Customer Service Virtual Assistant (VA)

About Bear Maple:
In 2020, in the heart of the pandemic, Bear Maple founder and CEO Brian Bethke and his family were sheltered-in-place in the Catskill Mountains of upstate New York. On their daily outings, he and his daughter discovered maple trees and ginseng growing in the wild. A serial entrepreneur and lifelong learner, Brian set off on a journey of discovery and a deep dive into the voluminous research documenting the functionality of ginseng as well as maple water. He combined the two in a beverage and Bear Maple was born. The Bear Maple team set out to be the first to bring hydroponically grown ginseng to the beverage market in an adaptogenic, sparkling elixir. Bear Maple’s mission is to craft innovative, functional beverages that help nourish both the body and mind while fostering a sustainable future for the planet. Its functional sparkling ginseng beverages are crafted with high-quality ginseng, naturally sweetened with maple water, and are caffeine free. Bear Maple is 1% for the Planet certified, and the company donates 1% of its annual sales directly to vetted environmental partners.

Job Description:
Bear Maple, a dynamic beverage company, is seeking an Administrative Assistant (VA) to join our team. As Administrative Assistant, you will play a crucial role in ensuring prompt and effective communication with our valued customers. Your primary responsibility will be to manage the general inbound email account, providing timely responses to customer inquiries and forwarding relevant emails to the appropriate team members. Additional responsibilities may include assisting the executive team with administrative tasks such as travel arrangements, scheduling, online document management.

Key Responsibilities:
– Email Management: Monitor the general inbound email inbox on a daily basis.
– Customer Inquiries: Respond promptly and professionally to customer emails, addressing inquiries, feedback, and complaints courteously.
– Issue Resolution: Resolve easy customer service issues independently, providing solutions or escalating more complex issues to the Head of Operations or relevant team members.
– Ecommerce Customer Service: Use Amazon Seller Central, Faire, and Meta business platforms to monitor and respond to customer service inquiries. Will require looking up orders, changing orders, and providing refunds within 24 hrs.
– Forwarding Emails: Identify emails requiring the attention of specific team members (e.g., sales inquiries, marketing requests) and forward them accordingly.
– Maintain Communication Records: Keep detailed records of customer interactions and responses for future reference.
– Standardized Response Ownership: Own and maintain a company-wide reference guide for standardized responses and talking points to frequently asked questions.
– Quality Assurance: Ensure that all email responses adhere to company standards and reflect the brand’s tone and voice.
– Collaboration: Collaborate with the Head of Operations and other team members to streamline customer service processes and improve customer satisfaction.
– Executive Management: Assist company executives in cross functional meeting and project coordination via email and online meeting platforms.

Requirements:
– Excellent Communication Skills: Strong written communication skills, in English, are essential for effectively responding to customer emails with clarity and professionalism.
– Customer Service Experience: Previous experience in customer service or a related field is preferred.
– Attention to Detail: Ability to accurately interpret customer inquiries and provide appropriate responses while paying attention to detail.
– Problem-Solving Skills: Capacity to independently resolve easy customer service issues and escalate complex problems to the appropriate channels.
– Time Management: Proficient in managing time effectively to ensure timely responses to customer inquiries and forwarding of emails.
– Team Player: Willingness to collaborate with team members and support the overall objectives of the company.
– Adaptability: Ability to adapt to changing priorities and work in a fast-paced environment.

Reporting Structure:
The Customer Service VA will report directly to the Head of Operations, providing regular updates on customer inquiries, email management, and executive team coordination. The associate will have a dotted line of responsibility for the company executives in which they assist with meeting and project coordination.

Join Bear Maple and become an integral part of our customer-centric team, dedicated to delivering exceptional service and fostering positive customer relationships! Apply now to embark on an exciting journey with us.