**Experienced Customer Contact Representative Lead – Hybrid Onsite & Remote Role at blithequark**

Join the vibrant community of food people at blithequark, where we're passionate about delivering exceptional customer experiences and fostering a culture of collaboration and growth. As a seasoned Customer Contact Representative Lead, you'll play a pivotal role in supporting our customers and sellers, providing top-notch service, and driving team success. **About blithequark** blithequark is a leading foodservice distributor dedicated to providing innovative solutions, exceptional customer service, and a wide range of products to meet the diverse needs of our customers. Our commitment to excellence, teamwork, and continuous improvement has earned us a reputation as a trusted partner in the foodservice industry. **Job Summary** As a Customer Contact Representative Lead, you'll serve as a subject matter expert, providing guidance, support, and leadership to our customer contact team. You'll work closely with the Customer Contact Manager to identify coaching and improvement opportunities, ensuring our team delivers exceptional service and meets our high standards. This hybrid role combines approximately 90% remote work with 10% onsite presence at regional locations, offering the flexibility and work-life balance you deserve. **Key Responsibilities** * Mentor, advise, and lead team members to achieve their goals and support the team's activities * Serve as a subject matter expert, responding to immediate needs and questions related to company processes, products, policies, and procedures * Take escalations from your team and support internal department resources when needed * Review and present daily metric and communication updates, as well as daily huddle announcements * Provide thorough customer and order solution options to customers and contact representatives, addressing immediate needs and concerns * Work closely with the Customer Contact Manager to support coaching, quality performance reviews, meeting, and metric data support * Participate in cross-company projects to improve and optimize the customer experience * Conduct analysis to produce customer-specific reports or activities as contractually required * Assist sellers with preparation of customer business analysis, product research, and recommendation for profitability, as well as other internal reporting as requested * Approve service recovery requests as back-up support to Manager and provide guidance to peers * Promote a positive and friendly environment, supporting good morale and cooperation * Help identify trending issues among customers, team members, products, and services from interactions with customers * Provide support to team members in answering calls, emails, or contacts, assist with customer business activity, customer reporting, or other team responsibilities * Offer business support to Sellers as requested **Supervision** This role reports directly to the Customer Contact Manager and does not have any direct supervisory responsibilities. **Relationships** Internal: * Sales * Operations * Merchandising * Shared Business Services External: * US Foods Customers and Vendors **Qualifications** * Education/Training: High School diploma or equivalent required; a minimum of 5 years of customer service or support experience * Related Experience: At least 5 years of previous sales support or customer service experience maintaining customer relations; a proven track record of supporting customers and team members with exceptional service and leadership; Foodservice/distribution experience preferred; Experience working virtually (i.e., from home) **Tasks** * Ability to communicate with customers and team through various channels * Acknowledge and resolve customer escalations or complaints * Assist Manager with team support as necessary * Product knowledge to support customer needs * Initiate and resolve requests for customer or organizational reporting * Coach and mentor colleagues as necessary * Ensure customer satisfaction and provide professional customer support * Organize and coordinate schedules **Knowledge/Skills/Abilities** * Professional leadership skills; someone who leads by example * Excellent written and verbal communication skills * Ability to take direction and quickly learn new procedures, processes, product information * Open to feedback, believing in a culture of continuous improvement working toward individual and department goals * Comfortable navigating technology, phone systems, and tools * Strong attention to detail, multi-tasking, and time-management skills * Detail-oriented with strong critical thinking ability to quickly define problems and reach valid conclusions * Exceptional ability to collaborate with customers, vendors, and internal partners * Customer service orientation and ability to adapt and respond to different personalities * Advanced knowledge of Microsoft applications, Salesforce.com experience **Compensation and Benefits** The expected compensation for this role is between $23.00 and $27.00 per hour, depending on location and experience. This role is also eligible for overtime compensation. Benefits include health insurance, pre-tax spending accounts, retirement benefits, paid time off, short-term and long-term disability, employee stock purchase plan, and life insurance. To review available benefits, please click here: [insert link]. **Equal Employment Opportunity** blithequark is an equal employment opportunity employer and welcomes applications from diverse candidates. We are committed to creating an inclusive work environment that values diversity, equity, and inclusion. **How to Apply** If you're a motivated and experienced customer service professional looking for a new challenge, please apply to this exciting opportunity at blithequark. Click the link below to register your interest and take the first step towards joining our vibrant community of food people. Apply Job! Apply for this job