Customer Service Representative I

Job Description Job Description Summary:
The Customer Service Representative is responsible for being the central point of contact for our customer accounts, ensuring seamless coordination across all aspects of order management by managing orders from receipt through acknowledgment, communication, ship commitments, and ongoing status updates through final delivery. This role encompasses full lifecycle management of transactions, including order entry, supplier follow-up, returns processing (RMA), issue resolution, and meeting performance metrics. The position requires close collaboration with internal teams and external partners to ensure timely and accurate fulfillment, while maintaining strong relationships with key accounts.

Sales Administration and Development
Meets FIRMAN and customer performance standards to maintain strong customer relationships and avoid performance penalties.
Manages end-to-end lifecycle of assigned customer orders, including order entry, processing, scheduling, shipment coordination, proof of delivery retrieval, and documentation management.
Serves as the primary point of contact for assigned accounts, collaborating closely with Sales, Logistics, and external partners to manage order updates, revisions, and fulfillment expectations.
Enters and maintains orders in ERP systems accurately, providing realistic and timely ship dates while proactively communicating status updates and changes to internal teams and customers.
Acts as the voice of the customer, ensuring internal alignment to meet service expectations, and resolve issues efficiently.
Processes customer returns in accordance with company policies and customer agreements, ensuring accuracy and compliance.
Validates purchase order pricing against approved quotes and contracts.
Coordinates with internal teams, and other parties involved to resolve discrepancies.
Partners with Sales and Logistics to align inventory availability and production capacity with shipping schedules and customer demand, adapting to supply chain constraints.
Collaborates with internal teams to evaluate and commit to feasible delivery timelines, especially for high-volume or short-lead-time orders.
Supports technical and other teams as needed in addressing product or order-related inquiries as needed.
Resolves complex customer issues professionally and promptly, ensuring commitments to service excellence are consistently met.
Identifies process improvement opportunities and contributes to continuous improvement initiatives to enhance efficiency and customer satisfaction.
Facilitates clear communication across departments to balance customer expectations with business priorities and operational capabilities.
Prepares and analyzes daily, weekly, and monthly reports related to order status, fulfillment, and account performance.
Attends meetings and trainings as needed.
Other duties as assigned.

Skills and Abilities:
EDI experience preferred.
Experience managing high-profile or key accounts preferred.
Strong attention to detail with exceptional organizational and follow-through skills.
Excellent written and verbal communication skills, ensuring effective collaboration with both internal teams and external partners.
Strong decision-making skills with the ability to analyze and apply information effectively.
Reliable, flexible, proactive, and highly motivated team player.
Knowledge of CPG (Consumer Packaged Goods) customers preferred.
Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint).
Ability to perform effectively in a fast-paced, dynamic, and constantly evolving environment.
Proactively escalate significant issues or concerns to team leadership as they arise.
Act as a liaison with Operations to address customer complaints, questionnaires, and documentation requirements.

Education and Experience
High school diploma (or equivalent).
Two (2) years of relevant experience.
Prefer experience in the CPG and/or Manufacturing sector.

Communications:
Ensures clear and timely communication within department and with other departments to maximize quality, productivity and minimize down time.
Proven ability to handle multiple priorities, work in a fast-paced environment, and make decisions quickly is a must.
Keeps management informed of significant issues and actions being taken to address and/or improve the situation.
Acts as a problem solver and team player.
Presents technical information and/or procedures to the team.
Respects confidentiality of privileged information.

Personal Growth:
Exercises tact and discretion in interpersonal contacts.
Respects confidentiality of privileged information.
Supports the Company’s core values.
Demonstrates commitment to continued personal and professional growth and development.

Physical Demands:
Occasionally required to walk, stoop, bend, kneel, crouch, crawl, or squat.
Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and ability to adjust focus.
Regularly required to use hands to finger, handle, or feel; reach with hands and arms and talk or hear.
Prolonged periods of sitting at a desk and working on a computer.
Ability to lift 10 to 25 pounds.