Bassem Halim

How long have you been with the company?
I’ve been with Radial for nearly 4 ½ years.

How has your career grown since starting at Radial?
I started with Radial in 2017. I first came in as a Customer Service Representative under the Arris vertical and my role consisted of providing technical support for networking devices.

A few years into that role, I had the opportunity to help out with interviews to hire seasonal staff. During my time conducting interviews, a recruiter approached me to see if I was interested in a leadership position. I kindly refused at the time as a leadership position in cosmetics was not where I saw myself. However, this recruiter talked me through the benefits from a career perspective and I ultimately interviewed and was offered this role. This was a Core Supervisor position – my first leadership position within Radial.

I was in that role for about two years before a manager position became open within the cosmetics vertical. I applied and was selected for this role.

Are there any notable mentors or peers you feel have contributed to your growth/ success?
Absolutely. I’d first like to mention Deb Backiel, a former site director who recently retired but was a great mentor to me. She is the person who sought me out to conduct seasonal interviews, which led me to the position I’m in now. She was very encouraging and supportive of my professional development throughout my time at Radial.

I’d also like to highlight some members of my current team: Michael Klein, Danielle Mallady, Dayna Coffin, Lisa Bogle and Sam Wagner. They each have taught me unique skills and supported me to get to where I am today.

What does your day-to-day look like? What are the main responsibilities of your role?
My main areas of focus are managing our digital channels and our admin lead team. I am involved in several efforts that translate into providing a top-notch experience for our customers. Ensuring a seamless customer experience is a top priority for our clients and that starts with securing adequate staffing, who are focused on efficiency while maintaining high quality contact. We also work on keeping our client’s costs in a reasonable state by collaborating on process improvements while keeping the experience intact.

While fulfilling our client’s needs plays a large role in my day-to-day, the truth is that no two days are the same. My role is very dynamic, which keeps it interesting and fun.

Another aspect of my job is managing a team of supervisors who all have agents reporting to them, so I oversee those agent relationships in terms of engagement, coaching and overall support. A large part of my role is helping to develop the supervisors that report to me by rounding out their skill sets and supporting them with their career goals. As a manager, I love witnessing and contributing to our supervisors’ growth and being able to pass along the valuable lessons that I have learned throughout my career.

What motivates you to wake up and go to work?
My colleagues and my team. We are a very tightknit group and rely heavily on one another.

What is your favorite part of your job/ what do you like most about working at Radial?
As noted, one of my favorite parts of my position as a manager is that it’s very dynamic. I get to interact with many different support departments and different aspects of the business overall. It is a constant learning experience which I thoroughly enjoy.

Radial is a very versatile business in terms of how we support our clients and customers. There are plenty of learning and growth opportunities that I have enjoyed taking advantage of throughout the years I’ve been with the company and plan to continue to do so.

Where do you see yourself within Radial in the next few years/ what are your goals?
I’ve learned many new skills in my current role that I would like to continue to hone over the next 1-2 years to gain even more confidence. Additionally, interacting with different departments has opened my eyes to all the different opportunities available to employees here.

In the future, I would like to explore new opportunities within the company. I’ve gained an interest in several different facets of the business such as continuous improvement and innovation and workforce management, so I could see myself pursuing a role outside of customer service.

What is your favorite non-work specific thing about your job? (i.e., breakroom games, onsite activities, awards, colleagues, etc.)
I really enjoy team-oriented events. For example, we recently had a supervisor appreciation day where we were able to communicate what we appreciated about each supervisor we work with and show our gratitude for the work they do daily. This type of employee recognition and acknowledgment of work is an intrinsic motivator to continue to do our best for ourselves, our team and our clients.

What is one word you would use to describe working at Radial?
Rewarding.

What is the best career lesson you have learned so far?
I’ve grown a lot as a person during my time at Radial. I’m an introverted person by nature, so I think the best career lesson I’ve learned is the importance of communication. You might have a great idea but if you’re not able to communicate it effectively, you won’t be able to execute on it.

What is a fun fact that most people don’t know about you?
A lot of people don’t know that my name translates to ‘one who smiles’ in Arabic.

What do you like to do in your free time?
I love physical activity and CrossFit in particular. Overall, anything that gets me out of the house and moving is what I enjoy in my free time.

What is one thing you can’t live without?
Oxygen.