Customer Service & Sales Operations

Current Awards

Job Outlook

The Customer Service/Sales Operations program is a set of stackable awards leading to an AAS degree designed to teach students the skills to effectively function in business, retail sales or customer service call center environments.  According to the US Department of Labor, “employment of customer service representatives is projected to grow 10 percent from 2014 to 2024, faster than the average for all occupations.”

Occupational profiles indicate 24% growth for Customer Service Representatives by the year 2022 in the Alamo Region. Estimated average hourly wage is $14.25* in the Alamo Region. (Source: SOCRATES-Occupational Profiles-Alamo Region) *Note: Variations should be expected.

Careers Available:

The following titles are examples of careers associated with this program but not limited to:

• Customer Service Representative
• Client Services Representative
• Customer Service Agent
• Member Services Representative
• Account Manager
• Sales Facilitator

About the Program Coordinator: 
Andrea M. Scheri, MBA, CCT

Teaching Philosophy

Learning is a collaborative process of making connections and sharing experiences. I see teaching as a mutual relationship between teachers and students. I believe that teachers have an obligation to their students and that students have an obligation to their teachers. I see my responsibility as providing students with the following:

• An environment that promotes learning.
• Knowledge that will help them work toward achieving success in their lives.
• Materials, experiences and feedback that will help them achieve their life goals.
• Helping students become accountable and motivated to be successful in their studies and life.
• Applying the concepts learned to communicate, think critically and use emotional intelligence in all that they do.

I also feel that students have responsibilities to teachers, other students and themselves. I believe it is a student’s responsibility to support me to fulfill my responsibilities by being:

• Tolerant of different points of view and open to discuss those points of view.
• Prepared for class by doing the required reading and assigned work.
• Ready to put the time and effort needed to complete course activities. 
• Willing to bring life experiences into the class to enrich discussions and share lessons learned with other students.

As a teacher, I most enjoy bringing the concepts of customer service, sales and business into real word settings. Here too, active learning and collaboration are my guiding principles. I emphasize communications skills, active listening, decision-making, emotional intelligence, and the art of conflict resolution.

Education

Certified Contract Trainer, CCT
The Learning Resources Network (LERN), Florida - 2013

Masters of Business Administration - Human Resources Management
Baker College, Flint, MI - 2007

Bachelor of Art – English Secondary Education
Minor – Speech and Theatre
Oakland University, Rochester, MI – 1979

Workforce/Field Experience

Corporate Liaison/Account Manager (Sales) – 14 Years
Alamo Colleges, San Antonio, TX and Dallas Community Colleges, Dallas, TX

Director/Manager Service Delivery – (Technical Call Center) – 2 Years
Lucent Technologies, Dallas, TX

Manager Project Management – (International Team – Switch Installations) – 5 Years
Lucent Technologies, Dallas, TX

Manager Service Delivery – (MAC Call Center) – 3 Years
Electronic Data Systems (EDS), Plano, TX

Restaurant Manager – 4 Years
Denny’s – Farmington Hills, MI

Food Director/Catering – 2 Years
Blue Cross/Blue Shield, Detroit, MI

Biography

Andrea “Andy” Scheri, is an instructor, workforce professional and program coordinator at Northwest Vista College. She has over 20 years of workforce experience with customer service, management and sales. She started as a Corporate Liaison for Northwest Vista College in 2006, and has worked with many of the area businesses in order to develop their workforce with the training required to be successful.

The Customer Service/Sales Operations program is a newer degree program at Northwest Vista College. Andy has been the Program Coordinator and one of the faculty instructors since it began in 2016. A firm believer that “to keep a customer demands as much skill as to win one” she is excited about the degree program and the benefits it will provide to the students and businesses in the area. She looks forward to making this program one of the most successful at the college!

Originally from Michigan, she moved to the Dallas area over twenty years ago and loved Texas, especially the Hill Country where she now lives. When not teaching, her love of animals is apparent as she works with many rescue groups to aid in animal rescue, rehabilitation and adoption. She has a multitude of her own rescue animals with various issues that made them unadoptable, but highly lovable. Known as her “fur babies” they keep her very active when not working.

Useful Links

National Retail Federation Foundation

United States Department of Labor – Bureau of Labor Statistics