Primary Function:

Provides exceptional customer service for new and/or existing customers with inbound inquiries (ie: quotes, order entry, and service requests) by probing to uncover customer needs, identifying solutions to meet need, following up on open issues, and seeking ways to add value while creating a remarkable experience for both internal / external customers. This role proactively ensures personal performance meets or exceeds targets and works closely with Manager to develop Individual Development plan.

Principal Duties & Responsibilities:

• Demonstrated specific product or industry expertise
• Has a deep knowledge of specific industry information or nuances
• Expertise with a specific customer group
• Comprehensive knowledge and understanding of Grainger products and services
• Independent decision making
• Must be able to navigate and interact with business partners as needed
• Proactively participate in root cause problem solving
• Coordination and resolution of all customer requests, to the customers' satisfaction
• Interpret customer requirements in order to seize opportunities to promote the benefits of doing business with Grainger and provide solutions with product alternatives and services, in order to deliver exceptional customer experience
• Research and analyze information, to resolve inquiries and complex problems
• Proficient in specific particular non routine tasks/ skills and or systems
• Respond to customer calls and inquiries, including those related to pricing, products and billing, received through the phone or by email
• Issue orders and update customer profiles in different tools as required
• Maintain communication with customers and partners to inform them of the status of their request through to completion
• Take accountability and own the customer issue, eliminating call transfers and hand offs to other departments
• Provides direction and guidance to less experienced team members via peer coaching
• Recognizes and recommends areas needing improving
• Accurately performs fundamental work assignments to deliver a superior customer experience by listening to their needs and providing timely solutions (Order entry, order follow up, shipment tracking, update orders, account corrections, credits, returns etc)
• Proactively looks for opportunities to drive sales growth by engaging in actions that identify leads for further selling opportunities
• Demonstrates advanced system knowledge and effectively navigates systems in order to provide accurate and timely customer solution
• Combines service, sales and system skills with product knowledge, along with efficiently positioning applicable exploratory questions, to uncover customer needs and navigates to relevant solutions

Preferred Education & Experience:

• High school diploma or equivalent preferred
• Bilingualism an asset (French)
• 1-3 years of experience related field preferred
• 1-3 years of demonstrated success in customer service with a preference for contact centre environment
• Self- starter/ motivator that demonstrates strong work ethic
• Proficient typing, data entry and multi-tasking skills
• Experience in relevant computer applications and contact center systems
• Knowledge of Microsoft Office Suite and background in enterprise systems (ie: SAP, Oracle, Salesforce.com, Sharepoint etc)

Work Environment/ Conditions:

• Hours of Operation: Monday to Friday 6AM to 8PM EST
• Hours are subject to change, based on business needs
• Flexibility to work non-traditional hours (weekends, holidays, split shifts, overtime) may be required as business needs
• 2 standard 15 min breaks, along with a 30 minute lunch as scheduled by Workforce Management
• Vacation selection policies and standards
• Office job requires the ability lift
• Ability to work within a virtual work environment with peers and leadership team
• Operate in a complex environment while maintaining high quality output and maximizing accuracy
• This job requires you to sit at a desk 4 to 10 hours a day, taking incoming calls, emails or other future channels introduced in the contact centre (ie: Chat), along with managing off phone work

Impact:

• Accountable for delivering results (Service, sales performance standards, adherence to processes / work instructions)
• Promotes Grainger's people, products and services to beat the competition
• Responsible for integrity of day to day business practices
• Create a remarkable experience in the lives of our customers, team members and the communities we serve
• Empowered to provide service which results in making our customer's job easier, exciting them to return time and time again
• Builds close customer relationships & personalizes customer interactions to provide exceptional service & utilizing all resources to deliver results
• Demonstrates a passion for customer service
• Produces win-win scenarios for the customer and business
• Takes personal responsibility for the team's success, with effectively communicating and collaborating cross functionally in an open and honest manner
• Should be able to work positively and collaborate well with other team members, internal partners such as TPS, Third Party, Sourcing etc (should exhaust all resources first before contacting these parties)

Working Relationships:

• Effective daily interactions with key stakeholders including Contact Centre leaders, sales, cross functional business partners
• Understands roles of other people/ functions and how to work together
• Listen attentively and proactively act on ideas to improve individual and cross departmental performance