Product Technical Support Associate

About the role

Construction Specialties (CS) is a specialty building products manufacturer founded in 1948. We provide solutions to building challenges for architects, designers, building owners, facility managers, and contractors worldwide. Our products are featured in iconic structures such as the Burj Khalifa in Dubai and the Oculus at the World Trade Center Transit Hub in Manhattan. CS fosters an environment of fairness, equality, and respect, ensuring equal employment opportunity for all.

Responsibilities

• Provide technical support by gathering facts, utilizing resources, and making decisions to deliver timely responses to installation and product-related questions.
• Coordinate travel to perform job site installation startups, product replacements, and troubleshooting.
• Build exceptional customer and sales representative relationships.
• Determine root causes of issues to recommend product and process improvements.
• Develop and follow Technical Support Scripts and Frequently Asked Questions and Answers.
• Follow all C/S Resource Center Documents related to Technical Support practices.
• Answer technical questions from architects, contractors, customers, sales reps, and internal departments via telephone and email.
• Collaborate with R&D, manufacturing, drafting, and customer service to obtain engineering, production, submittal, and order data.
• Review pack slips and shop orders to identify discrepancies for possible no-charge orders.
• Perform recap evaluations of models, sizes, colors, and quantities on orders, submittal drawings, and cut lists.
• Compare quoted, drawn, approved, released, entered, produced, and shipped data to identify discrepancies for no-charge orders.
• Analyze job site photos and videos to assess installation issues, product identification, color variations, and warranty claims.
• Initiate and expedite no-charge materials and provide proper no-charge codes.
• Review customer needs and drawings for potential custom product quote consideration.
• Log all technical support inquiries in the Tech Support Database daily.
• Act as a liaison between frontline customer problems and manufacturing, drafting, and customer service teams.
• Determine root causes and recommend product, work procedure, and process changes.
• Suggest changes to save manufacturing time and money based on technical support feedback.
• Suggest updates to product installation instructions based on customer inquiries.
• Assist R&D and manufacturing with product testing and checking based on job site feedback.
• Develop and maintain the sample product wall for employee and sales representative training.
• Provide technical support knowledge to internal committees and teams as needed.
• Clarify special custom product applications and determine manufacturability by gathering input from manufacturing and R&D.
• Obtain and document structural calculations and performance data as needed.
• Develop prototype samples while considering cost and return factors for application feasibility.
• Recommend modifications to standard details for custom applications on special projects.
• Make all travel arrangements, including meeting times, agenda development, flight scheduling, car rentals, hotel reservations, and job site directions.
• Travel to meet with architects, contractors, and sales representatives to troubleshoot special projects or problematic jobs (15% travel expected).
• Travel to job sites for startup supervision on special projects or projects with added technical service costs, as well as on-site inspections due to problems or product failure.
• Travel to job sites for hands-on product rework or replacement due to warranty claims.
• Perform technical assembly practices.
• Travel to sales representative offices for installation training or new representative training.
• Submit trip reports within one week of every site visit, including expense reports, and store all trip reports in the Field Tech Folder.
• Suggest and implement technical support improvements based on customer survey feedback.
• Follow back charge protocol and work to minimize cost exposure.
• Gather, investigate, interpret, and present facts for proper review.
• Create written requests and work with IWP Buyers on the purchase of special parts as required.
• Support SBU as a resource to help bring initiatives to rapid and successful implementation.
• Ensure conformance to all aspects of the ISO 14001 standard and Construction Specialties’ Environmental Management System (EMS), including its environmental policy while performing job functions with significant environmental impact.

Requirements

• Prefer a 2-year degree in Business, Drafting, or a related field and 2 years of experience in construction, technical support, product installation, customer service, or a related field.
• Equivalent combination of education and experience may be considered.
• Ability to meet deadlines and maintain attention to detail for sustained periods.
• Strong interpersonal skills to work effectively with customers, architects, contractors, sales reps, and internal departments.
• Knowledge of construction and manufacturing methods is valuable.
• Good time management and task completion skills.
• Ability to travel 15% of the time.
• Capable of working independently with minimal supervision.
• High self-confidence with a can-do attitude.
• Demonstrated ability to lead and motivate others.