Customer Service Manager

Who we are:

In 1996, Farmers Depot was established and has grown to be the complete animal health and equipment supplier for livestock producers across Canada providing thousands of quality animal health products at a competitive price with next day delivery, and product support. Farmers Depot is under the GVF Group umbrella and operates in close affiliation with Grand Valley Fortifiers and Fortified Nutrition Limited. Both brands manufacture and sell high-quality, leading-edge vitamin and mineral premixes and supplements for swine, dairy, beef and poultry producers.

Today, the GVF Group is comprised of seven divisions: Grand Valley Fortifiers, Fortified Nutrition, Farmers Depot, Direct Source Commodities, Livestack, True Foods, and Kindred Farmers. Across all divisions, we are united by a common purpose – helping our customers achieve better results through innovation, partnership, and trusted advice.

Ours is a family business that cares about its employees and its community. We make sure that all our staff get what the best-in-class team members deserve: benefits, good wages, and respect. Whether through our charitable work, or our dedication to staff, GVF is committed to living out our principles and values.

Why we have this role:

At Farmers Depot, providing an exceptional customer experience is at the heart of what we do. We're looking for a Customer Service Manager who is passionate about building strong customer relationships, developing people and finding better ways to work.

In this role, you'll lead and support our Customer Service team, ensuring our customers receive timely, knowledgeable and reliable service. You'll play an important role in shaping the department's processes, setting performance expectations and identifying opportunities to improve efficiency, strengthen customer relationships and support business growth.

This is a hands-on leadership role. We're looking for someone who is comfortable leading from the front, coaching their team while also stepping into day-to-day customer service activities when needed. You'll take the time to understand our customers, systems and processes firsthand so you can effectively support the team and lead continuous improvement.

Working with us:

This is a permanent, full-time position based out of the Farmers Depot Head Office at 455 Dobbie Drive in Cambridge, Ontario.

Our Customer Service team serves customers Monday to Friday, 8:00am to 5:30pm. Your regular working hours will be Monday to Friday, 8:00am to 5:00pm, with a one-hour unpaid lunch break.

As the Customer Service Manager, you'll be responsible for ensuring the department is appropriately staffed and equipped to serve customers throughout core business hours. Occasional work outside standard hours, including weekends, may be required to meet business needs.

What you’ll do:

Customer Service Leadership

• Provide day-to-day leadership, coaching and support to the Farmers Depot Customer Service team.
• Establish clear departmental objectives, performance expectations and accountability.
• Assess team structure, responsibilities, workflows and operational challenges to identify opportunities for improvement.
• Build employee capabilities through coaching, training, ongoing feedback and development.
• Address performance concerns and support individual and team development.
• Establish consistent communication practices and team routines that encourage collaboration and accountability.
• Lead the implementation of new and revised processes, ensuring employees are trained and accountable for following established procedures.
• Take a hands-on, player-coach approach by actively supporting day-to-day Customer Service activities, including processing customer orders, responding to inquiries, resolving customer concerns and providing coverage during busy periods.
• Develop a strong understanding of departmental systems, processes and workflows to effectively support the team and identify opportunities to improve operations.

Customer Experience & Performance

• Champion an exceptional customer experience by ensuring customer inquiries and concerns are handled promptly and effectively.
• Identify recurring customer issues and implement corrective actions to prevent them from happening again.
• Establish and support consistent processes for managing escalated customer concerns.
• Work collaboratively with other departments to improve communication, coordination and the overall customer experience.
• Use operational data, KPIs and customer feedback to identify opportunities to improve efficiency and service levels.
• Establish and monitor the administration of phone-based marketing and sales campaigns.
• Support cross-departmental managers and product teams in representing products and providing support to producers.

Team Development & Continuous Improvement

• Assess the current capabilities, responsibilities and development needs of the Customer Service team.
• Establish clear role expectations and responsibilities across the department.
• Identify training requirements and implement appropriate development plans.
• Develop processes, procedures and documentation that support consistent and effective departmental operations.
• Identify opportunities to improve team effectiveness, communication, collaboration and sales growth.

Your background includes:

• Post-secondary education in Business Administration or a related field is preferred.
• At least 5 years of experience in a customer service role, providing direct customer support.
• At least 3 years of experience leading, coaching and mentoring a team.
• The ability to think strategically while remaining comfortable getting involved in day-to-day operations.
• Strong customer relationship skills and a professional, client-facing presence.
• Exceptional verbal and written communication skills.
• Strong problem-solving, troubleshooting and negotiation skills.
• The ability to manage competing priorities, multitask and make sound decisions in a fast-paced environment.
• Working knowledge of customer service software, databases and tools; experience with Shopify is an asset.
• Technologically savvy with proficiency in Microsoft Office, particularly Outlook, Word and Excel.
• Experience in the agriculture industry is an asset.
• Fluency in both English and French is considered an asset.

Why work with us:

• Canadian Family-Owned and Operated Company
• Competitive wages
• Extended health and dental benefits
• RRSP matching program
• Profit sharing bonus
• Donation matching program
• Professional development opportunities
• Store discount at Valley Feeds
• Be part of a company that values integrity, innovation, and giving back.

Living our values:

We’re a family-owned business that values its people and the communities we serve. We are committed to providing a supportive and respectful workplace, offering competitive compensation and benefits, and investing in our employees’ success. Whether through our work with customers, our support of employees, or our community involvement, we strive to live our values every day.

• Passion: Serving customers innovatively and well.
• Humble Confidence: Confidently choosing to forgo our status, deploy our resources and use of influence for the good of others before ourselves.
• Integrity: Consistently honest while honouring commitments with our customers, co-workers and suppliers.
• Professional: Committed to excellence in the way we lead, serve and relate.
• Caring: With a servant heart, truly caring for customers and co-workers. Find satisfaction in assisting with others’ challenges and joy in witnessing their success.

All interested applicants are asked to apply with a copy of their resume. We thank all applicants for their interest however, only candidates considered for the position will be contacted for an interview.