Patricia (Triche) Higginbotham Email & Phone Number

Baton Rouge, Louisiana Area

South Louisiana

Hospitality and Tourism MarketingDestination MarketingVisitor PublicationsSocial Media ManagementOnline Listing ServicesReputations Managementtravelhost.com#welovetravelers#intheroomnottherack

Regional Director – The Greater Baton Rouge Area• Actively sought and cultivated relationships with Restaurateurs, Bar Proprietors, Hotel Management and Associated Industry Individuals in efforts to secure membership and develop our LRA-SIF worker’s compensation base.• Met performance objectives in LRA Membership acquisition in a region that had been previously very underdeveloped. • Exceeded high objectives in LRA – SIF worker’s compensation by building relationships, targeting larger opportunities, while offering excellent customer service to all entities regardless of size. • Highly resourceful in creating and finding leads via various resources in a market which had limited leads provided. • Excelled in defining areas of need and providing resources for potential and current members.• Developed strong relationships with associate members and helped broker relationships between them and restaurateurs in need of their service, further strengthening each’s networking opportunities and their relationship with the LRA.

QUILL.COM - A DIVISION OF STAPLES, INC. - , 2008-PRESENTCustomer Relations Team Manager• Built an empowered associate team through monitoring associate-customer interaction and providing constructive feedback which drove superior customer service at the individual and team levels, generating over $11 million in annual revenue. • Hired, retained and developed a high performing team which consistently produced the center’s top performers in sales and quality with approximately 85% meeting or exceeding OAS goals; top team sales associates being recognized as Employee of the Month a large percentage of time; and all Supervisor Service Representatives being promoted from the team. • Motivated and developed associates by providing an encouraging and challenging work environment, including working together in team meetings and as well as individually helping the associate meet their sales goals by improving sales offers, and defining and resolving customer issues.• Increased sales revenues by tracking and coaching associates to offer cross and upsells, and develop strategies for converting information calls into actual sales, exceeding average order size goal by 110.74%, the highest in the center.• Managed associates’ customer interactions ensuring consistent quality customer service on every call, maintaining a 99.71% quality rating.• Assisted in the Baton Rouge Customer Center and Quill meeting its financial, service, quality and productivity targets by managing relevant metrics.• Provided a clear understanding of company policies and procedures, training, and associate requirements and goals, with team achieving highest call availability ranking in the center of 3.3 or 157.65% of objective, which afforded greater opportunities for growth and recognition.• Served on numerous projects and committees, including the Black Belt project for AHT, Marketing and Pricing committees.

• Consistently ranked in the 1st & 2nd quartile in both premise (outside) and telephone sales, which resulted in being recognized as Executive Club Award Winner and Sales Achievement Club Award Winner.• Handling large customer accounts throughout the state of Louisiana, with direct responsibility for building customer relationships, sales presentations, incorporating the print product and the internet product on the sales call; product training and customer satisfaction.• Led the division in writing internet quota of 114%, 2002-2003 and 125%, 2003-2004• Achieved highest net growth in Internet Sales, with Total Net Quota Performance — Premise Sales of 140% for 2004-2005 and 185% in 2005.• Achieved over 450% of Internet Objective in 2005 and 2006, while consistently carrying zero defects.• Achieved highest percent of Internet Penetration and highest percent of Companion Penetration handling over $1 million in revenue on an annual basis

• Served as Product Specialist for the Yellowpages.com product in the Central North division with direct responsibility for developing the sales skills of 60 reps and managers in regards to Yellowpages.com. • Provided one-on-one training of sales representatives which resulted in a stronger sales force.• Presented large sales presentations on new and current products, and developed contests as incentives for new sales.• Served as integral manager for division which held the highest amount of revenue in SCA at over $2 million annually.• Directed outside sales representatives which achieved internet penetration raised from an average of 25% to 40%

• Achieved Total Net Quota Performance Telephone Sales of 164% for 1996-1997; 110%, 1998-1999; 125%, 1999-2000; 133%, 2001-2002.• Handled an average of 800 small and medium advertisers a year, developing strong customer relationships and making sales presentations on the phone.• Created word pictures which helped the advertiser understand which print and internet products would best benefit their business.

Baton Rouge, La And Hattiesburg, Ms