What are the responsibilities and job description for the Distribution Support Specialist position at American Equity?
At American Equity Investment Life Holding Company®we offer leading annuity products that help empower our clients to fulfill their needs and wants in retirement. Our success comes from hiring high-energy individuals who embody the beliefs that drive our unique culture. We currently fund over half a million retirements nationwide, and have been headquartered in West Des Moines, Iowa, for over twenty-five years with satellite offices in Charlotte, NC and New York, NY.
The Distribution Support Specialist serves as the primary point of contact for top producing Eagle Life advisors and the Distribution team (Sales Support, IW’s, Account Manager, etc) for AEL and Eagle. The role provides exceptional customer service and personalized support through excellent communication, strong relationship management skills, problem-solving, dependable follow through.
ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:
- Provides an exceptional experience to assigned by answering phone calls or messages promptly and professionally, addressing inquiries, completing transactions and resolving issues with empathy and efficiency
- Builds relationship, rapport and trust with advisors and distribution team.
- Runs reports for internal/external customers as needed.
- Looks for opportunities to surprise, delight and exceed customer expectations with each customer interaction.
- Ensures customer files, reports and profiles are adequately maintained.
- Builds and maintains robust knowledge of American Equity’s products, servicing and new business processes that are important to provide exceptional servicing support to our agents and their offices.
- Delivers best-possible escalated business case outcomes to internal and external business partners through phone, chat, and email correspondence.
- Manages time and productivity, creates operating efficiencies, leverages existing systems.
- Provides high levels of customer satisfaction by reviewing feedback and customer satisfaction metrics. Makes the appropriate changes to ensure customer satisfaction.
- Helps drive operational improvements based on feedback from our distribution partners, agents and feedback from other internal customers.
- Performs other related work as assigned.
SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES:
Direct Reports: None
General Description of Indirect Reports (2 and 3-downs): None
EDUCATION AND/OR EXPERIENCE:
- Bachelor’s degree in business or other related field plus four (4) or more years of experience required; or equivalent combination of education and experience.
- Preferred experience in the areas of relationship management or concierge level service in the insurance/financial services.
CERTIFICATES, LICENSES, PROFESSIONAL DESIGNATIONS:
AAPA, ACS, FLMI designations preferred, but not required.
KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES:
- Strong customer service orientation.
- Ability to solve practical problems and deal with a variety of concrete variables in situations where only limited standardization exists.
- Ability to build strong relationships, trust and rapport.
- Strong verbal and written communication skills.
- Ability to provide candid, supportive feedback for the development of others.
- Mathematical skills and strong attention to detail.
- Ability to work cooperatively and successfully with employees, customers, and other outside third parties.
- Strong organizational and planning skills.
- Proficient in the use of Microsoft Office Suite.
- Ability to write reports and business correspondence.
- Ability to effectively present information and respond to questions.
- Ability to read, analyze, and interpret general business periodicals, professional journals and technical/operational procedures.
- Ability to define problems, collect data, establish facts, and draw valid conclusions.
- Ability to successfully handle pressure and meet deadlines in a fast-paced work environment.
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