About Us: Our People: Managing Associates:
Tom Eppinger, Managing Associate
Tom Eppinger has been consulting with ScottMadden since 1999. He recently returned to the firm after working as director of subscription management and customer operations for Red Hat, Inc. In this position, Mr. Eppinger built and managed a world-wide customer service and fulfillment organization and implemented online technologies for customers and partners to better manage their relationships with Red Hat. At ScottMadden, Mr. Eppinger has directed the implementation of new and improved processes in customer support, supply chain, and infrastructure technology departments, as well as led clients in strategy development, customer marketing, and business planning efforts. Prior to joining ScottMadden in 1999, Mr. Eppinger was an operations manager at McMaster-Carr Supply Company, where he managed a call center customer contact group and inventory management department. Mr. Eppinger earned an M.B.A. and a bachelor of science in engineering from Duke University.
Recent Assignments
- Achieved call center process improvements with a voice and broadband Internet services provider focused on serving small business customers, including the implementation of a technical support process “run book,” interactive voice response improvements, and improved services and response for critically down customers
- Defined and developed the business case for a major software company’s new on-line channel fulfillment model, enabling end-customer data capture through all sales channels, reducing fulfillment costs, and increasing customer retention
Developed customer operations and marketing initiatives focused on enhancing customer loyalty and retention by improving significant customer touch points - Executed a framework for managing the channel operations of a major software distributor that integrated with and improved the partner management and contracting process
- Implemented a major projects governance structure and requirements development methodology for a major software company’s IT department and its internal customers
Served as lead consultant on an IT business process assessment, creating the business case and implementation plan for operating the department as a shared service - Managed the successful implementation of a large wireless subscriber acquisition by analyzing the customer base, accounting for the deal’s financial considerations, determining product offerings, establishing new support infrastructures, and ensuring an efficient migration of customer data
- Managed a project team in the implementation of a strategic business planning process; developed a balanced scorecard of metrics, assisted in goal setting by conducting a benchmarking study, and participated with top-level executives in the development of the company’s business plans
- Designed and implemented a disciplined inventory management process for a wireless subscriber department, developing end-to-end processes and operational reporting at the device level, leading to a 22% reduction in recurring customer costs and 28% reduction in inventory carrying costs within one quarter
- Produced analytical tools, including a reporting framework to measure customer life-time value and customer acquisition costs for sales and finance, a model to predict and analyze cost of goods sold (COGS) for a wireless subscriber department, and a tool to audit and measure bounty payments to marketing partners
- Analyzed information from external vendors and multiple internal systems to reconcile costs unmatched with revenue customers, providing a monthly preventative process and an immediate result of a nearly $1 million reduction in COGS
