Customer Service Representative

Location: Florence, SC

About the Role

Join a growing, successful company in an exciting and challenging field. Border States is 100% employee-owned, empowering you to make decisions, find solutions, and receive rewards for your hard work. This role supports the day-to-day operations of the Customer Service Team by promoting sales, obtaining orders, and providing service to customers.

Responsibilities

Essential Functions

• Work closely with Border States’ sales and marketing staff to meet and exceed branch sales and gross profit objectives.
• Obtain orders and provide proactive customer service, including order entry, expediting, pricing, returns, coordinating deliveries, and follow-up on customer inquiries.
• Provide timely follow-up on customer technical inquiries and requests.
• Maintain Open Order Reports, Billing Block Reports, and other necessary reports consistently.
• Actively participate in the marketing and sale of Border States’ products and services.
• Provide responsive, quality service to meet and exceed customer expectations.
• Provide input to BSE personnel on customer needs or concerns regarding pricing, inventory, products, competition, and procedures.
• Coordinate with Customer Financial Services staff to resolve customer-billing problems resulting from errors in pricing, shipping, delivery, or other credit areas.
• Provide input to pricing and purchasing areas on product evaluations, code descriptions, inventory management, pricing development, and related functions.

Non-essential Functions

• Attend sales meetings and training programs as required.
• Assist with sales meetings and trade shows as needed.
• Develop quotations and request bid or performance bonds for customers within company profit objectives and guidelines.
• Perform other duties as assigned by a supervisor or designate.

Requirements

• Minimum of a 2-year business/trade degree preferred or equivalent work experience.
• Minimum of 2 years of prior customer service, city desk, or sales experience with strong knowledge of electrical products and systems preferred.
• Technical ability to understand electrical systems with a minimum of 2 years of prior electrical distribution experience preferred.
• Ability to read, write, and speak in English preferred.
• Strong working knowledge of PC for Windows, Microsoft Office (Excel, Word, and PowerPoint), internet, email, and SAP software preferred.

Skills

• Excellent customer service skills, including being competent, accurate, responsive, and engaged.
• Excellent interpersonal, written, and verbal communication skills.
• Strong ability to plan and organize effectively.

Physical Requirements

Lifting and Carrying Frequency

• Lift from Waist:
  • < 10 lbs.: Not at all
  • 10 to 25 lbs.: Not at all
  • 26 to 50 lbs.: Not at all
  • 51 to 75 lbs.: Not at all
  • 75 to 100 lbs.: Not at all
  • 100+ lbs.: Not at all
• Lift from Floor:
  • < 10 lbs.: Frequently
  • 10 to 25 lbs.: Frequently
  • 26 to 50 lbs.: Occasionally
  • 51 to 75 lbs.: Occasionally
  • 75 to 100 lbs.: Not at all
  • 100+ lbs.: Not at all
• Carried for Distance:
  • < 10 lbs.: Not at all
  • 10 to 25 lbs.: Not at all
  • 26 to 50 lbs.: Not at all
  • 51 to 75 lbs.: Not at all
  • 75 to 100 lbs.: Not at all
  • 100+ lbs.: Not at all

Physical Activity Frequency

• Sitting: Continuously
• Standing: Frequently
• Walking: Frequently
• Bending/Stooping: Occasionally
• Crawling: Not at all
• Climbing/Walking Stairs: Frequently
• Reaching: Frequently
• Crouching/Squatting: Occasionally
• Kneeling: Occasionally
• Balancing: Occasionally
• Repetitive Motion: Continuously
• Pivoting: Occasionally
• Pushing/Pulling: Occasionally
• Grasping: Continuously
• Fingering: Continuously
• Talking: Continuously
• Driving: Occasionally
• Desk Work: Continuously
• Use of a Computer: Continuously
• Use of a Telephone: Continuously
• Hearing: Continuously
• Exposure to Adverse Weather & Temperature Conditions: Occasionally
• Travel: Occasionally

Benefits

• Health, Dental, and Vision Benefits
• Accident, Critical Illness, Hospital Indemnity
• FSA & HSA
• Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP)
• Disability Benefits
• 401(k) Retirement Plan
• Life Insurance
• Employee Assistance Program
• Paid Holidays
• Paid Volunteer Time
• Personal Leave Time
• Bonuses upon achievement of branch and company goals