Amex Puts Bottner In Charge Of Service

American Express Business Travel last month promoted Julie Bottner to North American service delivery network senior vice president, leading a team responsible for fulfilling corporate travel reservations in the United States and Canada, as well as improving customer service.

Bottner will continue the initiatives she began with the man she is replacing, Steve Power, who will leave March 31. Those initiatives include standardizing technology across all platforms globally and developing a learning program to guarantee travel counselors receive "the best and most timely information." Also in the works is establishing standard metrics and definitions of the company's services, processes and disciplines to ensure consistent service.

Bottner, who will operate from American Express' Phoenix location, will focus on three things. "First and foremost is to ensure the customer experience is of the highest quality," she told BTN. "Second, as the senior leader of our customer service team, I will ensure the best leaders and the best people are in place, and finally, I will continue to focus on our transformational journey that started 18 months ago."

Bottner joined the company's business travel division as one of six vice presidents 18 months ago, after 17 years in its consumer small business card division. "I have a strong knowledge of the inner workings of call service centers where reservations are processed and the technology solutions that make them tick," she said. "My card and travel experiences align well with our fundamental business travel promise, which is to deliver superior service for customers."