Benjamin Dames Email & Phone Number

Pittsburgh, Pa, Us

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States

As a Shopkeeper, I manage a small group of sales co-workers and 3 home furnishing businesses valuing $6m+/yr. Actions to optimize sales include: maximizing efficiency within the store layout, securing strong visual merchandising, securing seasonal vitality within article merchandising, forming partnerships with logistics to secure accurate forecasting and space planning, coordinating commercial activities and changes with the assistance of the Communication and Interior Design teams, managing sales and local pricing initiatives to maintain a healthy gross margin, monitoring competitors to maintain local market relevance, utilizing reports generated with PowerBI and Qliksense to make data-backed decisions, and developing sales tools and training documents to ensure consistency and compliance with the IKEA retail standards.• Sales growth in 2022 totaled 115% and witnessed year-over-year growth for 2 consecutive years.• Finished FY22 #1 in the US for pieces growth and top 5 in FY23. • Consistently delivered on KPIs and experienced YOY growth.

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

2020 IKEA Pittsburgh Manager of the Year. As the Loyalty Leader, I managed a group of 5+ coworkers who oversaw the daily operation of the Smaland play facility. During my previous role, I was responsible for ensuring an exceptional customer experience throughout the entire journey. To achieve this, I implemented various actions such as improving the store layout and shopping tools to make shopping easier and increase sales, organizing and supporting IKEA events and activities, developing and enforcing IKEA Smaland compliance routines and training resources, and analyzing customer feedback from different sources utilizing PowerBI and Qliksense to provide actionable insights for improving the overall shopping experience. Additionally, I oversaw day-to-day operations including recruitment, retention, scheduling, performance management, and coworker development.In 2020, coordinated the project management of the transition and implementation of the local curbside-pickup routines and best practices ensuring a smooth and consistent customer experience.• Developed the current system of co-worker recognition and customer insights analysis.• Increased the loyalty program and customer engagement by 50%. • Chosen to participate in the Smaland “raise the base”, to develop best practices across the organization.• Led the growth of the local omni-channel fulfillment and handling from a $6m business to $15m+.

2001 Park Manor Blvd, Pittsburgh, Pa 15205

I managed the daily operations of the entire Customer Experience team, which comprised carts, cashiers, returns and exchanges, click & collect, home delivery, and Smaland for a team of 40+ co-workers. My actions included implementing daily routines and procedures to ensure consistency and maintain customer satisfaction scores. I designed and implemented KPI tracking tools to measure co-worker performance. I oversaw administrative tasks, including recruitment, retention, scheduling, performance management, and co-worker development. Additionally, I balanced Cash Office Reconciliation, including conducting investigations into any variances in payments.• Outperformed the organizational KPI of < 5 days and maintained Case-Handling times of <2.5days.• Personally designed and implemented KPI tracking tools for Carts and Cashiers.

2001 Park Manor Blvd., Pittsburgh, Pa 15205

I have handled all customer service queries related to spare parts, returns, exchanges, home deliveries, and warranties. I joined IKEA as a Home Delivery Co-worker, where I assisted customers with coordinating Home Delivery Services, coordinated the "load-out" process, and worked with external vendors to ensure the accurate delivery of IKEA customers' goods. Later in October 2012, I transitioned into the Resolutions Specialist position. As a Resolutions Specialist, I worked with one other specialist to resolve all escalated customer issues. I was authorized to make any necessary decisions to resolve issues in a timely, customer-friendly, and economically responsible manner. In the customer relations department, I mentored other co-workers, working closely with Returns, Home Delivery Coworkers, and third-party contractors.• Chosen to serve on the Voice Committee in 2013. Acting as a customer engagement liaison to Human Resources and the Store Steering Team.• Handpicked in 2014 to be a store trainer for “PINS” which laid the cloud-based inventory system groundwork for the transition into the Omni-channel fulfillment service.

1504 Woodcrest Ave, Coraopolis, Pa 15108

• As a day-to-day substitute, I supply classroom coverage during a teacher’s absence, filling in wherever needed and requested by administration.

1504 Woodcrest Ave, Coraopolis, Pa 15108

• Provided classroom coverage for the full-time Art Teacher’s absence during a maternity leave. I was responsible for developing lesson plans and supplementary materials for multiple sections and levels of art classes: art appreciation, ceramics, digital photography, graphic design, and studio arts. Evaluating academic growth, preparing grades, and keeping appropriate records including attendance and behavior reports.

