Manager, Customer Service National Sales (northeast Region) (hybrid: Onsite And Remote)

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This position has been segmented as hybrid meaning the work is a combination of approximately 90 percent remote/virtual and 10 percent onsite at distribution center offices located anywhere in the Northeast Region of the United States as follows: Fishers IN, Twinsburg OH, Cleveland OH, Wixom MI, Greensburg PA, Manassas VA, Buffalo, NY, Pittston PA, Allentown PA, Bridgeport NJ, Swedesboro NJ, Perth Amboy NJ, Albany NY, Norwich CT, Seabrook NH, within a 50 mile distance to the listed Distribution Offices. This role will most likely be in the office approximately 1 time per month or occasionally for training.

Supervise, plan, and direct the daily activities of assigned customer contact associates. Monitor and assess individual performance against key performance indicators, ensuring timely, accurate responses to Sales Managers, Territory Managers, Account Executives/Managers and customers. Responsible for managing all aspects of the customer contact function, including executing initiatives that ensure consistent customer service and satisfaction. Resolve escalated issues with orders, delivery dates, service, and/or any other concerns that may arise.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

People Leadership – 30%

• Recruit and develop new customer contact representatives
• Provide regular feedback to associates develop top talent while embracing our core values
• Provide coaching, best practice sharing, training and constructive feedback. Identify development needs on an individual basis.
• Ensure expectations both quantitative and qualitative are set and reviewed on an on-going basis. Participate in regular performance review meetings.
• Train and coach team members ensuring they are set up for success in all aspects of their role including their development for future roles.

Workforce Management/Training – 20%

• Manage daily operations of the customer contact team and its functions.
• Plan, prioritize and delegate work tasks to ensure proper functioning of the team.
• Monitor relevant quality statistics which measures the efficiency and effectiveness of conversations between a customer and contact service representatives. Evaluate associate performance against key performance indicators (e.g., call volume, abandoned call rate, average handle time, call escalations, speed to answer)
• Oversee and coordinate daily work schedules to ensure adequate coverage to maintain an orderly workflow according to business needs and priorities.
• Perform capacity planning as necessary.

CI/Project Delivery – 15%

• Develop and implement customer service strategies focused to improve the customer's experience, build sustainable relationships with the customer, and facilitate sales growth
• Participate in or lead projects/initiatives tied to functional goals.
• Ensure best practices for both process and technology across the customer contact team.
• Continuously seek opportunities for synergy, improvement, simplification and automation of existing processes, technology, reporting, etc.
• Provide thought leadership by researching and analyzing data to draw conclusions, identify trends and uncover potential issues. Use this knowledge to develop recommendations.

Customer Retention – 15%

• Handle complex and escalated customer service issues, and track customer complaint resolution
• Assist customer contact associates in escalating inquiries to location, Region, Area and Corporate functions including Operations, Replenishment, Pricing, and Category Management
• Chain Business Support - Acts as primary liaison within the customer service team and Chain Concept team to manage the following activity specific to chain customers; escalate issues, primary contact for chain customers, administration reporting, addresses routing and delivery issues, new customer openings, train new locations and contacts for existing concepts, research credit requests

Sales Support – 15%

• Identify upselling opportunities to support scoop and other promotional needs
• Assist/lead the team through the execution of broader sales related initiatives
• Large scale recovery efforts

Personal Development – 5%

• Update your personal IDP and prepare for check-ins with your leaders
• Engage in formal US Foods performance management programs
• Pursue other personal learning and development initiatives (ex – LinkedIn learning, membership in ERGs, etc

Supervision: Customer Contact Representatives (10-15 Direct Reports) Oversees 20-25% of all order entry equating $300k-$1.5mm sales annually

Relationships: Internal: Customer contact personnel, Local and National Sales Management, Replenishment Leads, Pricing Manager, Warehouse, Transportation, and other functions as required External: US Foods Customers, and Vendors

Qualifications:

Education/Training: Bachelors degree, or a combination of education and experience equivalent to a Bachelors degree.

Related Experience: Five (5) years of customer service experience required Two (2) years of management and leadership experience required In-depth knowledge of customer service leadership in principles and practices with food service distribution and contact center experience preferred

Knowledge/Skills/Abilities: Outstanding verbal communication and interpersonal skills, able to interact across multiple stakeholders at various levels in the organization, external customers and vendors Professional leadership skills, someone who can lead and inspire teams exhibiting the skills to understand team dynamics; able to lead under pressure. Ability to train/develop direct reports Exceptional technical and analytical skills, able to think creatively and develop new solutions Ability to interpret data and translate into actionable steps; helps drive a culture of continuous improvement working toward department goals Superior organizational, problem solving and time management skills Proven working experience in a customer service orientation, with strong customer-facing skills. Able to influence and persuade customers to purchase products, troubleshoot customer disputes and engage in customer feedback Advanced computer skills including Microsoft Word, Outlook, Excel and PowerPoint required. Telephone system and reporting experience preferred. Ability to learn proprietary US Foods systems eCommerce, Salesforce.com (SOUS), Demand Communication Tool (DCT), SODS, CDMR, Tandem, SMOI and CES Quotes Ability to respond to quickly learn new procedures, processes, product information Ability to work weekends or holidays if business needs dictate Ability and willingness to travel for training or business meetings as needed (10%)