Technical Sales Support Specialist

Job Title:  Technical Sales Support Specialist
Department: Customer Care
Report to: Customer Care Manager
FLSA Status: Non-exempt

Summary
The Technical Product Sales Specialist provides best in class customer support. This role is responsible for acting as a liaison between technical product customers and the company. Answers questions regarding orders, accounts, billing, cancellations, customer issues and other inquiries. They are responsible for providing support to the Landscape Sales Manager, facilitating product and sales initiatives, photo shoot and tradeshow setup and teardown, landscape and technical product mailings and landscape layout designs.

Primary Tasks and Responsibilities

• Provides direct support to the Landscape Sales Manager with day-to-day needs and special projects.
• Acts as liaison between Hinkley, sales representatives and customers.
• Maintains and provides reporting of Landscape Honors Program.
• Supports landscape customers with special orders, billing, cancellations, warranty claims, general account inquiries and ensures timely and thorough responses.
• Records customer interactions in company systems to ensure visibility across the organization.
• Facilitates lead management process for successful acquisition and penetration of customers.
• Collaborates internally and externally to resolve customer challenges.
• Communicates opportunities to internal and external sales teams.
• Resolves customer technical challenges and warranty claims via phone, email, mail, or social media.
• Effectively communicate escalations and/or unresolved technical issues and ensures timely follow-up.
• Documents technical solutions in company software system for reference by others in customer care.
• Closely monitors marketing and promotional activities with Landscape customers for maximum sales impact.
• Provides setup and tear-down support at tradeshows and photo shoots.
• Manages customer mailings of landscape and technical products.
• Develops landscape layout designs.
• Partners with cross functional departments including Quality, Product Development, Engineering and Sales providing input to enhance product improvements and warranty cost reductions.
• Provides training of technical products to Customer Care Representatives.
• Actively participate in ongoing product training. Performs training when necessary.
• Performs all the duties of Customer Care Representatives when not providing sales and technical support.

Supervision Received

• Works under the general direction and guidance of the Customer Care Manager.

Special Requirements

• May travel to trade show(s) or photo shoot(s) for up to one week

Level and Type of Education Required     

• High School Diploma or equivalent.
• College coursework and/or formal customer service or technical training preferred.

Related Work Experience Required

• Minimum of 2-5 years of related work experience.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite.
• Prior ERP and/or CRM experience.
• Experience with LED systems (integrated and lamped) preferred.
• Knowledge of basic electrical systems preferred.
• Knowledge of dimming/control systems preferred.

Necessary Specialized Training, Knowledge, Skill and Abilities    

• Highly developed sense of integrity and commitment to customer satisfaction.
• Demonstrated passion for excellence with respect to treating and caring for customers.
• Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer services: including customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
• Ability to multi-task with excellent organization skills
• Works well with others, team player; cooperative in groups to accomplish tasks.
• Able to work in a fast paced, dynamic environment with multiple priorities
• Highly skilled in interpersonal communications with an ability to connect with others over the phone and email.
• Ability to draft clear, concise and professional written communications.
• Ability to speak with customers to encourage problem solving.
• Integrity, sense of responsibility, independent judgment.

Special Requirements

• Substantial domestic travel, minimum 50% of the time.

Work Environment and Physical Requirements

The following descriptions are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• Ability to work in an office and perform in a corporate environment.
• Ability to sit for prolonged periods of time.
• Ability to view computer screen and type on a keyboard.
• Ability to converse over a telephone (hear, speak).