Customer Service Solutions Manager

A.O. Smith is a global leader applying innovative technologies and energy-efficient solutions to products manufactured and marketed worldwide. The company is one of the world’s leading manufacturers of residential and commercial water heating equipment and boilers, as well as a manufacturer of water treatment products for residential and light commercial applications. This role is based in a hybrid workplace setting.

About the role

The Customer Service Solutions Manager will lead the strategy, optimization, and modernization of customer service technologies and customer engagement platforms while overseeing a high-performing customer service organization. This role is responsible for driving improvements across contact center systems, customer routing, workflow automation, system integrations, and omnichannel support solutions, including chat, text messaging, and AI-enabled self-service tools. Serving as a key partner to IT, Engineering, Warranty, and Operations teams, the successful candidate will help enhance the customer experience, support enterprise-wide technology initiatives, and ensure customer service platforms effectively meet both business and customer needs. While the role includes leadership responsibilities, the primary focus is on customer service technology, process improvement, and contact center transformation.

Responsibilities

• Lead the strategy, management, and optimization of customer service and contact center technologies.
• Serve as the business owner for customer experience solutions, ensuring systems effectively support customer interactions across multiple channels.
• Manage a team of technical support professionals with a specific focus in the areas of call center operation, agent training, agent quality, call center analytics, and continuous improvement.
• Partner with IT teams to design, implement, and maintain system integrations, workflow automation, customer routing, and platform enhancements.
• Oversee call routing design, customer journey optimization, and service channel performance to ensure customers receive timely and effective support.
• Align self and department(s) with company culture, company values, and organizational programs.
• Provide leadership guidance, handle crisis-driven events, and motivate the team with empathy, diplomacy, and accountability.
• Ensure all team members work collaboratively toward common goals and empower them to make decisions aligned with these goals.
• Conduct agenda-driven meetings and direct value-added activities while eliminating non-value-added tasks.
• Understand capacity planning with long-range forecasting and manage short-range forecasting, including scheduling, staffing, and intra-day management.
• Guide an effective call center quality program, ensuring data-driven metrics for improvement and consistent quality calibrations.
• Provide feedback from quality scores to both leadership and training teams.
• Oversee candidate selection in collaboration with HR and ensure onboarding training is up-to-date with position analysis.
• Create and review departmental budgets, forecast future needs, manage monthly budgets, justify increases, and seek cost-reduction opportunities.
• Make merit and bonus recommendations.
• Carry out management responsibilities in accordance with the organization's policies and applicable laws.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's Degree in a related field.
• 6+ years of experience leading/supervising customer service, contact center, technical support, or customer experience operations.
• 5+ years of hands-on experience managing customer service technology platforms such as Salesforce, Five9, Genesys, NICE, Amazon Connect, Zendesk, or similar customer engagement solutions.
• Demonstrated experience leading customer service technology implementations, system enhancements, or digital transformation initiatives.
• Experience partnering with IT teams to implement customer service systems, integrations, workflow automation, customer routing, and omnichannel support solutions.
• Strong understanding of contact center operations, customer experience management, workforce management, and customer engagement technologies.
• Experience evaluating, recommending, and implementing customer-facing technologies such as webchat, SMS/text messaging, AI self-service tools, chatbots, or other omnichannel solutions.
• Excellent written and oral communication and presentation skills.
• Demonstrated people-oriented management experience.

Benefits

• Competitive compensation package.
• Comprehensive benefits plans including medical and dental insurance.
• Company-sponsored life insurance.
• Retirement security savings plan.
• Short- and long-term disability programs.
• Tuition assistance.

Locations: Ashland City, TN and Johnson City, TN.