Client Operations Specialist

Air Distribution Limited; Grandview, Northern (MO, KY); Hybrid; USD 55,000 - 75,000; Full time

Job summary

Air Distribution Limited is seeking a Client Operations Specialist to support regional sales by managing quotes, order processing, and day-to-day client communications. This role coordinates with Regional Sales Managers and Product Specialists to ensure timely, accurate quotes and smooth order fulfillment.

The COS resolves client issues, maintains account records, and monitors customer satisfaction, working across production, quality, and sales teams to keep quotes and orders on track.

Qualifications

• Associate's degree or equivalent from a two-year college or technical school, or 6 months-1 year of related experience/training, or an equivalent combination of education and experience preferred.
• 2+ years of experience in a B2B client services or customer service role; HVAC, manufacturing, or technical support experience a plus.
• Basic understanding of commercial HVAC systems, components, and terminology a plus.
• CRM experience required (SugarSell preferred); familiarity with AS/400 and Edge/Atlas quoting tools, or ability to learn quickly.
• Intermediate-level proficiency with Power BI and Microsoft 365 (Outlook, Word, Excel).
• Strong written and verbal communication skills; empathy and conflict-resolution skills to de-escalate issues and maintain positive client relationships.
• Ability to work in a request-driven environment with variable regional workload; superior organizational skills and independent judgment.

Responsibilities

• Quoting & Routing: Produce accurate quotes in the CRM and route requests to Product Specialist without delay.
• Own the commercial side of each quote: pricing input, margin, and terms.
• Interact with clients on pricing and purchase orders in the RSM's absence; provide pricing analysis as needed.
• Order Processing & Logistics: Submit orders to OE; coordinate delivery logistics and real-time status.
• Monitor holds, backorders, changes, and cancellations; coordinate expedited shipments as needed.
• Process warranty claims, returns, credits, and repair authorizations with production and quality teams.
• Client Communication: Log and resolve inbound inquiries; notify clients of late jobs.
• Prepare customer correspondence: confirmations, status reports, follow-up summaries.
• Triage technical questions: escalate complex issues to Product Specialist, Field Service Technician, AM, or PM.
• Account & Service Quality: Maintain accurate account records; monitor customer satisfaction; flag improvements.
• Coordinate with Production and Product Management on availability, lead times, pricing accuracy.

Skills

Communication

Organization

Conflict resolution

Independent judgment

Education

Associate's degree or equivalent

Tools

SugarSell CRM

AS/400

Edge/Atlas quoting tools

Power BI

Microsoft 365

Job description

The Client Operations Specialist (COS) is a regionally aligned sales support role within Commercial Operations, working in close coordination with Regional Sales Managers (RSMs) and the Sales Rep Channel they support. The COS owns quoting accuracy, order submission, and day-to-day client communication for an assigned region, freeing RSMs and reps to spend more time in the field. The COS is the primary liaison between clients, reps, RSMs, plants, and internal operations, and is expected to resolve client issues proactively and through to completion rather than simply routing requests.

Primary Duties and Responsibilities

Quoting & Routing

• Partner with the assigned region's Product Specialist to produce accurate, timely sales quotations in the CRM and quoting tools; route incoming requests to the correct Product Specialist and confirm assignment without delay.
• Own the commercial side of each quote - pricing input, margin, and terms - while the Product Specialist owns the technical side (see ownership split below).
• Interact directly with clients on pricing and purchase orders in the RSM's absence; provide historical pricing analysis to RSMs on request.

Order Processing & Logistics

• Prepare and submit clean, complete orders to Order Entry (OE); coordinate delivery logistics and provide clients real-time status.
• Monitor holds, backorders, changes, and cancellations; coordinate expedited shipments as needed.
• Process warranty claims, returns, credits, and repair authorizations with production and quality teams.

Client Communication

• Log and resolve inbound client inquiries by phone, email, and web portal in the CRM.
• Review the Plant Ops Board daily and proactively notify affected clients of late jobs before they have to ask.
• Prepare clear customer correspondence, including confirmations, status reports, and follow-up summaries.
• Triage technical questions: resolve straightforward items directly, elevate complex issues to the Product Specialist, Field Service Technician, Account Manager, or Project Manager, and follow through to a communicated resolution.

Account & Service Quality

• Maintain accurate account records — contacts, business address, customer preferences.
• Monitor customer satisfaction, capture feedback, and flag process improvements.
• Coordinate with Production and Product Management on availability, lead times, and pricing accuracy.

Quoting is a shared responsibility. The COS is not expected to independently produce technical quotes for complex or non-standard requests — the COS routes the request and manages the commercial side while the Product Specialist manages the technical side.

Product Specialist Owns

Intake and routing of the quote request

Input on pricing, margin, and commercial terms

Status communication to rep/RSM/client

Technical specification and product configuration

Quote accuracy for spec, scope, and project requirements

Technical risk/feasibility review; CRM entry and issuance; sign-off on technical accuracy before pricing is finalized

Both roles are jointly accountable for a complete, accurate quote reaching the rep on time: the COS ensures no request goes unassigned; the Product Specialist owns technical turnaround time once assigned.

Success Measures

• Quote turnaround: returned to the rep within 5 business days of request.
• OE rejection rate: orders released to Order Entry are clean and complete.
• Plant Ops Board: 100% of assigned accounts with a late order notified the same day it's flagged.

Qualifications

• Associate's degree or equivalent from a two-year college or technical school, or 6 months-1 year of related experience/training, or an equivalent combination of education and experience preferred.
• 2+ years of experience in a B2B client services or customer service role; HVAC, manufacturing, or technical support experience a plus.
• Basic understanding of commercial HVAC systems, components, and terminology a plus.
• CRM experience required (SugarSell preferred); familiarity with AS/400 and Edge/Atlas quoting tools, or ability to learn quickly.
• Intermediate-level proficiency with Power BI and Microsoft 365 (Outlook, Word, Excel).
• Strong written and verbal communication skills; empathy and conflict-resolution skills to de-escalate issues and maintain positive client relationships.
• Ability to work in a request-driven environment with variable regional workload; superior organizational skills and independent judgment.

Equal Opportunity Employer
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