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Delta Vacations - Front-Line Customer Service Professional of the Year

 

Gold Stevie Award Winner 2019, Click to Enter The 2020 Stevie® Awards for Sales & Customer Service

Company: Delta Vacations, Minot, ND
Company Description: Delta Vacations is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Delta Air Lines and one of the largest providers of vacation packages in the United States. Delta Vacations has been in the vacation business for more than 45 years and offers travelers convenient, one-stop shopping for custom-designed vacation packages to more than 300 of the world’s top leisure destinations.
Nomination Category: Customer Service & Call Center Awards Individual Categories
Nomination Sub Category: Front-Line Customer Service Professional of the Year - Other Service Industries

Nomination Title: Rocky Hubrig: A lifeline in the middle of the night

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: REDACTED FOR PUBLICATION

Departing for vacation brings thoughts of excitement and relaxation. Sometimes, though, the dream vacation does not go as planned. When those unexpected times happen and you’re far from home, Delta Vacations has a lifeline available, even in the middle of the night.

Rocky Hubrig is that lifeline. For the past 18 years, he has served as our primary overnight support representative, answering emergency customer calls as they come into our 24/7 Destination Help Center (DHC) line. Rocky has seen a lot, providing countless creative solutions that have turned potential vacation nightmares into unforgettable recovery experiences.

We are the Difference

In 2017, Delta Vacations Customer Engagement Center (CEC) took on the challenge of expanding our hours of service to 24/7. In doing so, we had to come up with a plan to support not only the increase of customer calls, but also to help guide the additional overnight staff. Rocky was the obvious choice to help make that happen.

Rocky was selected as the Overnight Support Lead, working with a new overnight team. Not only are they responsible for being a customers’ lifeline when something happens in-destination, they are also accountable for making new sales, servicing existing bookings and handling all types of escalations and exception requests.

Rocky has relied on his years of experience working overnight to help them acclimate to the unique schedule they work. He’s also mentored them to apply the skills learned during training as well as instilling in them his own sense of personal accountability, which is demonstrated in Rocky working 99.8% of his scheduled hours in the last 12 months. This personal accountability also extends to our customers, with Rocky focused on ensuring they remain safe, able to continue their vacation, and arrive back home wanting to do business with us again.

Under Rocky’s guidance, this small but mighty team answered calls during their first year with tremendous success:

  • YOY revenue increase of 108%
  • Close rate improvement of 9.2% in the first three quarters of 2018
  • 13% increase in revenue per booking

Although he’s not a supervisor, Rocky and his approach to customer service have been a key part of the success of our 24/7 expansion. The team looks up to him for his experience, knowledge, and leadership. He goes above and beyond in his role, frequently sending peer-to-peer compliments to his teammates thanking them for their hard work. His work ethic and commitment to the success of the company are also demonstrated in his willingness to come in on his days off to help as needed.

Customer Experience is Paramount

Rocky’s approach to customer service is simple. He says, “My most important goal is to get our customer on the plane”.This doesn’t mean finding an airplane seat where one can’t be found. Instead, it’s about analyzing the challenge, capturing the customer’s needs and wants, and figuring out the best and most efficient way to save the vacation. Rocky further explains, “I think it’s important to focus, ignore any attempt to look for blame, and find a solution.”

This focus carries over into Rocky’s personal life. An avid golfer, Rocky has played on courses all over the world. He’s also dedicated hours of time and effort to the Junior Golf League, supporting others who share his love of golf and want to learn the game. Rocky’s commitment to helping others runs deep. At one time, he was part of the emergency dive and rescue team for local law enforcement.

Rocky has his colleagues and customer’s backs no matter the situation. He leads the overnight time by example and we are so proud to have him as the lifeline for our customers. We are honored to nominate him for Front-Line Customer Service Professional of the Year.