Sales Assistant / Customer Service

Produce Careers•Santa Maria, CA

10d•Onsite

About The Position

Grower, shipper, and packer of premium vegetables, serving leading retailers, wholesalers, and foodservice customers throughout North America seeks a Sales Assistant. With production and sourcing operations in USA and Mexico, the company is committed to quality, reliable execution, strong customer relationships, and exceptional service. JOB DESCRIPTION Job Objective: Will provide customer service support to the Sales Department including sales system assistance, order entry, order tracking, inventory control, special projects, and direct customer assistance to an assigned group of customers.

Requirements

Ability to perform the essential functions of the position.
Two+ years’ experience in a sales/customer service environment, preferably in the produce or agricultural industry.
High School Diploma (or equivalent) required
Strong computer literacy and proficiency required, especially Microsoft Office
Excellent oral and written communication skills
Demonstrated organization skills.
Ability to prioritize and multi-task projects and assignments.
Comfort with working with individuals at all levels of an organization.
Possess excellent interpersonal skills.

Nice To Haves

experience with Produce Pro software is a plus.
bilingual English/Spanish is highly preferred.

Responsibilities

Providing support to sales team by handling communications between sales department and customers/vendors/production team.
Perform daily administrative and operational support, order processing and follow up, data entry, and load tracking/tracing with a high level of accuracy.
Remain available and responsive to customers, providing timely updates and ensuring they are always informed and taken care of.
Schedule produce pick-up and delivery appointments with vendors, transportation companies, and customers.
Assist with customer inquiries, order changes, shortages, delivery concerns, claims, deductions, credits, rejections, and protections.
Investigate and resolve/escalate customer issues and complaints.
Maintain consistent communication with accounting department and assist in the reconciliation of customer accounts when necessary.
Participate in the development of sales reporting and KPI tracking, measuring both internal and customer-facing metrics
Enter, review, and process sales orders in ERP system, including customer notes, pricing, specifications, and shipping instructions.
Process orders for retailers and other customers in ERP and update internal tracking files.
Update retailer platforms and confirm purchase orders in coordination with the Sales Team, including Retail Link, iTrade, SPS, and other customer systems.
Process EDI invoicing through retailer and customer portals.
Process order changes, additions, cancellations, and updates accurately and on time.
Generate Purchase Orders, Carrier Confirmations, and shipping transactions in Famous.
Enter freight, service, rejection, and other applicable charges accurately in Famous.
Maintain organized electronic files for orders, Bills of Lading, carrier confirmations, manifests, Proofs of Delivery, and other supporting documents.
Plan and coordinate domestic transportation for customer orders.
Coordinate trucks and dispatch approved carriers based on order schedules and delivery requirements.
Schedule and confirm warehouse pickup, receiving, and customer delivery appointments.
Monitor all shipments from origin through final delivery using Locust Traxx and other shipment visibility or tracking systems.
Follow up with carriers and warehouses to confirm loading, departure, transit progress, appointment status, and final delivery.
Proactively communicate delays, appointment changes, temperature concerns, rejected loads, or transportation issues to customers and internal teams.
Work with carriers, warehouses, and operations to address transportation problems and protect on-time delivery and product quality.
Follow all customer orders through completion and keep the Sales Team informed of status, changes, and potential risks.
Coordinate with Procurement, Operations, Quality Assurance, Logistics, warehouses, and the Sales Team to support product availability and successful order execution.