Moneypenny, the world’s leading conversation experts, has created a specialist team to support home services businesses nationwide struggling to keep up with and manage customer contact. The team will focus on the full sector, especially restoration, HVAC, electrical, and plumbing, and will be led by Charles Hawkins, who has been named Home Services Sector Sales Lead.

Moneypenny recently found approximately two-thirds of companies are using AI to drive efficiencies in areas like telephone answering, a traditionally human-centric role. In the home services space, customers are often calling in the midst of an emergency or out of frustration from something like a missed appointment. Disasters like the recent floods in Central Texas can drive call volumes in the aftermath up by 300% or more, but an empathetic experience can still be delivered with the right blend of AI and human resources.

“We’re combining human expertise with AI-powered tools to create a service experience that’s not only more efficient, but also more compassionate and personalized,” said Hawkins. “We’ve listened to what home services businesses say, and they want faster response, smarter solutions, and a more human experience. This team combines the trust and hands-on support of trained Moneypenny receptionists, which no algorithm can replicate, with a seamless technology experience that is both fast and accurate.”

Prior to Moneypenny, Hawkins was with Global Engagement LLC, where he provided guidance and strategic planning for contact centers, and designed OMNI channel solutions for improved customer and employee experiences. Before that, he was a Senior Director with Frontdoor’s American Home Shield, a role in which, among other things, he built multiple global sales contact centers for the company and reduced member wait times from 240 to under 30 seconds during the pandemic. He has also served as a Division Senior Director for Comcast Cable, aligning performance management practices and process improvement plans in Contact Center Sales, Retention and Account Management.

“Charles himself is a former call center agent, which gives him a unique perspective of our business from the front lines,” said Richard Culberson, CEO North America for Moneypenny. “He has the hard skills to shape things like scripting and guiding the call journey, and he has the soft skills needed to provide the humanity deserved of every customer experience.”

Hawkins holds a Master of Business Administration from The Johns Hopkins University, and a Bachelor of Science in Management from the University of Phoenix. Hawkins is also a proud veteran of the U.S. Army.