Customer Retention Associate Jobs in Cary, IL (NOW HIRING)

The Customer Service Representative serves as a primary point of coordination between customers and internal operations. This position is responsible for providing responsive customer service and accurately supporting the full quote-to-delivery process, including preparing and following up on quotes, entering orders, communicating order status, monitoring fulfillment, and providing shipment information.

The role requires extensive daily computer and data-entry work, close collaboration with sales and operations, and a strong sense of ownership for following customer requests and issues through resolution. The representative also supports business growth by identifying additional sales opportunities, following up with customers, and conducting prospecting activities when core customer service and order-management responsibilities permit.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities (Other duties may be assigned)

• Serve as a primary point of contact for customers, providing responsive and professional support throughout the quote, order, and fulfillment process.
• Prepare and follow up on customer quotations, process customer orders, and maintain accurate customer, quote, and order information within company systems.
• Coordinate with sales, operations, supply chain, and other internal teams to support customer needs and ensure effective order execution.
• Monitor open orders and proactively provide customers with order status, shipment, and tracking information.
• Take ownership of customer questions, feedback, and service issues through resolution, including appropriate follow-up, escalation, and documentation to support root-cause analysis and corrective action.
• Leverage customer interactions to identify and pursue opportunities to increase sales by recommending additional or complementary products that meet customer needs.
• Conduct proactive outreach and follow-up with existing, inactive, and prospective customers to strengthen relationships, generate sales opportunities, and support customer retention and business growth.
• Identify, recommend, and support the implementation of improvements to business practices and processes that enhance order management, customer service, and the overall customer experience.
• Ability to travel up to 5% as business needs require.

Qualifications

The successful candidate should possess the following education, experience, skills, and knowledge:

Education/Certification

• Associate degree or higher required.
• Degree in business, supply chain, communications, or a related field preferred.
• Bachelor's degree preferred.

Work Experience

• One to three years of relevant experience in customer service, inside sales, order management, or a similarly detail-oriented business environment is preferred.
• Experience in a manufacturing, distribution, or business-to-business environment is preferred but not required.
• Experience working with an ERP, order management, and customer relationship management (CRM) system is preferred.

Skills and Knowledge

• Strong customer-service orientation with the ability to listen, understand customer needs, and provide professional and responsive support.
• Effective written and verbal communication skills with both customers and internal stakeholders.
• High level of accuracy and attention to detail when entering, reviewing, and maintaining customer, quote, and order information.
• Comfort and proficiency working extensively in computer-based systems and performing sustained data-entry activities.
• Strong sense of ownership, initiative, and follow-through when addressing customer requests and resolving issues.
• Ability to organize and prioritize multiple responsibilities while maintaining responsiveness and meeting deadlines.
• Demonstrated ability to collaborate effectively and build productive working relationships across departments.
• Critical-thinking and problem-solving skills, including sound judgment regarding when to act independently and when to escalate an issue.
• Commercial awareness with the ability to recognize sales opportunities, recommend relevant products, and engage in proactive customer outreach.
• Adaptability and willingness to support a variety of responsibilities in a growing business environment.
• Working proficiency with Microsoft Outlook, Excel, and other Microsoft Office applications.
• Ability to learn and effectively use ERP, CRM, order-management, and procurement systems; Oracle experience is preferred.

DISCLAIMER: This is not necessarily an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties, skills, efforts, requirements or working conditions associated with the job. While this is intended to be an accurate reflection of the current job, management reserves the right to revise the job or to require that other or different tasks be performed as assigned.

FreightCar America provides equal employment opportunity to all individuals regardless of their race, color, creed, religion, gender, age, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by state, federal, or local law.