“When there’s a lack of transparency, there’s a lack of trust on both sides. It’s easy to assume ill intent from the other side when you don’t talk to them,” says Dylan DeShazer, one of the center’s operations managers and a UBT stakeholder. “The issue resolution helped us realize that we had common goals—and that helped us build trust in one another.”

Realizing they needed help from outside the team to turn the situation around, the team’s customer service reps contacted SEIU Local 105, which represents them, and Michael Hurley, the regional LMP training and program manager, to facilitate an issue resolution. That brought managers, customer service reps and frontline union leaders together to establish a standardized assessment to identify candidates for the peer leadership position.  

The solution “allows equal opportunities for all customer service representatives here,” says Shaneka Lee, a customer service representative and a Local 105 steward. “It also provides a career ladder, being able to add ‘subject matter expert’ to your résumé as an accomplishment.”

Indeed, after working at the center for a year and a half, Lynn Rodriguez felt she was ready to be a chat captain. She met the requirements—and now is assisting her peers with their daily questions and concerns. The new process, she says, “allowed me to prove myself.”