Customer Service Associate

Job Description

Job Description

COMPANY OVERVIEW

Ameritex Machine and Fabrication is a high mix, quick turn, and ISO 9001 2015 certified sheet metal and structural fabrication facility that uses a variety of equipment such as CNC Fiber Lasers, CNC punch presses, CNC press brakes, and tube lasers to support multiple assembly lines. As a rapid parts manufacturer, our company serves customers in energy, power generation, oil and gas, automotive, electric vehicle, and aerospace. We operate out of a state of the art 100,000 sqft facility in Conroe, Texas.

ROLE PURPOSE

The Customer Service Associate is the first point of contact for Ameritex customers and the first step in the quote-to-order process. This role logs incoming purchase orders, verifies them against their quotes, responds quickly to routine customer inquiries, and keeps the CRM, Estimating Software, and ERP accurate and up to date.

This is an entry-level position with full training provided. It is a strong fit for someone who is detail-oriented, organized, comfortable in a fast-paced environment, and looking for a clear path to grow within the department.

CORE PHILOSOPHY OF THE ROLE

This role is built on accuracy and good judgment about when to escalate. The Associate handles routine, low-risk work independently and routes anything outside of that to a Customer Service Representative or the Lead Sales Engineer. Catching and flagging an issue is the job; resolving it belongs to the tiers above.

THIS ROLE IS NOT

1.       Responsible for resolving PO or quote discrepancies

2.       Responsible for evaluating or clearing suspicious RFQs or POs

3.       Responsible for non-routine or high-risk customer inquiries

4.       An approval or decision-making step in the quote-to-order process

THIS ROLE DOES

1.       Receive, log, and verify incoming customer POs

2.       Respond to routine customer inquiries within the 15-minute response standard

3.       Route inquiries to the correct team inbox

4.       Run the CRM follow-up cadence on assigned quotes

5.       Keep quote, deal, and customer records accurate across all systems

6.       Flag discrepancies, fraud indicators, and unclear requirements for escalation

7.       Maintain documentation for full order traceability

PO INTAKE & VERIFICATION

1.       Receive and log incoming customer POs in the Estimating Software and ERP

2.       Compare each PO against its quote line by line (items, quantities, pricing, revisions)

3.       Flag any mismatch for review

4.       Hand verified POs off to a Customer Service Representative for facilitation

CUSTOMER INQUIRIES & INBOX MANAGEMENT

1.       Monitor the shared customer inboxes

2.       Send acknowledgment replies within 15 minutes on routine, low-risk inquiries

3.       Route all other inquiries to sales, scheduling, quality, NCR, or IT as appropriate

QUOTE FOLLOW-UP & STATUS UPDATES

1.       Run the CRM follow-up cadence (3, 7, and 14-day reminders) on assigned quotes under Representative or Lead direction

2.       Update quote and deal status (Won, Lost, On Hold) in the Estimating Software and CRM

3.       Perform accurate, high-volume data entry for customer records, PO line items, and quote status updates

ESCALATION & FRAUD AWARENESS

1.       Recognize fraud and scam red flags on RFQs and POs using the company checklist

2.       Escalate suspicious RFQs and POs immediately

3.       Escalate PO/RFQ discrepancies and unclear customer requirements to a Representative or above

DOCUMENTATION

1.       Maintain complete documentation and communication records for traceability

2.       Perform additional tasks assigned

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

1.       0–2 years of experience in customer service, order entry, data entry, or office administration

2.       Fast, accurate typing and data entry with strong attention to detail

3.       Working knowledge of Microsoft Office, especially Outlook and Excel

4.       Clear, professional written communication

5.       Ability to manage a high volume of email and tasks under tight response times

6.       Willingness to follow established procedures and escalate when something looks wrong

EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS

1.       High school diploma or GED

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

1.       Experience in manufacturing, fabrication, or distribution environment

2.       Exposure to an ERP or CRM system

3.       Familiarity with purchase orders, quotes, or order-to-cash processes

TRAINING PROVIDED

No prior knowledge of Ameritex systems is expected. Training covers:

1.       Working proficiency in the CRM, Estimating Software, and ERP

2.       Line-by-line PO-to-quote verification

3.       The 15-minute response standard and shared-inbox routing

4.       The CRM follow-up cadence

5.       The fraud and scam red-flag checklist

6.       Where Customer Service fits in the quote-to-order pipeline and when to escalate

KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATORS

1.       15-minute response compliance on assigned routine inquiries

2.       PO entry and logging accuracy (discrepancies correctly flagged vs. missed)

3.       Escalation accuracy on routine vs. escalate decisions

ROLE EVOLUTION

This is the entry tier of the Estimating & Customer Service department: Customer Service Associate, Customer Service Representative, Senior Customer Service Specialist, and Customer Service Lead. As the Associate demonstrates accuracy and sound judgment, the role offers a clear path to advance to Customer Service Representative.

WORK ENVIRONMENT & PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS

1.       Office setting within an active manufacturing facility; PPE required when on the shop floor

2.       Prolonged sitting and computer work

3.       Occasional lifting up to 25 lbs