Cust Serv Rep

Employee-Owned. Customer-Driven.

This position will report to: Michael P George

Application Deadline: 5/19/25

This position will be located in: West Columbia, SC

This position is posted: Both Internally and Externally

Job Summary

Supports the day-to-day operations of the Customer Service Team in promoting sales, obtaining orders and providing service to our customers. Obtains orders, provides customers timely follow-up on technical inquiries, maintains reports, actively participate in the marketing and sale of Border States’ products and services, resolves customer billing problems, and provides input on product evaluations, code descriptions, inventory management, and pricing development.

Responsibilities

Essential Functions

Works closely with Border States’ sales and marketing staff to meet and exceed Branch sales and gross profit objectives.

Obtains orders and provides proactive customer service sales and service functions including order entry, expediting, pricing, returns, coordinate deliveries and follow-up on customer inquiries, as required.

Provides timely follow-up on customer technical inquiries and requests.

Maintains Open Order Reports, Billing Block Reports and other reports deemed necessary on a consistent basis.

Actively participates in the marketing and sale of Border States’ products and services.

Consistently provides responsive, quality service to meet and exceed customer expectations.

Provides input to BSE personnel on customer needs or concerns regarding pricing, inventory, products, competition and procedures.

Coordinates with the Customer Financial Services staff to resolve customer-billing problems resulting from errors in pricing, shipping, delivery or other credit areas.

Provides input to the pricing and purchasing areas on product evaluations, code descriptions, inventory management, pricing development, and other related functions.

Non-essential Functions

Attends sales meetings and training programs, as required.

May assist with sales meetings and trade shows, as needed.

May develop quotations and request bid or performance bonds for customers within company profit objectives and guidelines.

Qualifications

Minimum of a two-year business/trade degree preferred or the equivalent in work experience.

Minimum of two years of prior customer service, city desk or sales experience with strong knowledge of electrical products and systems preferred.

Technical ability to understand electrical systems with a minimum of two-years of prior electrical distribution experience preferred.

Ability to read, write and speak in English preferred.

Prefer strong working knowledge of PC for Windows, Microsoft Office (Excel, Word, and PowerPoint), Internet, Email and SAP software.

Skills and Abilities

Excellent customer service skills include being competent, accurate, responsive and engaged.

Excellent interpersonal, written and verbal communication, reading, and customer service skills are preferred

Ability to effectively plan and organize.

Physical Requirements

Frequency at which you would carry/lift in a typical day:

Occasionally 0 – 33% Frequently 34 – 66% Continuously: 67 – 100%

Lift from Waist:

< than 10 lbs. - Not at all

10 to 25 lbs. - Not at all

26 to 50 lbs. - Not at all

51 to 75 lbs. - Not at all

75 to 100 lbs. - Not at all

100+ lbs. - Not at all

Lift from Floor:

< than 10 lbs. - Frequently

10 to 25 lbs. - Frequently

26 to 50 lbs. - Occasionally

51 to 75 lbs. - Occasionally

75 to 100 lbs. - Not at all

100+ lbs. - Not at all

Carried for Distance:

< than 10 lbs. - Not at all

10 to 25 lbs. - Not at all

26 to 50 lbs. - Not at all

51 to 75 lbs. - Not at all

75 to 100 lbs. - Not at all

100+ lbs. - Not at all

Physical Activity

Frequency at which you would do the following in a typical day:

Sitting (a continuous period of being seated) - Continuously

Standing (for sustained periods of time) - Frequently

Walking (moving about on foot to accomplish tasks) - Frequently

Bending/stooping (downward and forward) - Occasionally

Crawling (moving about on hands and knees or hands and feet) - Not at all

Climbing/Walking Stairs (ascending or descending) - Frequently

Reaching (extending arms in any direction) - Frequently

Crouching/squatting (bending the body downward and forward by bending leg and spine) - Occasionally

Kneeling (bending legs at knee to come to rest on knee(s)) - Occasionally

Balancing (maintaining body equilibrium to prevent falling) - Occasionally

Repetitive motion (substantial movement (motions) or the wrists, hands, and/or fingers) - Continuously

Pivoting (movement in any direction with one foot, keeping the other in contact with the floor) - Occasionally

Pushing/Pulling (using upper extremities to press against or draw or tug) - Occasionally

Grasping (Applying pressure to an object with the fingers and palm) - Continuously

Fingering (picking, pinching, typing; working with primarily fingers and not whole hand) - Continuously

Talking (expressing or exchanging ideas by means of the spoken word) - Continuously

Driving (the control and operation of a motor vehicle) - Occasionally

Desk work (work usually performed at a desk) - Continuously

Use of a computer - Continuously

Use of a telephone - Continuously

Hearing (Perceiving the nature of sounds at normal speaking levels) - Continuously

Exposure (to adverse weather & temperature conditions) - Occasionally

Travel (travel needed to perform job duties) - Occasionally

Additional Information

This job description is a summary of the job duties and responsibilities and is not intended to cover all possible job duties and is subject to change at the employer’s discretion. Employees must be able to perform the essential job duties and satisfy job requirements either with or without a reasonable accommodation.

Our History

Border States is a leader in the electrical supply distribution industry with over 120 locations in 31 states. Our employee-owners are second to none in delivering top-notch customer service and in demonstrating extra-ordinary people skills. We are one of the largest independent electrical distributors in the United States providing products and services to the construction, industrial and utility industries. Border States has a competitive benefit package and is a 100 percent employee-owned company. Employee-ownership is a significant part of our culture and our success stems from the dedication of our employee-owners. We practice open-book management and our employee-owners are empowered with clearly defined levels of authority to be innovative and decisive, allowing us to respond quickly to the needs of customers. Employee-owners understand their roles in the success of the company and care about customers’ needs, which drives our focus on adding value to everything we do. We recognize that not all customers are the same and each has specific requirements. Our employee-owners understand these diverse needs and have the commitment, resourcefulness and flexibility to outperform all others.

Values

As a Border States employee-owner, you’re responsible for living our mission, service philosophy and service standards.

Our Purpose

We believe unstoppable businesses shouldn't go it alone. We are owners - of relationships, of outcomes, of every moment these unstoppable businesses need to deliver.

Service Philosophy

We earn customer loyalty and confidence by caring about their needs and adding value to everything we do.

Service Standards

Border States employee-owners are competent, accurate, responsive, and engaged .

Your career

Join an experienced team at one of the largest electrical distributors in the United States. What are you waiting for?

Border States has a competitive benefits package which includes but is not limited to:

Health, Dental and Vision Benefits

Accident, Critical Illness, Hospital Indemnity

FSA & HSA

Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP)

Disability Benefits

401(k) Retirement Plan

Life Insurance

Employee Assistance Program

Paid Holidays

Paid Volunteer Time

Personal Leave time and more!

Border States provides bonuses to their employee-owners upon the achievement of branch and company goals.

Equal Opportunity For All

It’s not just the law. It’s something we’ve believed in since our founding. We value the diversity of all of our employee-owners and will always be an equal opportunity employer.

Drug Free/Smoke Free workplace