Customer Service Representative

The Customer Service Representative is a contact person for customers to place orders, to expedite orders, to acquire information about products, and overall account management within a given Value Stream. The Representative assists customers by answering questions about products and pricing. The Representative is responsible for developing and growing relationships to increase sales levels of Value Stream products, through relationship selling and exceptional customer support and service and for retaining customers by continually exceeding service expectations.

Functional

Works when expected and contributes best efforts towards the timely completion of work assignments.

Customer Relations - Develop, grow and retain existing relationships and sales levels, manage customer accounts by expediting orders, tracing shipments, etc., as well as prepare pricing, resolve complaints, and help identify customer strategic alliances. Also, help collect and evaluate competitive information on products, markets and industry trends. Notify customers of any proposed product changes. Communicate with customer on any collection issues.

Order Entry - Enter new orders and changes into the computer system, following established procedures. Responsible for preparing new quotations on legacy products, spare parts, configured products and derivatives. Complex derivatives may require input from sales, purchasing, manufacturing engineer and/or other value stream members. Verify that customer PO and our SO are in agreement for terms, print revision, and special requirements, such as export documents, shipment instructions, markings, and certificates. Responsible for setting up new customer accounts in the system.

Quotation - Develop in quote in Salesforce for standard product using sales and quotation processes.

New Product Introduction - Participate and manage sales funnel within stage gates for New Product Introduction

Technical Assistance - - answer inquiries about products, such as wiring diagrams, repair parts availability, identification of motors and parts, faxing spec sheets, etc. Interface with engineering, quality and manufacturing regarding customer reaction to current products as well as identifying changes in customer expectations and specifications. Evaluate new opportunities, compile product cost and price according to established guidelines. Interface with internal and external participants to assure continued customer focus and to facilitate the processing of sample/prototype orders to speed application approval and production order entry. Responsible for prototype development, along with the applications engineer, ensuring that the Special Product Request form is completed and signed off to clarify customer requirements prior to order entry. Work with the applications engineer if a customer requests a design change, then sign off on ECN form and send our revised print to the customer for approval.

Leadership

? The Customer Service Representative is part of the Value Stream and is responsible for developing and growing relationships to increase sales levels through exceptional relationship selling and exception customer support and service. This person also acts as the liaison between the factory and customers, communicating with all other departments in the company as needed to provide responses to customers.

? The Customer Service Representative also has the responsibility of occasionally traveling to the customers' facility and getting to know the customers on a more personal level to develop and grow the relationship between our company and the customer. This position will also participate in customer on-site visits.

? The Customer Service Representative is responsible for retaining customers by continually exceeding service expectations while working with the rest of the business unit to exceed profit expectations.

Interpersonal

Works positively with team members in order to continuously improve the business - Ability to solve problems and accomplish goals using resources over which one has no supervisory authority:

• Receive calls, faxes, or e-mails from customers, potential customers, field sales or industry marketing representatives to request a variety of information or assistance, to enter or change sales orders, to quote pricing information, to check on product availability or delivery information, to resolve problems with sales orders, invoices, service returns, or tracking shipments. Helps others to use business tools, including ManMan, OMAR, CRM and website configurator.
• Communicate with Engineering, Quality and Manufacturing regarding new products, changes to existing products, to monitor manufacturing of customer sample, first-time production and on-time delivery of products. This shall include communication of customer requirements on motor design and documentation through order entry process, new application and product change requests. Facilitate business operations by setting up new product type codes and entering new part#s into the system.
• Support field sales in evaluating opportunities, selecting the appropriate product offering, and identifying and developing customer strategic alliances. Prepare proposals and participate in customer presentations and plant visits. Support value stream goals and strategies as to sales dollars, bookings, margins. This may relate to recovering cost inflation by either price appreciation or cost reduction.
• Assist value stream leader in developing and building new markets and products appropriate for the value stream.
• Coordinate with value stream planner to schedule and expedite orders. Embrace lean principles in own work tasks and encourage others within the value stream to take the initiative to do likewise, including training a back-up so ensure that responses to customer inquiries are delivered in six hours or less. Instill a positive mindset within the value stream, focusing on what we can do for the customer.
• Consult with Traffic Department to help customers to choose the best methods for packing and shipping product.
• Communicate with Engineering via hold codes and notes on sales orders and/or Engineering Change Requests to ensure that our prints are current with customer requirements. Communicate with customers and field sales regarding letters of intent, kanban agreements, confidentiality agreements or other contractual commitments.
• Coordinate with Quality to assign Return Authorization numbers and to request failure analysis and corrective actions per customer requests and communicating our findings back to the customer. Keep ISO procedures and documentation current and ensure that training records are up to date.
• Support value stream leader regarding cost reductions and/or customer tooling issues. Advice forecast and business level information received from customers or field sales back to the value stream. Use lean principles to maintain desired inventory levels when preparing new quotations to customers.
• Write credits for customers as needed and works with Finance Department to set up accounts for new customers or to resolve credit hold status for customers.

Business

• Experience using CRM, Manman/OMAR system and MicroSoft PC programs.
• Ability to work effectively and cooperatively in a team.
• Manage activities required in the day-to-day operations of the customer service team.
• Create statistical reports using Microsoft Excel.

Ensures thorough familiarity with company policies and procedures. Appropriately applies policies and procedures in compliance with government laws. Policies and procedures include, but not limited to: Standards of Business Conduct, Intellectual Property, Control Environment, Information Protection, ISO 9000, and functional policies.

For those with supervisory responsibilities: Trains and motivates subordinates in the importance of full compliance with the letter and spirit of such policies and procedures.

Requirements

EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS

• Associate degree required. Equivalent experience will be considered.

EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS

• 3-5 years of manufacturing experience required, preferably in motors and with our operating systems.
• This position requires previous experience in public contact and excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Proficient in the use of MicroSoft programs and the ability to input data quickly and accurately.
• Must possess basic math skills and demonstrated technical abilities.
• Ability to work effectively and cooperatively in a team.
• Competence in blueprint interpretation is a plus.'
• Creative/strong problem-solving skills.
• Occasional travel when needed.

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