United Way of Greater Kansas City is proud to power 211, our region’s 24/7 resource and referral service. Last year, 211 was contacted 467,000 times by individuals seeking help for everything from paying rent and utility bills, finding food assistance, aid for aging loved ones, healthcare assistance and more. Locally, United Way operates the service within a 23-county region surrounding the Kansas City metro. It’s free, anonymous, and available in 150+ languages.
At the heart of 211’s work is people—both the community members we serve and the dedicated team members who support them every day. This year, two of our 211 contact center managers, Brian Shapley and Lenetta Warren, took on an incredible professional challenge by earning their Certified Contact Center Manager (CCCM) certification through the Resource Center for Customer Service Professionals (RCCSP).
Achieving this certification is no small feat. Over the course of an intensive five-day training, participants took a deep dive into best practices for managing a metric-led contact center. From workforce management and performance coaching to leadership and service quality, the curriculum provided the tools needed to strength both people and processes.
Coursework is not the only requirement for certification. Each manager also had to pass a rigorous exam and complete a project designed to make one significant, real-world improvement to our 211 operations.
Projects this year focused on improving self-service customer experience through our 211KC.org website and building a comprehensive Standard Operation Procedure (SOP) framework for Contact Center Management—two initiatives that will have lasting impact on how we serve our community.
United Way is honored to celebrate Brian and Lenetta’s achievement—not just for earning a respected credential, but for the dedication, creativity and leadership they bring to our contact center daily. Their hard work ensures 211 continues to be a reliable, compassionate and efficient resource for anyone needing help.