Customer Service Specialist

As a customer service specialist at Sofar, you will be the crucial voice and first line of communication per our customers, providing top-tier support and overall customer delight, from early order management to final shipment. The ideal candidate would be thoughtful, personable, patient, passionate and can handle urgent and chaotic support escalations as they arise.

Impact you will own: 

• Respond to, triage, and resolve customer support calls, tickets, and emails daily.
• Work directly with Technical Support, Sales, Supply Chain, accounting, and Logistics to manage support issues and create efficient processes and successful outcomes, escalating problems when needed.
• Answer and/or direct various customer inquiries, not limited to order status and deliveries but also the shipment status, technical issues, quality related issues, returns/RMA’s, logistics, import / export requirements and documentations, etc., as they arise and ensure that all customer questions and inquiries are responded.
• Provide full traceability per RMA’s, generating appropriate analytics and reporting
• Analyze in-coming orders for accuracy, validity and delivery information
• Monitor backlog for on-time delivery, expedite with Ops/Sales/Suppliers as needed and notify the customers of changes in order status in a timely manner
• Ensure an exceptional customer and partner experience by proactively bringing forward customer friction points, continuous improvement ideas and employee experience suggestions
• Provide status on all pending orders, production issues, etc. to internal & external teams.
• Ensure customer order acknowledgements are sent electronically and timely once a scheduled ship date is assigned.
• Support shipping activities, including preparing shipment documentation, Fed-Ex/UPS type transportation methods/routes, BOL’s, packing slips and liaison with customs brokers. Back-up duties of logistics and shipping.
• Track shipment progress and support logistics needs until shipment has been received, including liaison with customers, customs brokers and customers shipping options.
• Assist customers with address/contact changes for orders in transit. Trace lost or received short shipments. Work with shipping/logistics to recover missing material and file freight claims, as required.
• Communicate effectively with customers and internal organizations both verbally and in writing.
• Understand and explain billing processes and procedures, modifying documentation as needed.
• Collaborate effectively within the Customer Service team plus the Technical Support staff, Sales, and members of other departments to ensure a positive customer experience

• Bachelors in accounting/finance/business management/supply chain preferred.
•  A minimum of 1-2 years’ experience in a fast-paced start-up environment, comfortable with wearing multiple hats at once, and a keen understanding of urgency and timing 
• Knowledge & direct experience (2-3 years) per customer service, preferably in a manufacturing/hardware environment (secondary experiences and knowledge in supply chain, shipping/logistics and inventory management a plus)
• High proficiency in Excel/Google Docs, Slack, etc., with good working knowledge in CRM, ERP systems and E-commerce platforms (Zendesk, Hubspot, Salesforce, Zoho, Cin7, Shopify and Shipstation, etc.)
•  Excellent customer service skills and attitude, passionate about providing customer delight.
•  Internal sales experience a plus
• Ability to proactively learn and thoroughly understand our product offerings and pricing
• Flexibility to accept new responsibilities and grow with the company
• Experience in a fast-paced environment, comfortable with wearing multiple hats at once, with a keen understanding of urgency, ownership, and timing.
• Strong communication and relationship building skills.
• Fast-thinking, collaborative and able to communicate clearly. Can talk through difficult issues with colleagues and make decisions based on evidence and argument, not ego or title.
•  Comfortable and able to operate successfully in ambiguous and rapidly changing growth environments.
• Trustworthy and credible. Strong integrity. 
•  Business acumen and stature to gain immediate respect and credibility from team members, investors, shareholders and other related parties.
• You have a deep passion for the Ocean.
•  Ability to lift 50+ pounds on a regular basis.

• $55,000 - $75,000
• The range listed is what we reasonably expect to pay for this role at the time of this posting. We may ultimately pay more or less than the posted range and may be modified in the future. Actual compensation packages are based on several factors that are unique to each candidate, including but not limited to skill set, experience, and equity package.

We at Sofar Ocean acknowledge that careers in the marine sciences “... have traditionally been, and remain, non-diverse work environments”, thereby limiting the entry and prosperity of underrepresented groups in the space. (Johri et al., 2021) Many of these same groups are disproportionately affected by climate change, and are often excluded from decision making that directly address their interests and needs.

We are committed to addressing these climate injustices and highly encourage people who identify as women, LGBTQ+, Black, Indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC) to apply.