A Customer Operations Representative/Senior Customer Operations Representative - Claims is ultimately responsible for the accurate and complete investigation and execution of customer claims.  Customer claims include shipment errors (i.e. shortages, overages, damages, mis-picks, mis-ships), pricing related inaccuracies, expired related returns, recalls, failure to supplies and service level failures.   Completion of these claims through thorough research will result in maintaining good business relations with our customers.  The Claims Rep works with other internal shared account stakeholders to ensure optimal customer relationships. The person in this role is one of the account stakeholders and works in conjunction with the account owner as well as the other stakeholders that handle the account.  The person residing in this role is the customer lead from the claims perspective and shares the responsibility for maintaining the cohesive customer relationship.  This role has regular interactions with the other internal account representatives.

• Successfully and accurately negotiate claims to a mutually exclusive position with customers and ensure see through of payment if any amount is owed.
• Provide dedicated email and phone support within Claims, responding to customer requests and complaints in an expedient and professional manner, with authority to handle or coordinate all inquiries to achieve complete resolution and full customer satisfaction.
• Exercise full authority to perform contract review during the claim investigation process, and maintain central customer database.
• Have an in-depth understanding of order processing including domestic and international orders, narcotic and non-narcotic orders.
  • Controlled Substance Class II narcotic claim management
    • Special processes related to CII related claims
  • Quality related claim management
    • Special processes related to Quality related claims
  • Have an in-depth understanding of all our direct customers and how wholesalers and distributors support our indirect customer base.
  • Work closely with Sales to coordinate resolution of direct and indirect customer issues.
  • Aiding in deduction management (finance).
  • Recall processing.
  • Meet or exceed internal service level guidelines.
  • Collaborate with West-Ward Distribution Center on shipment information.
  • Collaborate with West-Ward’s contracted returns vendor.
  • Develop a general understanding of the various Lines of business and the products they support.
  • Seek continuous process improvements to enhance department productivity and customer service performance.
  • Assist in department filing and clerical support as required.
  • Perform other duties as assigned.

Project Management:

• Actively facilitates in projects that involve process improvements within the department, business developments and enhancements within the organization and any other projects that arise that directly impact the customer relationship and West-Ward’s ability to service them.

Reporting:

• Develop, distribute, and analyze various reports for internal and external customers.
• Prepare status reports or other summaries and analyses as needed.

Policies and Procedures:

• Develops and/or enhances policies and procedures ensuring that they are accurately documented and meet various department and business requirements.

Training:

• Participate in various training sessions that will help with job responsibilities.
• Conduct training sessions within the department as necessary and if applicable.

Internal Controls:

• Work within department and organization compliance standards.
• Prioritizing multiple work loads.

Audits:

• Through reporting, must analyze and conduct self-audits on performance against individual metrics as well as team metrics.

Other:

• Potential travel.

Team Lead and Management Support (applicable for Senior level; in addition to the above):

• Participates and contributes in various projects that directly impact the Customer Ops. team in regard to enhanced process improvements at a department level.
• Participates and contributes in various projects in regard to enhanced process improvements at a company level.
• Identifying process development opportunities within the department and being able to present action plans to see through.
• Actively assist in leading the team and overseeing daily processes.

Functional Lead (if applicable):

• Serve as the main point of contact within the group and externally for a given functional area of the Customer Operations team.
• Regularly provides feedback and ideas for continued process improvements in that functional area.
• Functional area expert; complete and detailed knowledge of the process and continuous evolvement on ways to help the teams overall knowledge of the particular functional area.
• Aiding in the guidance of other team members that carry out the particular function.

Education:

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience.
• 5+ years’ experience in a Customer Service and/or Claim related environment.
• 1-5 years’ experience in pharmaceutical industry.

Preferred:

• Strong negotiation and analytical skills.
• Basic knowledge of SAP, including the ability to enter debits, credits and return authorizations and evaluates inventory status.
• The ideal candidate will have a working background in the Pharmaceutical industry.
• Ability to read, comprehend and follow complicated verbal instructions, the ability to communicate clearly and the ability to perform basic arithmetic calculations in order to perform the duties described above. This is normally acquired through the completion of a high school education, and/or extensive work experience.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Knowledge of customer service etiquette, including a pleasant phone voice and manner.
• Demonstrated experience with computers and general office equipment.
• Knowledge of and demonstrated intermediate level experience with typical office automation software, such as Microsoft Windows, MS Word, MS Excel, MS Access or other database applications.
• Demonstrated ability to prioritize multiple tasks, solve complex problems, drive resolution of problems to meet deadlines, and the ability to pay strict attention to detail.
• Ability to remain calm and productive in an often stressful environment and to deal effectively with challenging demands.
• Strong interpersonal skills, including the ability to communicate effectively and professionally with customers and all levels of the organization.
• Exceptional attendance required to meet ongoing demands of customers and field sales.
• Strong situational analysis and independent thinking skills.
• Strong organizational Skills.
• Self-initiator; ability to identify and propose department and process evolutions and facilitate necessary activities upon management approval with active guidance.
• Results driven.

Senior (in addition to all of the above):

• Developing leadership skills.
• Strong communication skills.
• Flexibility to work in a team setting or independently, depending on needs of the department.
• Developing project related skills.
• Self-starter; ability to propose, facilitate and execute department and process evolutions upon management approval with minimal guidance.