Customer service lead

Job Details

Job Summary :

The Customer Service Lead oversees the processes and ensures successful and timely execution. The Customer Service Lead works to ensure a positive experience for the customer by coaching and leading other employees and assisting with the execution of daily operations by overseeing staff training, team building exercises, and performance reviews.

Essential Job Duties :

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty to satisfactory standards. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions.

• Manages the day-to-day activities of the team to ensure all processes and e-mails are handled accurately, timely, and efficiently.
• Assists management with hiring processes.
• Trains new employees on company standards and procedures.
• Conducts training of team members to maximize their potential.
• Delegates / Assigns work : Assigns certain duties to the employee, explaining how those duties are to be done ( what level of performance will meet the expectations) and communicating how the successful performance of those duties will be measured.
• Empower team members with skills to improve their confidence, product knowledge, and communication skills.
• Generates and conducts performance reviews / evaluations.
• Ensures company goals and objectives are being met by each employee and provides constructive feedback.
• Creates a pleasant working environment that inspires the team. Encourages team members, including communicating team goals and identifying areas for new training or skill checks.
• Develop and implement a plan and timeline to achieve goals / targets. Motivates the team to achieve organizational goals.
• Contributes to the growth of the company through a successful team.
• Actively seeks to resolve any concerns while adhering to the company policy and standards of behavior.
• Addresses customer concerns about products, services rendered, or employee interactions.
• Approves / denies Return Goods Authorizations, Credits, and Debits within the assigned dollar threshold.
• Answers team member questions, helps with team member problems, and oversees team member work for quality and compliance.

Ensures compliance with company policies as well as with customers’ requirements, including involvement in internal and external audits.

• Develops strategies to promote team member adherence to company regulations and performance goals.
• Generates and shares comprehensive and detailed reports about team performance, mission-related objectives, and deadlines.
• Resolves complaints related to personnel or work environment with management’s assistance.
• Ensures company brand materials and physical working spaces meet and exceed company presentation standards.
• Provides quality customer service, including interacting with customers, answering customer inquiries, and effectively handling customer complaints.

Resolves client issues, a point of escalation.

• Assists with the setup of new accounts as well as modifications of existing accounts.
• Monitors and manages general e-mail accounts as needed.
• Meets customer service objectives and goals by planning, prioritizing, and delegating work tasks to ensure the proper functioning of the department;

as well as ensuring the necessary resources and tools are available for quality customer service delivery. This includes creating SOPs and keeping them current for training purposes.

• Identifies and implements strategies to improve quality of service, productivity, and profitability by analyzing relevant data to determine customer service outputs;
• providing customer service information, recommendations, strategic plans, and reviews; preparing and completing action plans;
• implementing production, productivity, quality, and customer service standards; resolving problems; identifying customer service trends;

determining system improvements; and implementing change.

• Works closely with all departments to ensure top-quality customer service and assists other departments or team members as needed.
• Supplies management with various reports (including work status).
• Proactively accepts additional duties and / or responsibilities as directed by management.
• Responsible for performing no-charge releases and price overrides accurately and timely when assigned.
• Account Management including but not limited to processing orders, responding to customers’ inquiries, resolving issues pertaining to the account, and reviewing Makita’s performance to identify room for improvement to meet and exceed customer requirements and expectations.

Heavily involved in EDI transactions.

• Assists with the development, testing, implementation, and review of new systems or systems modifications when assigned.
• Responsible for ensuring timely and accurate communication with the Sales team and customers.
• Responsible for staying current on system and processing changes within retailer / customer by reviewing customer’s compliance requirements, seeking out and attending workshops, training, and webinars as needed.
• Processes Employee Time Records and reviews Requests for Time off for approval / denial based on policies and business needs.
• Schedules work hours to maximize phone and data entry coverage.
• Monitors Up-sales and develops strategies to meet and exceed targets as needed.
• Completes training for personal and team growth as assigned by management.
• Assists customer service staff with duties where required.
• Investigates and solves customer service complaints. Point of escalation.

Other Duties :

Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities required of the employee for this job.

Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change at any time with or without notice.

Skills Required :

• Must have Self-Motivation, Strong Relationship Building, and Customer Service Skills.
• Must have a positive attitude, a friendly personality, and a passion for working with people.
• Must be diplomatic, patient, and a good listener.
• Must have a keen eye for detail, a commitment to accuracy, and possess exceptional organizational skills.
• Initiative - Undertakes self-development activities including cross-training; Seeks increased responsibilities; Looks for and takes advantage of opportunities.
• Innovation - Meets challenges with resourcefulness; Generates suggestions for improving work; Develops innovative approaches and ideas;

Presents ideas and information to get others' attention.

• Must be able to multitask and have analytical and strong problem-solving skills, coupled with the ability to think on your feet.
• Professional office and email etiquette. Excellent verbal and written communication skills and the ability to interact professionally with a diverse group of executives, managers, supervisors, sales reps, and customer service reps.
• Ability to effectively present information and respond to questions from groups of managers, clients, customers, and the public.
• Oral Communication - Speaks clearly and persuasively in positive or negative situations; listens and gets clarification;

Very strong Listening Skills; Responds well to questions; Demonstrates group presentation skills; Participates in meetings.

Written Communication - Writes clearly and informatively; Edits work for spelling and grammar; Varies writing style to meet needs;

Presents numerical data effectively; Able to read and interpret written information.

Professionalism - Tactfully approaches others; Reacts well under pressure; Treats others with respect and consideration regardless of their status or position;

Accepts responsibility for own actions; Follows through on commitments.

