Brittany U., Head of Call Center Operations
Just over 11 years ago, Brittany could not have imagined what was to come when starting as a live show operator for The Coin Vault, SilverTowne’s subsidiary company. With several changes to come and a few hills and valleys to trek, she would find herself in charge of that very same call center over a decade later. As a valued leader within the company, Brittany’s insights, experience and customer service knowledge have proven to be invaluable to the company and its growth over the years.
Beginning Job Title: “I was hired as a live show operator for The Coin Vault in December of 2012. This was when the hours were 6pm-6am and I worked the 10pm-6am shift. In February 2013, I was promoted to Live Show Supervisor. Over a year later in May, I was promoted to Customer Service Manager.”
Current Job Title: “Back in May of 2020 I took over as Head of Call Center Operations. This was back during COVID and the work from home order, on top of planning the move from uptown headquarters to where we ultimately are now (at the main building).”
Favorite Part of Her Job: “Learning and working with all different personalities and then being able to support, motivate, and empower each of the staff to grow and succeed. Also, coming up with team building activities and watching the staff participate in them is one of my favorites! There are a lot of laughs and smiles.”
Biggest Surprise Over the Years: “How much there is to learn about the hobby and business in general. This includes the bullion side and the numismatic side. I learn something new every day it seems. Also, the variety of buyers there is! Collectors, investors, gift givers. We have something for all of them!”
Biggest Change Over the Years: “From a call center perspective, it has been figuring out how to change the operations to accommodate remote work during the pandemic. It was intense! Everything moved super-fast with little to no time. It was really rewarding to be able to help make it work quickly and efficiently though. We still have the capabilities today and they have even evolved a few times since then.
From a personal perspective, transitioning to leading small teams within the call center (like the live shows) to customer service has been one of the biggest changes. Being given the opportunity to lead the entire department and the responsibilities that come with that have been a lot. That includes SilverTowne, The Coin Vault, and eBay customers in addition to Live Show operations and infomercials. I must have an answer for everything and everyone when it comes down to it.”
Advice For New Customers: “For new customers I think the best advice I could give is to think long term. We live in an instant gratification era, so a lot of times new customers tend to jump in fast and either without interest/love in the hobby or any knowledge. In my opinion, you need one of both of those things when starting out. Some great coin collections have taken years and patience to build.
When it comes to all customers, teach your children and grandchildren about the hobby and get them involved in what you’re doing. Keep the hobby going strong for years to come. Also, if it’s too good to be true, it probably is! Do NOT purchase from an advertisement on social media that looks too good to be true. We have heard of this happening way too many times.”
Fondest Memory/Memories: “I remember coming over to the shop two days before my wedding to have my engagement ring cleaned in the jewelry department. I went to look in the gift shop while they were cleaning it and got to talking to the girls and purchasing a few things and then I left. When I got home, I realized that I left without my ring! By the time I realized it, though it was after closing so in a panic, I texted the studio manager at the time and asked him to go to the jewelry department after explaining what had happened because I was getting married! He went and checked and texted me later that he had my ring and to come down to the studio to get it. They were getting ready to start the show, so I had to rush there in the pouring rain and track him down since the countdown to the show had started and the doors were shut. He then whispered to me that I was going on air! I could have puked! I told him no, but he insisted and then turned a camera towards me (which I later found out wasn’t even turned on) to get me to walk up to Andy, Tyler, and Scott where they presented me with the engraved silver wedding pieces to give my wedding party as a gift from them. All of this was happening as my husband was waiting in the car. It was exhilarating and terrifying at the same time, and I felt like my knees were going to buckle while I stared at all the lights, cameras, and screens. It’s something I’ll never forget, and I still have the postcard they gave me that has a clip of that show on it.”
What She Looks Forward To: “I’m really looking forward to our internal software upgrade as it’s been a long time coming. The benefits will be huge! With it will come the ability to streamline our team’s workflow with more tools than ever before and this will allow us to become organized and efficient more than ever. Which in turn will improve the customer experience and this is what truly matters most to us.”
Favorite Music: “I love all genres of music! My favorite is classic rock as I grew up listening to it. It brings back all the memories.”
Outside of SilverTowne, Brittany loves to spend time with her husband doing anything outdoors or at the casino. In addition to recently getting into puzzles, she likes to spend time with her family as she has eight nieces and nephews! She also enjoys reading, going to concerts, playing Xbox, singing, kayaking, and just enjoying life!
