Customer Service Advocate

Position Overview

Reporting to the Customer Service Manager, the Customer Service Advocates primary responsibility is to serve as the liaison between Gehl Foods, LLC and Walmart/Sams Club and/or the applicable Broker by supporting all aspects of customer contact, including products/materials, sales orders and complaints in accordance with organizational policy and in compliance with all relevant local, country and international law and process. This position will manage the customer service aspect of the Walmart/Sams products at both Gehl Foods and California Natural Products (CNP). To be successful in this role, accuracy and responsiveness are essential in providing seamless end-to-end movement of information and goods to support Wal-Mart requirements and ensure on time delivery. Additional responsibilities will involve monitoring, recording and analyze activities, trends, and results relating to sales activities as requested.

Job Responsibilities

• Manage all Walmart /Sams Club orders from start to finish including timely communication to the customer/broker about order status, product availability and any delivery updates for products at both Gehl Foods and CNP.
• Ensures optimal level of transactions for Walmart/Sams Club and ensure absence of all issues.
• This position will be the main contact for Walmart/Sams Club and/or Broker to resolve any issues with order placement, returns, complaints, etc. and keep the customer updated with timely and frequent information.
• Review and react to daily reports (orders, inventory availability) and provide recommendations to Customer Service Manager or Sales team.
• Maintains a robust working knowledge of all products, services, and guarantees to ensure ability to answer questions and troubleshoot problems as they arise during customer and broker interactions.
• Provide Leadership with weekly reports that that could include but not limited to weekly order summaries.
• Responsible for maintaining positive broker and sales relationships to address their product needs and to ensure appropriate inventory is available to meet Walmart requirements.
• Maintains Walmart and broker records in order to generate reports and analyze all issues of Walmart and new products to advocate appropriate resolutions from management.
• Be aware of Walmart financial status at all times.
• Processing sample requests (entry, availability and confirms delivery).
• Consumer Complaints/Inquires initiates the process and works closely with FSQ (Gehl Foods and CNP) and Sales to provide consumer/customer responses in a timely manner.
• Manages customer relations with outside warehouse facilities (RJW, Prism, etc.).
• Demonstrates service excellence to maintaining a solid relationship with Wal-Mart and broker by effectively building a relationship of mutual trust and respect.
• Initiate and maintain Walmart/Sams Club programs in various portals (i.e. Retail Link, EDI, 3rd party logistics portals). 1WorldSync back-up support for Walmart/Sams Club items.
• Ensure that required competencies to carry out these job functions affecting product legality, safety and quality are met in accordance with the Quality Policy and the Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI) standard.
• Participate in cross-functional team meetings for new item launches or transitions.
• Ensure compliance with corporate/plant safety standards and with applicable regulatory requirements while following the companys Good Manufacturing Practices.
• Performs administrative support by preparing documents for customers and management and manage follow-up.
• Potential growth for Walmart/Sams Business to be sold internationally. This position will need to have knowledge of applicable documentation and export processes.
• Willingness to learn new project based software as it is implemented.
• Support any other initiative as requested to meet divisional goals and objectives.
• Active participant in Team BAR. (Bentonville Arkansas)
• Minimum travel required (less than 10%)

Minimum Qualifications

• Minimum 3 years Customer Service Experience or inside sales ideally in a manufacturing or consumer environment.
• Demonstrated proficiency using Microsoft Office Tools (Word, Outlook, Excel) and MRP/ERP systems - Ross experience a plus.
• Working knowledge of EDI transactions.
• Strong, effective interpersonal and conflict resolution skills.
• Demonstrated competency in planning, time management, project management, analytics, prioritization, problem solving, attention to detail and goal setting.
• A forward thinker who offers new, creative and potentially unconventional thoughts, methods and opinions for solution generation and problem solving.
• Exceptional written, oral and interpersonal communication skills.
• Strong organizational abilities, analytical skills, detail orientation and ability to multitask.
• Ability to work a flexible schedule to support key business initiatives.
• Strong team orientation with the ability to work with a cross section of knowledge, skills and abilities.
• Self-motivated with a high level work ethic; holds self accountable and responsible.

Preferred Qualifications

• Bachelors Degree in Accounting, Business Management or related field.
• Proficient in Retail Link .
• 2 years ERP experience (Ross strongly preferred).
• Certified Export Specialist (CES) certification preferred .
• International export transaction/transportation/logistic process knowledge.
• Proficiently multilingual in English and Spanish