Manager - Customer Service

Job Summary

The Customer Service Manager leads the branch Customer Service team and is responsible for delivering a high level of customer service while supporting accurate and timely order execution. This role leads, coaches, and develops Customer Service Representatives; oversees customer account and order-management activities; and serves as the primary escalation point for complex customer issues.

Working closely with Sales, Operations, Fabrication, Warehouse, Inventory Control, Credit, Purchasing, and Shipping, the Customer Service Manager ensures customer needs are effectively coordinated and resolved while identifying opportunities to improve service, processes, efficiency, and overall branch performance.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead, coach, train, and develop Customer Service Representatives while fostering an accountable, collaborative, and customer-focused team environment.
• Manage department staffing, workload distribution, scheduling, performance management, employee development, and day-to-day team priorities.
• Oversee customer account activities, including orders, quotations, pricing, returns, credits, shipping information, billing adjustments, and other customer requests.
• Serve as the management escalation point for complex customer and order-related issues, ensuring concerns are investigated, communicated, and resolved through completion.
• Monitor open orders, backorders, quotations, returns, claims, credits, and pricing discrepancies to ensure timely follow-up and resolution.
• Oversee the establishment and maintenance of customer contract pricing and approve credits and adjustments within established authority.
• Partner closely with Sales, Operations, Fabrication, Warehouse, Inventory Control, Credit, Purchasing, and Shipping to coordinate customer requirements and meet customer commitments.
• Support Sales and customer relationships through quotations, pricing, account requirements, and issue resolution.
• Monitor customer service performance, workload, service levels, and department results and provide reporting to branch and regional leadership.
• Identify recurring service or operational issues and implement process improvements that enhance customer satisfaction, order accuracy, productivity, efficiency, and profitability.
• Ensure the team follows established company policies, procedures, approval requirements, and customer-service standards.
• Support implementation of new systems, processes, policies, products, and company initiatives.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Business, Management, Supply Chain, or a related field preferred; equivalent education and relevant experience may be considered.
• 5+ years of progressive customer service, account management, inside sales, order management, or related experience, preferably within industrial distribution, manufacturing, construction products, fire protection, or a similar B2B environment.
• 2+ years of people-leadership experience, including coaching, employee development, performance management, and workload management.
• Experience managing complex customer issues and serving as an escalation point for customer and order-related concerns.
• Strong understanding of order-management processes, including quotations, order entry, pricing, product availability, shipping, returns, credits, and billing discrepancies.
• Proven ability to work cross-functionally and resolve customer and operational issues.
• Strong leadership, communication, organizational, problem-solving, and decision-making skills.
• Ability to use reports and performance metrics to monitor results and identify opportunities for improvement.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office and ERP/order-management systems; JDE experience preferred.