Product Support Customer Service Representative

This position is responsible for the day-to-day handling of all product-related requests and inquiries in support of Sherwin- Williams multitude of brands. The incumbent will regularly interact with consumers and other business groups through a variety of communication mediums including phone e-mail and web.

Additional Information

This role is not remote/hybrid. This role will report to Sherwin-Williams Global Headquarters located at 1 Sherwin Way Cleveland OH 44113.

Job duties include contact with other employees and access confidential and proprietary information and/or other items of value and such access may be supervised or unsupervised. The Company therefore has determined that a review of criminal history is necessary to protect the business and its operations and reputation and is necessary to protect the safety of the Companys staff employees and business relationships.

Contact Management

• Field inquiries via multiple modes of communication including but not limited to e-mail fax and phone and web chat.
• Control customer experience through positive language and use of friendly professional and courteous verbal and written correspondence.
• Supply prompt and inclusive responses to customers in accordance with department and business rules.
• Capture critical data via consistent and frequent use of CRM including case management account contact coding.
• Present our company as the preferred supplier through quality customer contacts that result in customer perception of products and services far superior to our competition.
• Increase sales through selling contacts on products and related materials during contact interactions.
• Practice Active Listening
• Promote brand awareness.
• Support multiple moderate complexity level brands moving into higher complexity brand contacts.

Product Knowledge and Advocacy

• Remain up to date on product/color/brand/account information for all Consumer Brands Group brands/accounts including information on competitors.
• Conduct hands on product testing to gain exposure to new products and features and use experience to make recommendations. Troubleshoot common user issues/mistakes.
• Highlight product attributes and superiority to increase brand awareness/loyalty.
• Compile analyze and communicate specific brand or account information for business owners to include monthly recaps and ad-hoc requests.
• Identify complaint trends and customer suggestions; escalate to the appropriate parties as needed.
• Assist in department training activities for one or more functional areas or brands serviced by the department.
• Determine the best method for relaying pertinent information to the department (e-mail knowledge base articles PowerPoint presentations etc.).
• Will be required to act as backup Brand Liaison for one or more brands to assist the Brand Liaison in whatever capacity is needed for the directly with all necessary subject matter experts (marketing R&D lab and other functional areas). May be called upon to act in primary role in case of absence of Brand Liaison. Will work towards possessing the knowledge and skills necessary for becoming a primary Brand Liaison - with the possibility of being officially assigned the primary Brand Liaison role. These duties include acting as primary contact between the Product Support and Marketing teams work towards becoming foremost product expert to assist agents and customers with most complex product questions communicate all relevant brand information to Product support team create and maintain brand related training materials deliver brand trainings lead hands-on product training sessions and act as point person for any ad hoc brand related situations.

Provide Problem Resolution

• Utilize resources and procedures to facilitate the timely and correct handling of product quality issues and record data in CRM and/or PQR system.
• Process customer refund requests promptly and provide the necessary details so that claims may be reviewed and issued within a reasonable timeframe.
• Contact counterpart on the appropriate Customer Service team as needed to facilitate account credits relating to reported product quality issues.
• Support ongoing improvement in the quality of our products and services through timely and accurate recording of product quality issues.

Build and Maintain Internal/External Business Partnerships

• Foster sound working relationships with marketing teams and maintain regular contact to ensure information is up to date.
• Support sales team by developing and maintaining positive relations with customers which can substantially affect service and/or product revenues.
• Develop training modules that help team members and new hires learn about various product lines and attributes.
• Maintain working knowledge of Operations CS processes contacts etc.

Contribute to Department Initiatives

• Participate in Lean projects as a lead or team member on a regular basis and provide ideas and feedback to projects.
• Partner with Methods & Procedures team to ensure standards are followed and information is consistent.
• Manage communications and flow of information; represent SW across customer departments and organizational levels on a wide range of SW initiatives and issues.
• May be tasked with learning and applying additional systems used for training and reporting purposes I.e. Microsoft Forms Business Objects AOM OnBase etc.

Minimum Requirements:

• Must be at least eighteen (18) years of age
• Must be legally authorized to work in the country of employment without needing sponsorship for employment work visa status now or in the future
• Must have a high school diploma or GED
• Must have at least one (1) year of customer service retail or sales
• Must be comfortable to communicate multiple platforms (e.g. phone fax and email)
• Must have at least one (1) year of working experience with effective customer service problem solving and conflict resolution skills
• Must have at least one (1) year of experience using Microsoft Office products (e.g. Word Excel PowerPoint Teams and/or Outlook)

Preferred Qualification:

• Have a bachelors degree or higher in Business Finance or Accounting
• Have worked in high paced office setting
• Have experience with paint and coatings applications
• Have experience working in the Sherwin-Williams Stores
• Bi-lingual (Spanish) language abilities