Pittsburgh, Pa

• As a member of the Ceramics Co-op I take part, with a group of emerging artists, in creating a supportive, creative, and collaborative communal environment. As a community, we share space, studio responsibilities, skills, interests, and knowledge. As a member I assist the Co-op by also teaching classes. In the 2012 winter session, I taught the Squirt Class, a ceramics class for children ages 5-8 years-old; the 2012 spring, summer, and fall sessions, I taught the Kid’s Class, a class designed for children ages 9-12; and in the winter session of 2013, I taught the Homeschoolers Class. These classes were designed for children to learn the basics of hand-building ceramics and gain experiences with wheel-thrown pottery. In the spring and fall of 2013, I taught the Beginner’s Pottery Class to a group of adults. Since the winter of 2014, I have been teaching the Kids class for children ages 9-12.

Pittsburgh Public Schools Summer Dreamers Academy

• As a representative of the Union Project, I helped to construct and design a ceramics curriculum for the Pittsburgh Public Schools’ Summer Dreamers Academy. As an Activities Provider, in 2014, I was responsible for leading two groups of 1st and 2nd graders in lessons related to ceramics and pottery. We explored the many different hand building techniques and wheel-thrown pottery. The students created a 14+ page Ceramics “How to” coloring book/guide in which they filled each page with ceramics vocabulary words, definitions, and examples of things that can be made from clay. The booklet included drawings that could be colored like a coloring book and fill-in-the-blank portions for brainstorming and assessment.

Pittsburgh Public Schools - Langley And Martin Luther King Jr. Middle Schools

• In coordination with Pittsburgh Citi Parks and as a representative of the Union Project, I was responsible for leading 2 groups of children, ranging from 5rd to 7th grade, in lessons related to ceramics. Students learned the basics and hand-building ceramics and wheel-thrown pottery. Lessons were designed to give the students opportunities to be creative, work in collaborative setting, and become problem-solvers.

Pittsburgh Public Schools Summer Dreamers Academy

As a representative of the Union Project and in collaboration with the Pittsburgh Center for the Arts, I helped to construct and design a ceramics curriculum for the Pittsburgh Public Schools’ Summer Dreamers Academy. As an Activities Provider in 2013, I was responsible for leading a group of 35 children (3rd Graders), in lessons related to ceramics. I was responsible for integrating a writing standard into the curriculum and assisting the children in exploring artist statements and creating their own for their body of work. The children took part in brainstorming activities to formulate and create accurate and articulate Artist Statements that aimed at giving the reader an in-depth look into what steps and creative choices went into their artwork. Campers were challenged to think critically and creatively through series of fun and challenging lessons in clay all aimed towards the end goal of an Art Show at the end of camp celebration. Their artwork was on display alongside their artist statements and cumulative sketchbooks.

8353 University Blvd., Moon Township, Pa 15108

• As a volunteer assistant coach, I assisted in teaching fundamentals, creating game plans, keeping the scorebook, calling plays, and adjusting the game plan. As a team we completed the season with a 13 wins and 9 loses and finished second in the Moon Area Invitational Tournament.

Pittsburgh Public Schools - Summer Dreamers Academy

In 2012, I was responsible for leading 2 groups of children, ranging from 3rd to 7th grade, in lessons relating to ceramics and mosaics. Students learned the basics and hand-building ceramics and wheel-thrown pottery using a kick-wheel. Lessons were designed to give the students opportunities to be creative, work in collaborative setting, and become problem-solvers. The summer camp was a 5-week program and the children worked towards the final product of creating a Mosaic Mural that will be permanently display in the Greenway Center, and they concluded the camp with an Art Show of their pottery and sculptures and an Art Sale.

Facilitated student learning in the areas of drawing, painting, and ceramics, created multiple bulletin boards showcasing student artwork, worked with multiple faculty members in the areas of music, writing, recording, and storytelling; created a drum wall mural, and assisted in coaching the 5th and 6th grade boys basketball team.

Facilitated student learning in the areas of drawing, painting, and ceramics. Created unit plans, lesson plans, and assisted in mentoring and hallway duty.

Along with four other Art Education students, I planned, coordinated, and implemented a mosaic building project with inner city high school students involved in CHAMPS, an after-school program designed to help troubled or underprivileged youth.