• Must have the ability to work in high-pressure situations in a deadline-driven environment.
• Analytical - Collects and researches data; Uses intuition and experience to complement data; Designs workflows and procedures.
• Judge decisions, splays willingness to make decisions; Exhibits sound and accurate judgment; Supports and explains reasoning for decisions;

Includes appropriate people in the decision-making process; Makes timely decisions.

Problem-Solving - Identifies and resolves problems promptly; Gathers and analyzes information skillfully; Develops alternative solutions;

Works well in group problem-solving situations; Uses reason even when dealing with emotional topics.

Dependability - Follows instructions, responds to management direction; Takes responsibility for own actions; Keeps commitments;

Commits to long hours of work when necessary to reach goals; Completes tasks on time or notifies appropriate person with an alternate plan.

• Teamwork - Balances team and individual responsibilities; Exhibits objectivity and openness to others' views; Gives and welcomes feedback;
• Contributes to building a positive team spirit; Puts success of team above own interests; Able to build morale and group commitments to goals and objectives;

Supports everyone's efforts to succeed.

Leadership - Exhibits confidence in self and others; Inspires and motivates others to perform well; effectively influences actions and opinions of others;

Accepts feedback from others; Gives appropriate recognition to others.

• Managing People - Includes staff in planning, decision-making, facilitating, and process improvement; Takes responsibility for subordinates' activities;
• Makes self-available to staff; Provides regular performance feedback; Develops subordinates' skills and encourages growth;

Solicits and applies customer feedback (internal and external); Fosters quality focus in others; Improves processes, products, and services.

Continually works to improve supervisory skills.

Delegation - Delegates work assignments; Matches the responsibility to the person; Gives authority to work independently;

Sets expectations and monitors delegated activities; Provides recognition for results.

Technical Skills - Assesses own strengths and weaknesses; Pursues training and development opportunities; Strives to continuously build knowledge and skills;

Shares expertise with others.

Customer Service - Manages difficult or emotional customer situations; Responds promptly to customer needs; Solicits customer feedback to improve service;

Responds to requests for service and assistance; Meets commitments.

Quality - Demonstrates accuracy and thoroughness; Looks for ways to improve and promote quality; Applies feedback to improve performance;

Monitors own work to ensure quality.

• Quantity - Meets productivity standards; Completes work in a timely manner; Strives to increase productivity; Works quickly.
• Diversity - Demonstrates knowledge of EEO policy; Shows respect and sensitivity for cultural differences; educates others on the value of diversity;

promotes a harassment-free environment; Builds a diverse workforce.

Ethics - Treats people with respect; Keeps commitments; inspires the trust of others; Works with integrity and ethics;

Upholds organizational values.

Attendance / Punctuality - Is consistently at work and on time; Ensures work responsibilities are covered when absent;

Arrives at meetings and appointments on time.

• Strong computer skills, including the ability to master new systems and enter data quickly and accurately.
• Bilingual (English & Spanish) is a plus.

Supervisory Responsibility :

This position does have direct supervisory responsibilities.

Work Environment :

This position works in an open office setting that is quiet, and fast-paced, fostering continuous learning while operating under high demand / volume.

This role routinely uses standard office equipment such as computers, phones, photocopiers, filing cabinets, and fax machines.

Travel : Some traveling is required.

Education and / or Experience Desired :

The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and / or ability required.

• High School Diploma / GED required.
• Relevant College Degree preferred.
• 3 years of customer service experience, preferably in a call center environment. Experience within a high-quality and fast-paced customer service environment is preferred.
• 2 years of leadership experience preferred.
• Microsoft Office experience (, Excel, PowerPoint, Word, etc.) with an added focus on Microsoft Excel.
• Experience with CRM systems, B2B, E-Commerce, call center management, monitoring software, call recording, and screen capturing software preferred.
• Experience operating in an EDI environment, as well as experience having worked on e-commerce projects preferred.
• Additional formal management training such as accredited schools, workshops, and seminars is a plus.
• Experience organizing training initiatives preferred.
• Experience with Vendor Central and HD link is a plus.
• Experience with up-sales is a plus.

Physical Demands :

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job.

Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions.

• Required to regularly use hands to finger, handle or feel; reach with hands and arms; and talk or hear.
• Required to regularly stand, walk; stoop, bend, or reach above head.
• Required to frequently sit.
• May be required to occasionally lift, push, or pull up to 30 pounds.
• Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus.
• Able to ascend and descend stairs.
• Continuously reach out to sort miscellaneous items.
• Physically & mentally able to work in an environment that may be subjected to a strict deadline and multiple projects.
• Working extended hours will be required as needed.

Disclaimer :

This description is based on management's assessment of the requirements and functions of the job as of the date this description was prepared.

It is a general guideline for managers and employees, but it is not intended to be an exhaustive list of all of the elements of the job.

Management reserves the right to modify the description at any time, or to vary the duties and responsibilities of the job on a temporary or indefinite basis to meet production, scheduling, or staffing needs.

Equal Opportunity Statement :

The Company is an equal opportunity employer and makes employment decisions based on merit. Company policy prohibits discrimination based on race, color, creed, sex, religion, marital status, age, gender, national origin, ancestry, physical disability (including HIV and AIDS), mental disability, veteran status, military service, pregnancy, childbirth or related medical condition, genetic information, medical (including genetic characteristics or cancer diagnosis), actual or perceived sexual orientation, or any consideration protected by federal, state or local laws.

All such discrimination is prohibited. Additionally, the Company will provide registered domestic partners with all rights and benefits as required by Law.

The Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act of 2008 (GINA) prohibits employers from requesting or requiring genetic information of an individual or family member of the individual.

The Company is committed to complying with all applicable laws providing equal employment opportunities.

Last updated : 2024-09-27