Customer Experience Lead

Customer Experience Lead Riverside HQ - Riverside, CA 92507 Overview Salary Range $22.00 - $25.00 Hourly Position Type Full Time Category Customer Service Description Title: Customer Experience Lead Reports To: Northern 45 Brand Manager Hours Required: Full-time, Non-Exempt Location: Onsite | Riverside, CA Compensation: $22$25 per hour Northern 45 is the U.S. sales and distribution partner for performance cycling brands that want a real presence in the American market. Based in Riverside, we handle the full commercial operation for the brands we represent: logistics, merchandising, marketing, and rider support, so they can focus on building great bikes. We're a small, focused team based in Riverside, CA and we're building something worth being part of. If you're a rider, you'll fit right in. If you're not, don't be surprised if that changes. We offer a flexible, welcoming environment where people genuinely care about what they do and about the riders they serve. We are looking for a Customer Experience Lead to own the full rider experience for the brands Northern 45 supports from the first question about a product, through the sale, through post purchase needs. This person will also build the processes and standards as Northern 45 grows. You will own day-to-day customer service and sales operations across all support channels, helping riders navigate product selection, providing expert recommendations, and identifying opportunities to grow sales while delivering an exceptional customer experience. You'll also serve as the resident expert on warranty claims and technical inquiries evaluating requests, determining claim eligibility, coordinating with manufacturers, and performing hands-on inspection and diagnosis when needed. You'll work closely with the Brand Manager and shared warehouse, operations, and sales teams throughout. As the Lead for this function, you'll also help build it. You'll work directly with the Brand Manager to develop the processes, SOPs, and standards that shape how Northern 45's entire customer care, sales, and warranty operation runs and as the team grows, you'll be the one training new hires and stepping in on escalated cases, whether that's a difficult customer situation or a complex warranty claim. The Benefits We offer a variety of benefits and perks for full-time employees, including: Medical Insurance: 100% paid employee only HMO coverage, no cost to you. If you have other qualifying coverage, you may receive a $150 monthly stipend. If you are out of network, additional costs may apply. Time Off: 15 days (3 weeks) of Paid Time Off, 7 Paid Holidays and an extra day off to ride (Bike Day) awarded each year on your work anniversary. Employee Purchase Program: Access to purchase our full inventory at cost + 3.5%. Retirement Plan: 401(k) Plan with 4% matching. Additional Insurance: Dental, vision, and supplemental insurance options Flexible Spending Accounts Professional Growth & Development Opportunities Essential Duties and Responsibilities Customer Service & Sales Serve as the primary contact for customer service and sales inquiries across email, phone, and support channels Guide customers through product selection by understanding their needs, riding preferences, and intended use Support online sales initiatives by providing feedback on customer questions, purchasing trends, and opportunities to improve the buying experience Manage order support including order status updates, shipping inquiries, returns and exchanges, and product availability questions Provide timely, accurate, and rider-focused responses to pre-sale and post-sale questions Ensure every customer interaction reflects a premium, customer-first, solution-oriented experience Educate customers about the brands we serve, their products, brand history and culture Coordinate with other department support teams to handle overflow inquiries as needed Warranty Conduct warranty intake, evaluation, and resolution processes for the brands we support Act as the primary liaison between internal teams, brand partners, and third-party manufacturers to facilitate efficient claim resolution Coordinate with peers and leadership for diagnosis, repair, and replacement decisions Track and document warranty cases from submission through resolution Create, process, and manage warranty replacement orders using software platforms such as SAP, Microsoft Dynamics 365, and Jira Communicate clearly with customers regarding timelines, outcomes, and next steps Ensure warranty decisions align with company policy, product standards, and rider fairness Perform physical inspections and functional testing of returned products and components to determine warranty eligibility and identify root causes of failure Coordinate with warehouse and operations teams to ensure smooth workflow for replacement parts and fulfillment Technical Support Educate customers on product features, maintenance, and troubleshooting to help resolve technical inquiries and promote proper bike care Diagnose and resolve technical issues by reviewing customer descriptions, photos, videos, and diagnostic data Collaborate with product teams to investigate technical concerns and support root cause analysis Partner with marketing and the web team to develop and maintain self-help resources, FAQs, and technical articles Stay current on emerging bike technologies, industry trends, and new product releases to provide accurate technical support and recommendations Department Leadership & Development Partner with the Brand Manager to build and continuously improve the processes, SOPs, and workflows that run Northern 45's customer care, sales, and warranty functions Train and onboard new hires as the department grows, serving as the go-to resource for both sales standards and technical/claim-handling practices Take ownership of escalated customer claims and complex warranty cases that require additional judgment or authority Identify recurring issues and trends across both customer service and warranty work, and recommend process or policy changes to improve efficiency and the rider experience Act as a key partner to the Brand Manager in scaling the department's structure, tools, and standards as Northern 45 adds brands and headcount Preferred Qualifications Education & Experience High school diploma or GED required; some college or relevant coursework a plus Any customer service, sales, support, or retail experience is a plus what matters more is attitude and a willingness to learn Complex bike expertise required. Prior experience training, mentoring, or informally leading others is a plus this role grows into people leadership as the department scales Skills Strong written and verbal communication skills clear, friendly, and professional Tech-savvy and comfortable learning new software; experience with Microsoft Office, CRM/ERP tools, or order management systems is a plus Highly organized with the ability to manage multiple tasks and priorities simultaneously across sales, service, and warranty work Able to translate information clearly and simply, whether explaining a product or walking a customer through a warranty process Sound judgment and the ability to work independently; knows when to ask for help and when to act Collaborative team player who works well across departments Comfortable documenting processes and turning "how we do it" into clear, repeatable SOPs Personal Attributes Genuinely passionate about mountain biking and connected to rider culture this matters Rider-first mindset: committed to delivering an exceptional experience in every interaction Calm under pressure, empathetic when it counts, and solutions-focused when things get complicated Self-directed and dependable comfortable working remotely with accountability and ownership High integrity, low ego Schedule Flexibility Northern 45's customer service operations may run 7 days a week in the future; this role may be asked to support weekend coverage on a rotating basis or other coverage