Supervisor, Customer Support

The Customer Support Supervisor is responsible for customer support, order fulfillment, master data management and sales support as well as supervising the activities of the Customer Support Specialists (CSSs) at Boulder Scientific Company (BSC). This role is a “player-coach” wherein the successful incumbent both manages key account(s) as an individual contributor as well as leads the Customer Support team. This person will be highly collaborative, proactive, and detail-oriented in ensuring customer satisfaction, leading the daily activities of the customer interface team, and in contributing to the overall growth of BSC.

Job Responsibilities

Customer Support

Contributes individually for key account(s) and leads the Customer Support Team as a key contact between BSC and our customers/prospects, including but not limited to the following responsibilities:

• Oversees, manages and executes forecast to cash processes including order entry and execution, through to shipment, invoicing and collections.
• Leads order entry and acknowledgment process while seeking improvements to streamline available to promise to drive internal efficiency. Creates order documentation.
• Forecast entry, changes, and management. Communication and Q&A, both cross-functional internally and externally with customers to develop, maintain and improve forecasts. Closely monitors customer forecasts, usage rates and inventories on a rolling 18-month basis. Develop insights and recommendations (i.e. volume/share growth opportunities) based on forecast information and customer relationships toward the goal of BSC meeting or exceeding AOP and long-term growth.
• Negotiates order and forecast changes, whether initiated by the customer or by BSC, within delegated authority to meet customer and BSC goals.
• Manages in-month/in-quarter shipment planning, ensuring timing of production completion through to shipment will meet customers and BSC requirements. Collaborates cross-functionally to manage changing production and shipment schedules to meet needs of both the customer and BSC.
• Responds to requests for quotes, including developing pricing proposals and responding to RFQ within delegated authority level. As needed, collaborates across the commercial organization on RFQ responses. Manages RFQ and quotations beyond initial response including follow-up on quotes, win/loss tracking, etc.
• Coordinates and communicates internally and externally with customers and, as needed, with freight forwarders on outbound shipments. Works with customers and freight forwarders managing reverse logistics ensuring efficient use of BSC-owned fleet and that returnable containers/ISOs are available for orders.
• First point of escalation for BSC Finance team on customer receivables.
• Resolves non-technical customer complaints such as production delays, shipping delays, documentation issues, etc. Assists in resolution of technical customer complaints including product quality, cylinder failure, etc. Manages RMA/RGAs. Participates as needed in the development of 8D corrective action reports, and in some cases owns development of such 8D reports, including communication of 8Ds to customer and successful resolution of complaints.
• In addition to managing orders, RFQs and forecasts, leads Customer Support team in their role as the point of contact for customer inquiries and requests such as customer questionnaires/paper audits, customer forms related to various compliance/regulatory issues, etc. Works cross-functionally aided by BSC systems and business processes to address those inquiries and requests in a timeframe acceptable to the customer.
• First point of contact for customers in relaying production issues including manufacturing or shipping delays or accelerations, over/under production, off-spec production, etc. Negotiates favorable outcomes for both BSC and customers.
• Communicates broadly on orders and forecasts, through both written and verbal communication, both internally (meetings, emails) and with customers, on topics including but not limited to order acknowledgement, analytical information/Certificates of Analysis, pre-shipment samples, shipping issues/coordination including import/export licensing, pro-forma invoices, packaging/labelling issues, and cylinder fleet management including customer and BSC owned, etc.
• Partners with account managers to execute account plans to drive share and revenue growth. Develops, grows and maintains relationships with customer personnel consistent with account plans and job responsibilities.

Customer Master Data Management

Contributes individually for key account(s) and leads the Customer Support Team in fulfilling the following responsibilities:

• Manages customer master data including qualifying and setting up new customers, maintaining approved pricing and INCO/credit terms.
• Executes price changes both internally and externally with customers.
• Ensures customer requirements such as specifications, labeling and packaging and regulatory (export) requirements are captured as customer master data and/or at order entry and communicated throughout the organization. Works cross-functionally to ensure those requirements are met.

Leadership

• Supervises CSSs, including hiring, training, coaching, performance evaluation, and daily management of assignments; create goals and development plans, and provide regular feedback on performance and expectations.
• Leads development and training of Customer Support team in support of both individual career goals and BSC growth goals. Identifies, trains and coaches Customer Support team in skill development needed to exceed in their roles.
• Identifies opportunities for streamlining processes, reducing waste, improving efficiency, etc. and lead continuous improvement projects. Identify and implement opportunities to empower CSS team members and drive efficiency in the Commercial organization.

Qualifications

Bachelor’s degree in business, technical, or related field preferred, with at least three years of relevant experience.

Experience

• At least three years of order entry, customer service, or other sales process experience
• Ability to develop, maintain and exercise productive customer relationships to meet customer and company goals.
• Excellent collaboration skills including facilitating meetings and projects across multi-departmental teams.
• Experience supervising others is a plus.
• Experience working in a scientific, technical or manufacturing environment preferred.
• Experience in the use of computer software programs commonly found in sales and manufacturing environments, such as: Excel, Power Point, Outlook, and ERP systems; experience with data analytics software such as Power BI is a plus.
• Knowledge of specialty chemical products is preferred.
• Experience in batch chemical environment(s) is preferred.

Work Environment

While performing the duties of this job, the employee will be keyboarding for extended periods of time. The employee must regularly lift and/or move up to 15 pounds. The employee will occasionally visit manufacturing areas, prep areas, and storage facilities that require the use of PPE.