales, customer experience) while simultaneously delivering multimillion-dollar cost reduction.
Team Leadership
Turned around organization of 1000 front-line employees, with pockets of highly unhappy members
seeking Union representation. In <12 months, raised morale levels enough to derail organizing efforts
all while reducing operating expenses and improving sales performance and customer satisfaction scores.
M&A Integration
Led 3 major integrations over 5 years, successfully combining teams and cultures, merging and updating
systems, and maintaining the customer base of acquired companies. Participated in numerous integrations
over 13 years career at Comcast.
Business Process Improvement
1) Led creation of Business Improvement Team and leveraged Six Sigma methodology (regional teams with
Green Belt leaders) to deliver $5M annualized savings. 2) Built a core BI Team to drive quick initiatives
around technology and business enhancements, delivering an annualized run rate of $11M in cost reductions.
KAREN HARTZELL PAGE 2 OF 3

CAREER HISTORY
COMCAST CABLE (formerly MediaOne/AT&T Broadband) 2000Present
VICE PRESIDENT, CUSTOMER CARE OPERATIONS ATLANTA, October 2013Present
Called on to guide the turnaround and transformation of Central Division into a centralized, best-in-class
operation analyzing the situation and recommending successful tactics used in previous turnarounds.
Developing plan to provide white-glove treatment to high-value bulk customers.
Charting course to reduce operating costs, raise service levels, and optimize use of team members.
REGIONAL VICE PRESIDENT, CUSTOMER CARE GREATER BOSTON, 20102013
Appointed to turnaround Greater Boston Care Organization providing strategic direction and developing a
highly engaged team of 1800+ across 5 in-house centers and 3 major outsourcers. Enabled quality training
and coaching, and promoted a customer-driven services culture to achieve employee/customer satisfaction.
Changed OpEx trajectory to drive operational efficiencies reducing YOY spending 12% ($10M) in first 6
months. Initiatives included call handling, part-time hiring, split-shift schedules, and outsource optimization.
Realized a 35-point (73%) improvement in customer phone service levels reduced overall call handling
11% (60 seconds) and improved agent adherence-to-schedule 34%.
Built Regional Retention Center recognized as the highest performing Retention team nationally.
o Selected a site leader, developed plan to transition from 4 centers to 1, hired and trained 100 new
agents, transitioned 70 team members, and empowered cross-functional team to lead the transition.
o Improved customer save rates 7%, increased revenue saved 4%, and increased number of agents
attempting to save customers from 85% to 96% in first 9 months.
Tapped by national team to pilot new technologies and be first-to-market on products and services, such
as Xfinity. Worked with field/engineering to resolve technical issues and pave the way for national rollout.
Drove front-line CS agents to achieve best-in-company results on the Voice of the Customer surveys.
DIVISIONAL VICE PRESIDENT, CUSTOMER CARE & BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT NORTH CENTRAL, 20062010
Became Division VP of flagship region after acquisition integrating acquired companies and transforming
region into a division function with 6 operating units, 6.5M customers, 8000 employees, and a $500M budget.
Additionally charged with creating and leading a Business Improvement team to substantially improve the
customer experience while driving down costs (an SVP-level initiative).
Transitioned 1500+ New England employees into a newly established divisional model designing and
establishing governance processes that ensured optimum performance in a new matrix organization.
Drove $24M in reduced operating expense by building the Business Improvement team, developing a
multi-faceted Care Optimization strategy, and instituting a disciplined approach to process improvement.
Expanded division office and closed 2 centers to accommodate a centralized business service center,
supporting 6% call growth and improving customer service levels 16% during consolidation.
Implemented division-wide shift select process for 8000+ agents to improve efficiencies $14M annually.
Established Six Sigma methodology to eliminate business defects, delivering annualized savings of $5M.
Reduced employee turnover 75% through innovative ideas that addressed cultures of each environment.
REGIONAL VICE PRESIDENT, CUSTOMER CARE NEW ENGLAND, 20012005
REGIONAL DIRECTOR, SALES & TECHNICAL SUPPORT NEW ENGLAND, 20002001
Recruited by former colleague for director position, quickly being promoted to VP of Customer Care. Led
1600 geographically dispersed employees in a 24x7 operation responding to 1.6M customers monthly.
Led 3-year turnaround that reduced operating expenses $17M (10% reduction), decreased customer
escalations 11%, and improved service levels by 30 percentage points.
o Implemented 7 billing system conversions effecting 1.8M customers.
o Redesigned IVR and call routing to streamline customer navigation and operating efficiency.
Implemented a revenue assurance program that yielded $2M annually.
KAREN HARTZELL PAGE 3 OF 3


CAREER HISTORY CONTINUED
REGIONAL DIRECTOR, SALES & TECHNICAL SUPPORT NEW ENGLAND, Continued
Transformed care agent role, creating a sales channel that averaged $5.7M incremental monthly revenue.
Aligned compensation with cost of sale, improving margins 25%, with no increased employee turnover.
Transitioned 200 technical support agents to corporate-managed outsource model, balancing business
continuity with placement of 94% of agents.
NEW ENGLAND BUSINESS SERVICE, INC. (NEBS) 19872000
Direct marketer and manufacturer of personalized products/services for small businesses in North America.
VICE PRESIDENT, CONTACT MANAGEMENT
DIRECTOR, TELESALES & SERVICE
DIRECTOR CUSTOMER SERVICE
MANAGER CUSTOMER SERVICE
SUPERVISOR, COLLECTIONS
Progressed through a series of increasingly responsible positions, eventually being appointed to VP position
by executive management using leadership, financial, and business skills to successfully manage areas
outside of expertise (such as advertising and direct marketing sciences). Managed a $50M budget a team
of 500 and $37M revenue.
EDUCATION & DEVELOPMENT
UNIVERSITY OF MASSACHUSETTS, AMHERST Bachelor of Science, cum laude
M.I.T. SLOAN SCHOOL OF MANAGEMENT Greater Boston Executive Program
WICT BETSY MAGNESS LEADERSHIP INSTITUTE Fellowship Program
SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS
Executive Customer Contact Exchange 2013 Panel Participant
(Driving Customer Loyalty & Business Growth through Highly Engaged and Motivated Employees)
Frost & Sullivan Customer Contact MindXchange, San Diego, 2010 Thought Leader
PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS & BOARD MEMBERSHIPS
Massachusetts 2-1-1, Board Member
National Association of Professional Women, Member
CTAM (Cable & Telecommunications Association for Marketing), Member
NECTA (New England Cable Telecommunications Association, Inc.), Member
WICT (Women in Cable Telecommunications), New England Chapter, Member