Steve Hicks, U.S. Army veteran, finds success as supervisor at Pearl
Steve Hicks knew his military background would be a helpful addition to his resume in his search for a job. When he came to Pearl he realized that his job as a supervisor/coach for a call center had a lot of similarities to his experience in the military.
As a supervisor, Hicks coaches young customer service representatives (CSRs) to prepare them for additional jobs. “One of the good things about Pearl is the opportunity to be promoted from within,” he said. “We do have a lot of talent coming in, and one of the jobs of a trainer/coach is to identify those who have the ability to take the next step into a leadership position in the company.”
Hicks is a military veteran from the U.S. Army, who initially started his military career as an Armor Officer. The army wanted him to go to flight school, and he stayed until he retired. After spending 23 years in Alaska, Hicks and his wife moved to the Winchester, Kentucky area to be closer to their grandchildren. He was attracted to Pearl because of its veteran hiring initiatives. He was hired in August, 2013, and enjoys his job.
Hicks believes there are many similarities between his job as a coach and his military experience. “The Army has a process called Total Quality Management (TQM),” he explained. “Everyone has to know their job; plus you have to know the job of the next person, in case they have to take over.
“That translates over here in our call center; especially with people who have never had experience working in a call center,” he continued. “For example, there are two weeks of training where CSRs learn the basics; then transition to where they listen to an experienced ‘pro.’ Finally they’re out on their own where they’re coached by that pro. Then they transition to the phones with customers. We strive and work to help them prepare for that next step.
“One of the great things about Pearl, is there is opportunity to be promoted from within,” Hicks said.
His favorite part of the job is working with his fellow supervisors and the CSRs he calls his “platoon.”
“This is a lot like the military – it’s a nice little family – it’s close-knit, and we try to take care of one another,” he explained. “The interpersonal interaction fits nicely…it’s one of the best jobs I’ve ever had.”