BE GREAT TOGETHER WITH US.

Innovation, Efficiency and Ambition: this is what VAT has stood for over 50 years. 

With this passion, VAT has grown to become the leading international developer, manufacturer and supplier of high-performance high-end vacuum valves and vacuum sealing technology, employing over 2000 people worldwide.  The headquarters are located in Haag (Switzerland), the production centers in Switzerland, Malaysia, Romania and Taiwan.

The Customer Support Specialist serves as the first point of contact for order management and is responsible for providing many levels of support. This position requires strong organizational skills, independent thinking, and self-initiative. This individual promotes teamwork in the workplace and thrives for anticipating the needs of our customers. The ideal candidate is well qualified in handling complex customer issues and promoting positive customer experiences. They are organized with a team-oriented mentality and dedication to customer satisfaction, business goals and sales excellence. 

Principle Duties & Responsibilities:

Customer Order Management & Support 

• Provide friendly, courteous, and professional support for customer orders received via email, telephone, customer portals, and fax using the company’s Order Management System.

• Manage end-to-end customer orders including order entry, monitoring, consignment project, tracking changes, backlog management and ensuring full compliance with customer requirements.

• Ensure timely and accurate invoicing in compliance with Incoterms and agreed payment terms.

• Maintain complete and accurate order history in compliance with audit and document retention requirements.

• Ensure all supporting customer purchase orders are received and properly archived.

• Be proactive in communicating order issues, risks, delays, or changes to customers.

• Work within assigned working hours, with a readiness to provide additional support during peak workloads or critical customer needs. 

Forecasting, Backlog & Inventory

• Load customer forecasts into the Order Management System and submit corresponding purchase orders to sister manufacturing companies in Switzerland and/or Malaysia.

• Review, monitor, and manage order backlogs, including risk assessment and escalation where required.

• Review and expedite back orders to meet customer delivery commitments.

• Assist with physical inventory audits when required. Logistics, Shipping & Distribution

• Work closely with Logistics and Customer Operations teams to coordinate shipping and distribution of parts to fulfill customer orders.

• Act as a liaison between customers and internal operations teams to determine shipping requirements.

• Manage shipping instructions across various ERP platforms. Service, Returns & Quotations

• Generate and submit customer quotations from the CRM system based on adequate information and required sales approvals.

• Manage service, rework, and return orders from creation and quotation through status updates to final closure.

• Process service return orders and quotations for customer product returns. Cross-Functional & Stakeholder Collaboration

• Work closely with customers across multiple time zones and collaborate with sales teams, product groups, finance, logistics, and operations to resolve issues and answer queries.

• Support the Sales Operations Manager in achieving sales targets by managing revenue and delivery risks.

• Work with accounts receivable and field sales engineers to resolve billing, payment, and order related issues.

• Initiate and participate in online meetings with customers and internal stakeholders to provide shipment updates and follow up on open issues. 

Logistics, Shipping & Distribution

• Work closely with Logistics and Customer Operations teams to coordinate shipping and distribution of parts to fulfill customer orders.

• Act as a liaison between customers and internal operations teams to determine shipping requirements.

• Manage shipping instructions across various ERP platforms. 

Service, Returns & Quotations

• Generate and submit customer quotations from the CRM system based on adequate information and required sales approvals.

• Manage service, rework, and return orders from creation and quotation through status updates to final closure.

• Process service return orders and quotations for customer product returns. 

Cross-Functional & Stakeholder Collaboration

• Work closely with customers across multiple time zones and collaborate with sales teams, product groups, finance, logistics, and operations to resolve issues and answer queries.

• Support the Sales Operations Manager in achieving sales targets by managing revenue and delivery risks.

• Work with accounts receivable and field sales engineers to resolve billing, payment, and order related issues.

• Initiate and participate in online meetings with customers and internal stakeholders to provide shipment updates and follow up on open issues. 

Additional Responsibilities

• Support additional administrative or project-related duties as assigned by the Country Sales Operations Manager.

• Drive Customer Service Excellence initiatives and ensure the achievement of KPIs.

• Document and maintain work instructions and operational processes (including supply chain related processes) for the Asia region

• Be flexible when required to work extra hours, holidays, and Asia or US time zones. 

Minimum Qualification

• Bachelor’s degree in business Admin/ Marketing/Supply Chain or another related field

• Good command in English and Mandarin is required.

• Well verse in using Microsoft Office (Excel & Outlook), PowerPoint and Access knowledge is an advantage

• Ability to develop complex reports and metrics.

• Good interpersonal, organizational, and communication (oral & written) skills.

• Ability to function independently and multi-task.

• Team player with good problem-solving ability 

Preferred Qualification

• Minimum 1-2 years’ experience as a customer support specialist, operational support.

• Familiarity with production scheduling (ERP) is highly desired. 

VAT is an equal opportunity employer. We see ourselves as a responsible and far-sighted employer that offers not only jobs, but also career and personal development opportunities through various training programs. We recognize the value of employee diversity and provide equal employment opportunity for all qualified application that contributes to innovation, improves customer orientation and employee satisfaction. One-step in this direction is to ensure that people are recognized and fairly compensated for their contributions to the company. In 2021, VAT received the Fair-ON-Pay+ certificate as an acknowledgement for our commitment in ensuring equal pay for equal work between men and women.