AllClear ID - Front-Line Customer Service Professional of the Year

Company: AllClear ID, Austin, TX
Company Description: AllClear ID is a completely different kind of identity theft protection company – a group of experienced, high tech, security professionals committed to looking at everything from a consumer perspective. We’re not afraid to challenge the status quo or try new ideas.
Nomination Category: Customer Service & Call Center Awards Individual Categories
Nomination Sub Category: Front-Line Customer Service Professional of the Year - Financial Services Industries

Nomination Title: Samantha Ayala, Fraud Investigator

Tell the story about what this nominee achieved since the beginning of July 2017 (up to 650 words). Focus on specific accomplishments, and relate these accomplishments to past performance or industry norms. Be sure to mention obstacles overcome, innovations or discoveries made, and outcomes:

Samantha Ayala is a keen dancer and karaoke performer who joined the AllClear ID Customer Support Team in 2016. Since then, Samantha has served as a customer support agent, a fraud investigator, and a training aid. Samantha works tirelessly to assist customers and skillfully address their concerns.

When a customer’s personal information has been involved in a data breach, they are often coping with feelings of fear, frustration, and helplessness. Our customers are struggling with these feelings when they speak to Samantha Ayala the first time. Samantha excels at resolving the fraud these customers are dealing with, but more importantly, she actively listens to the customers and puts them at ease while guiding them through the investigation process. She is consistently AllClear ID’s top performer with QA and CSAT scores above 98%.

Samantha strives to always uphold the AllClear ID core value of “Customer Service above and beyond the expected.” When Hurricane Harvey devastated our neighbors in south Texas, Samantha took it upon herself to work around the clock to assist our clientele. Many calls to creditors take 30 minutes to resolve fraud, but in these extreme circumstances Samantha traced creditors for a client for over 4 hours. Samantha was able to resolve the fraud for this customer and allowed them to continue rebuilding their life without the fear of additional expenses during their time of need.

Samantha works tirelessly to constantly improve and update AllClear ID fraud resolution resources. Resolving fraud in many cases means following intricate processes while dealing with various financial, law enforcement, and regulatory agencies. She has not only perfected the art of handling common types of fraud that customers frequently experience, but she has taken it upon herself to document best practices when confronted with more complex scenarios. These best practices have been shared with the entire investigations team and have formed the framework for a majority of AllClear ID’s current training. Samantha is currently passing on this knowledge to our training team and developing best practices for the entire organization. Samantha exemplifies everything that AllClear ID looks for in a team player. She is eager to help her peers, proactively makes suggestions about improvements, and enjoys opportunities to help customers. She is the epitome of what AllClear ID searches for in a fraud investigator.

Customers had the following to say about Samantha:

“I had the pleasure of working with Samantha whom was very pleasant, very knowledgeable and concerned with my situation. She was very patient an understanding while helping me to get through the process which was very stressful on my part.”

“Samantha was professional yet friendly and so very helpful in assisting me today. Samantha modeled how it should be when a customer calls in.”

“Samantha was absolutely wonderful to talk to. I wish all agents were as direct, courteous, and knowledgeable as she was. Also, almost as important, her dictation was unbelievably clear and concise. Wish I get her on any and all calls I make.”