Technical Specialist

Company: Mars, IncorporatedLocation: Atlanta, GA 30301Job Category: Sales/Retail/Business DevelopmentCareer Level: Experienced (Non-Manager)Reference Code: ATL00010 Contact : Mars, Incorporated Job Details Quality. Responsibility. Mutuality. Efficiency. Freedom. Unusual values for a $5 billion company? Not at Mars North America! The Five Principles of Mars have inspired us for over 90 years. More than a statement of values, they are the explanation for our success and the formula for our future.Mars North America creates the foods you love, like M&M's®, SNICKERS®, DOVE® and UNCLE BEN'S® . . . and the foods your pets love, too, like PEDIGREE®, CESAR®, WHISKAS® and SHEBA®.We stand apart because we are a global leader in the food, snack and petcare industries and one of the most successful family-owned businesses in the world. Currently, we are looking for qualified, diverse individuals to apply for the following position:  Works with customer service organization providing support to customers, the inside sales team and external sales force. Handles national and local accounts, with geographic limitations. Must be a team player and a self-starter that can cope with changing information and heavy customer interaction. Staffs the technical service 800 line Responds to technical questions that are unable to be handled by 1st tier phone support On-site troubleshooting to identify root cause issues with FLAVIA products Ability to repair customer equipment on-site or at FBS warehouse locations Evaluate field failures and out of box(OOB) issues in support of improving product quality and reducing the annual warranty cost Responsible for reporting the status of assigned tasks, spare parts usage, technical bulletins and quality information. Manage Approved Service Centers(ASCs) and equipment repair solutions Conduct product and technical training and for internal Sales associates and external customers Manage and support the Customer Compliants Database for FBS IV. DECISION MAKING AUTHORITY:List some of the most important decisions and/or recommendations which are made by the incumbent. Must resolve customer technical issues successfully and efficiently Must be creative and efficient in resolving issues around equipment downtime when customer is in immediate need of product support Must be able to resolve customer issues with out of box failure and/or any type of customer requested returns/RMAs Knowledge and understanding of how to handle irate customers, particularly those customers who use leverage with their local sales representative Must develop service & support strategies for new customers to enhance the value proposition Resolve reporting needs, information flow, and documentation for new products for inclusion in the training of field customer service representatives and the technical service manual V. KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS:A minimum of three to five years technical service experience in a high-volume, 800-line helpdesk environment using electronic equipment Computer literacy - ability to navigate required software packages Knowledge of computer applications or similar database management software Knowledge of the business and FLAVIA products Ability to troubleshoot quickly and know when expert help is required to solve a problem Excellent interpersonal skills and demonstrated ability to work as a team member in a fast-paced environment Strong problem-solving skills and abilities. Excellent organizational skills Experience with the creation and delivery of training seminars Effectively work autonomously with minimal management direction Experience developing and implementing process improvement initiatives Strong customer orientation. A positive and proactive approach. Attentive to the needs of customers Effective rapport building and relationship management skills Ability to handle customer requests and/or complaints with friendliness and professionalism Strong and effective verbal and written communication skills. Capable of facilitating discussion. Clear and articulate speech Ability to speak French a major plus   Education:  Associate’s Degree in Technical Discipline/Business required. Bachelor’s Degree preferred, or, equivalent experience.  Expected to travel approximately 50% of the time throughout North America and less than 10% international travel may be required. Ability to lift a maximum of 50lbs. for short distances. Company-paid relocation is not available for this position. As a privately-held, family-owned company, Mars North America offers benefits which reflect our commitment to attracting and retaining great people. This includes excellent pay, competitive health and dental care coverage, a retirement plan, a very competitive vacation plan and unrivalled career advancement opportunities, to name just a few of our unique and generous benefits. If you're looking for a place where you can take ownership for your work, where the pace is fast, the environment is built around the importance of open communication, and where employees are called "associates" and treated as such, then we want to hear from you.  We value a diverse work environment and encourage qualified individuals to apply, regardless of race, religion, disability, national origin, veteran status, gender and age. Mars North America is an Affirmative Action and Equal Opportunity Employer. Visit www.mars.com to learn more about our company and for information about all of our current openings. Please, no agencies.