[January 29, 2011] Five Questions: Jon Lomax, U.S. Cellular call center director Tweet Jan 28, 2011 (Tulsa World - McClatchy-Tribune Information Services via COMTEX) -- Jon Lomax was recently promoted to be the director of U.S. Cellular's Tulsa Customer Care Center. He has been with U.S. Cellular for more than 10 years, beginning as a customer service supervisor in Knoxville, Tenn. Lomax, who has a bachelor's degree in management from Kaplan University, was previously the director of the Knoxville Customer Care Center. 1. What are your duties as the director of the Tulsa Customer Care Center? My responsibilities include managing the day-to-day operations of the center, which employs approximately 500 associates. Within the center, it's my job to ensure that our customer care associates provide an outstanding experience to every customer who calls and that they are successfully educating customers and potential customers about the unique benefits of being a U.S. Cellular customer. I'm excited to be back in Tulsa and lead these associates who share our companywide passion for delivering an exceptional customer experience that led to U.S. Cellular recently being ranked the country's best wireless carrier in a Consumer Reports survey based on consumer feedback. 2. How do you motivate employees to keep trying to improve? Associates at U.S. Cellular are passionate about serving customers. We all work together to deliver the ideal customer experience, so a big part of my role is empowering associates to do what's best for our customers and giving them the tools they need to do it. In my experience, a positive environment and happy associates are critical components to keeping customers happy. It all starts at the top. At U.S. Cellular, we believe leadership excellence creates passion in our associates, which yields customer advocacy. 3. How has the cell phone industry changed since you joined it a decade ago? When I joined U.S. Cellular in 2000, the most complex product was voice mail. Now, fast-forward 10 years, and the technology has changed dramatically. We now have an extensive line of cutting-edge devices, including Android-powered smart phones like the Samsung Mesmerize (a top-rated Galaxy S smartphone) HTC Desire and the Samsung Galaxy Tab. These devices are like mini-computers, giving our customers access to e-mail, social networking, entertainment and thousands of applications that make life easier. Phones used to be used primarily for staying in touch with friends and family, but today they're more than that. They're a part of who we are and an integral part of our day-to-day lives. 4. What do you see on the horizon for the cell phone industry in the next decade? Customers will continue to expect more from their carriers and, at U.S. Cellular, we believe they deserve it. With 93 percent of the total U.S. population having a cell phone, wireless consumers know they have options, and we believe the key is to continue to elevate the wireless experience. U.S. Cellular launched The Belief Project, a series of industry-first benefits that rewards customer loyalty. We offer benefits that no other carrier does, including "no contract after the first" phone replacement and a rewards program that customers can use for faster phone upgrades in as little as 10 months, new lines, free ringtones and accessories. These are just a few examples of ways U.S. Cellular is bringing innovation to the industry, but more importantly, innovation that benefits our customers. 5. You're a success story for anyone who has worked his way up the company ladder. What do you say to an employee who has just begun a job on one of the lower levels? I'd advise them to make sure you understand the organization's opportunities. You can do this by working closely with the leaders to determine what it takes to be successful in that particular organization and taking those opportunities when they arise. I'm fortunate to work for a company that believes in building great leaders. My final piece of advice would be to establish a mentorship with a trusted leader who can help you develop, and have a career advancement plan that makes the most of your skills and strengths to reach your objectives. To see more of the Tulsa World, or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to http://www.tulsaworld.com. Copyright (c) 2011, Tulsa World, Okla. Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services. For more information about the content services offered by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services (MCT), visit www.mctinfoservices.com. [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]