Raj Balakrishnan

• Managed strategic vendor relationships and negotiations for Coinbase’s global operations, overseeing BPO partnerships across multiple countries to deliver efficient customer experience and compliance services while maintaining strict Infosec standards.
• Improved resolution rate by 1000 bps in 2024 by refining training delivery, and enhancing operations and performance management.
• Boosted First Call Resolution by 600 bps in 2024 through process capability assessment and gap closure.
• Reduced Machine Serve Leakage by 100 bps by establishing a leakage capture process and collaborating with engineering.
• Elevated agent quality by reengineering hiring criteria and enforcing selection/certification toll gates.

• Directed vendor management for portfolios worth up to $150M, overseeing 30,000 FTEs across CX & marketing.
• $2.5 million was saved by re-designing the salary structure in compliance with Indian labour law and implementing it across India. This further led to an improvement in Marketing Cost Per Lead by 30%.

• Directed CX and vendor management for portfolios worth up to $100M, overseeing 27,000 FTEs across retail, fintech, travel, buyer assistance, premium products, healthcare and wholesale customer care.
• Scaled India’s largest e-commerce CX from 17,000 FTEs (2020) to 27,000 (2021) for “Big Billion Days,” achieving 100% SLA compliance via strategic vendor onboarding and hiring.
• Boosted CSAT by 2100 bps at Dell CX, 1800 bps at FK Travel CX, and 1200 bps at FK Fintech CX through process reengineering and automation, reducing contact rates by 50%.
• Designed a 1:1 Relationship Management framework for 1M+ top customers, increasing CX coverage by 17% and achieving a 500 bps CSAT lift via vernacular support.
• Managed end-to-end vendor relationships from RFP to MSA, ensuring rigorous MSA/Infosec compliance.
• Introduced skill-based routing to move from generalization to specialization, ensuring faster onboarding of agents and improved customer experience and resolution rates.

• Creating sales plan for business unit growth in alignment with corporate targets
• Understand industry trends to anticipate potential opportunities for revenue growth for the business unit
• Analytical preparation of potential growth opportunities within and outside current business. Developing and
  executing and business development opportunities.
• Value based capability demonstration to clients for creating proactive sales pipelines
• Creating business unit revenue projections and P&L – a 3yr outlook
• Initiated and implemented business transformation projects which led to cost savings worth $3.5 million for client.
  Project specifics are as mentioned below:
• Standardization of upstream and downstream processes through Value Stream Mapping and re-engineering of process
• Reduction of unwanted hold leading to faster movement of accounts to foreclosure
  ▪ Macro based decision-making tool to reduce errors and improve efficiency
  ▪ Introduction of automation for case notes notation and document merging, follow-up accounts, macro-
  based account flagging leading to work efficiency and accuracy
  ▪ Re-engineering of reports to ensure elimination of data redundancy and continuity of qualitative reports
  with version control
  ▪ Knowledge management process to ensure updates are shared on a timely basis and close looping process
  to check understanding
  ▪ Define SLA based escalation matrix for faster issue resolution

Operations Management
• Handling P&L worth $14mn for Default Management Services
Client Management
• Manage multiple clients across LOBs to ensure high level of client satisfaction
• Regular client engagement through email communication, weekly calls, monthly business presentations, and site visits as required
• Ensure quick turnaround times to resolve issues
• Managing escalation matrix for critical legal issues
• Identify potential business opportunities based on changing market dynamics
Financial Management
• Revenue per seat
• Margin Optimization
• Month-end invoicing support
• Accounting - Billing and Receivables
• Budgeting and Cost controls
• Account compliance to critical functions as per SOX norms
People Management
• Operations resource optimization based on fluctuating volume trends
• Aligning talent to task through competency mapping
• Identifying and mentoring resources for succession planning
Process Engineering
• Conceptualizing, developing, and executing business improvement strategies
• Integrating automation into day-to-day operations resulting in work optimization
Lines of Business
• Foreclosure
• Bankruptcy
• Eviction
• Posting and Publication
Highlights
• Managed two sites (Bangalore and Goa) with a total of 450+ team members, consisting of 3 Managers, 5 Asst. Managers, and 20 Team leads
• Singlehandedly started and set up Goa operations (end to end)
• Seamlessly transitioned business from existing and new clients to the new site
• Scaled up business from 25 members to 200+ in 5 months without impacting quality metrics
• Improved quality and efficiency by introducing automation in manual processes which led to:
• 100% improvement in accuracy of the document
• Reduced time taken to create document by 80% and therefore the manpower required

Program Manager
Business Operations Programs, (EMEA, US & Canada), Bangalore Jan.’08 – Jun.’10
(Reporting into Global Project Lead)
• Profit optimization through process improvements leading to $6 million in savings
• Projects implemented across multiple regions (EMEA, US, and APJ) and departments
• Led projects in areas such as Care & Tech Support Operations, Fraud Dept., Logistics, Electronics & Accessories segment, Offline and Online Transactions
List of Projects Managed
• Tech Support Standardization (Tech Support)
• Reduction of Margin Loss while ordering parts for customers (Tech Support)
• Reduction of Margin loss while upselling (Tech Support)
• Reduction of Margin Loss in upselling Electronics & Accessories (Tech Support)
• Reduction of Merchandise Returns in Logistics (Consumer Segment Global)
• Reduction of Unauthorized Returns in Logistics (Consumer Segment Global)
• Reduction of Fraud Cancellation (Consumer Segment Global)
• Canada Care Workstreaming (Customer Care)
• US Care Workstreaming (Customer Care)
Process Lead
Process Engineering (US), Bangalore Oct.’06 – Dec.’07
(Reporting into Care Process Engineering Lead, Bangalore)
• Leading, guiding and collaborating with the Operations team, to ensure the SOPs are developed and implemented, to deliver performance excellence
• Leading C-SAT initiatives on the Operations Floor
• Responsible for driving down the ageing of unresolved open cases
• Conceptualized, designed, and implemented a centralized team for better resolution and escalation management
• Measuring the “Training Effectiveness” and advising the training department on designing, developing and implementing training modules leading to improved process knowledge of the “Resolution Experts” while they are in training

Account Management for JPMorgan EFS
Managed independently, the JPMorgan EFS account, a financial program comprising both voice and non-voice queues. The span of control encompassed 140 agents and 7 Team Leaders, ensuring seamless operations and superior performance metrics.
Key Achievements and Contributions
• Process Management: Successfully established an effective process to manage seat utilization, which was subsequently implemented across all programs in Bangalore.
• Knowledge Management: Created a comprehensive Knowledge Base and developed a Process Training Curriculum for Convergys, in collaboration with the JPM Training team, following the transition phase.
• Attrition Control: Achieved the lowest attrition rate in Bangalore by implementing an effective recruitment process and managing Employee Satisfaction (E-Sat).
• Seat Utilization Optimization: Attained the best seat utilization score of 1:1.9 through strategic resource planning and seat management.
• Metric Consistency: Consistently met all key performance metrics from March 2005, including Average Handling Time (AHT), Response Time (E-Mail), Quality (E-mails and Voice), Service Levels, Abandonment Rate, and Occupancy.
Development and Leadership
As part of an ongoing development plan to manage broader responsibilities, I was selected to participate in the Future Leaders Program in February 2006, honing leadership skills and preparing for higher spans of control.

• Sr. Customer Care Officer | Mphasis BPO | Jan 03 - Sep 04
• Customer Care Officer. | Motif Inc. | Jul 02 - Dec 02
• Training Faculty | AIILSG | Sep 00 - Jun 02
• Articled Clerk | Shah&Shah | Jul 97 - Aug 00