[Hiring] Customer Service Representative @Lincoln Electric

Role Description

The Customer Service Representative is responsible for providing exceptional service and support to retail customers, distributors, and internal departments. This role serves as a key point of contact between the company and its retail partners, including major national retailers such as Home Depot, Lowe’s, Tractor Supply, and Northern Tool.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Customer Communication and Support
  • Respond to customer inquiries by phone and email in a timely, professional, and courteous manner.
  • Build and maintain positive working relationships with retail customers, buyers, replenishment teams, distribution centers, and other customer contacts.
  • Provide accurate information regarding order status, product availability, pricing, shipping schedules, lead times, and delivery expectations.
  • Handle customer concerns, complaints, and requests with professionalism, ownership, and a focus on resolution.
  • Maintain a customer-focused approach while balancing company policies, operational capabilities, and business needs.
• Workload Management and Prioritization
  • Organize and prioritize daily workload based on customer needs, urgency, business impact, and deadlines.
  • Identify time-sensitive issues affecting orders, shipments, product availability, or customer commitments, and escalate critical matters appropriately.
  • Exercise sound judgment when managing competing priorities to ensure timely and effective resolution.
  • Proactively communicate potential delays or service concerns and follow up on outstanding issues through resolution.
• Order Management and Administrative Support
  • Accurately process and maintain customer orders, verifying pricing, shipping details, documentation, and customer requirements.
  • Monitor order status and coordinate with internal departments to ensure timely fulfillment and delivery.
  • Research and resolve order discrepancies, shortages, delays, and cancellations.
  • Support retailer-specific shipping, documentation, routing, and compliance requirements.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration
  • Work closely with Sales, Production, Inventory, Warehouse, Shipping, Accounting, and other internal teams to meet customer commitments.
  • Communicate customer needs and priorities clearly to the appropriate internal departments.
  • Help identify potential service problems and collaborate with others to develop practical solutions.
  • Balance customer expectations with production schedules, inventory availability, shipping capabilities, and company policies.
• Problem-Solving and Continuous Improvement
  • Investigate customer issues, identify root causes when possible, and follow through until resolution.
  • Exercise good judgment when making decisions, managing competing demands, and determining when management involvement is necessary.
  • Identify recurring errors, bottlenecks, or communication gaps and recommend improvements.
  • Maintain a sense of urgency and accountability without sacrificing accuracy, professionalism, or attention to detail.
  • Contribute to process improvements that increase efficiency, accuracy, responsiveness, and customer satisfaction.

Qualifications

• High School Diploma
• 3+ years experience in customer service, order management, sales support, or administrative roles
• Strong computer skills, including proficiency in Microsoft Office applications, with the ability to learn and navigate retailer portals, manage shipment tracking, and adapt to changing systems and processes.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, including professional telephone etiquette, active listening, and the ability to handle challenging customer interactions with courtesy and professionalism.
• Strong organizational, multitasking, and time management skills, with the ability to prioritize customer requests, meet deadlines, and manage competing demands effectively.
• Dependable, adaptable, and proactive team player who can work independently, remain calm under pressure, and maintain a positive, solution-oriented approach in a fast-paced environment.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with SAP or ERP

Key Performance Expectations

• Prioritize customer requests based on urgency, business impact, and deadlines.
• Process orders accurately, maintain records, and respond promptly to customer inquiries.
• Proactively identify, communicate, and escalate issues affecting customer commitments, revenue, or on-time delivery.
• Demonstrate accountability, professionalism, and consistent follow-through with minimal supervision.
• Build strong customer and internal relationships through clear communication and reliable service.

Work Environment

This position operates in a collaborative manufacturing and distribution environment where customer demands, order volumes, and business priorities may change throughout the day. The role requires flexibility, effective time management, frequent communication, and the ability to make sound decisions while balancing multiple competing priorities.

Company Description

Lincoln Electric is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We are committed to promoting equal employment opportunity for applicants, without regard to their race, color, national origin, religion, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions, including, but not limited to, lactation), sexual orientation, gender identity, age, veteran status, disability, genetic information, and any other category protected by federal, state, or local law.