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A Day in the Life: Rachel, Customer Service Manager
schedule
8 MINUTES
Rachel Kaifos shares her experience building a customer service career at Pacific Life.
schedule 8 MINUTES
What initially attracted you to join Pacific Life and how has your career path evolved?
Many of my family members have worked for Pacific Life, so I grew up knowing what a great company it is. I started in 2010 in the annuities call center. I advanced to the Operations Advisor Management team that supports our financial advisors which eventually lead me into leadership and my current role as manager of the annuities call center.
Tell us about your job responsibilities and what a typical day looks like for you.
As manager of the call center, each day is unique. I am mainly focused on growing skillsets and developing talent and the customer experience. We have a very high reputation within our industry and work hard to maintain that standard. I also lean heavily on data to make business decisions that will help maintain our service agreements while adapting to ongoing changes to products, systems, and regulatory rulings.
Share any significant milestones or projects you’ve been a part of during your time here.
I have served on multiple committees over my time, like the Pacific Life Experience and Employee Engagement committees. I have supported our customers and customer service representations with projects involving Salesforce and Medallia. I have volunteered with the Pacific Life Foundation at events that support our local community. I think it’s important to have fun while you work and give back to those in need.
How has Pacific Life supported your career growth and development?
Pacific Life has helped me gain so many leadership and operational skills that apply to my role today. Since starting in 2010, I have completed my bachelor’s in business management, a master’s in organizational leadership, and the FSRI certification through LOMA. I obtained various regulatory licenses to support my role, like Series 6 and 26. Pacific Life’s tuition reimbursement program has allowed for me to continue to grow and focus on developing myself outside of work while staying debt free. I have great leaders around me that push me to be my best and encourage a growth mindset.
What advice would you give to someone starting their career in customer service?
To remember that we all started where they are at one point, and it does get easier over time. Collaborate with peers and have an honest conversation with your leader about what skills you want to develop so you can be prepared for opportunities as they arise. Focus on the right yeses so you are working on things that align to your goals and development path.
What do you enjoy most about working in customer service at Pacific Life?
Working with the same department for 14 years has created very close ties to my colleagues who feel more like work family. We have grown up together and I am proud of our accomplishments as a team. My favorite memories are celebrating milestones together like marriages and growing families. We also have a lot of fun together and I have many memories of silly dance moves, karaoke, and in office competitions with a ton of laughter.
What makes Pacific Life a great place to work?
Pacific Life is highly ethical and values employees’ diverse perspectives and experiences. I also love the benefits, in-office culture (including complimentary lunch) and the company’s focus on hiring future talent that align with our values and culture. It’s the people that stand out to me. We have the best colleagues to work with.
What do you enjoy doing outside of work?
My favorite thing to do is spend time with my family and dog, and serving at our church which does a lot of community outreach. I love to read, lift weights, listen to true crime podcasts and scuba dive with my 16-year-old son. We dove in Catalina last summer and swam next to an 800 lb. black sea bass. Its eye was the size of my head, and it was a little overwhelming but an incredible experience!
