Customer Relationship Manager

About the Company

This is a privately owned New Zealand manufacturer with over 35 years of experience, well-established as a market leader specializing in premium architectural solutions for residential, commercial, educational, and aged care projects nationwide. The company prides itself on designing, manufacturing, and supporting its products locally, growing primarily through product excellence and strong customer relationships rather than advertising.

Role Purpose

The Customer Relationship Manager is vital in expanding the company’s market reach by assisting customers in identifying their needs and selecting the most suitable solutions and brand. This role involves working with stakeholders such as architects, developers, builders, and homeowners to manage customer inquiries and sales from initial contact to completion, delivering exceptional customer service alongside expert product and technical guidance.

Key Responsibilities

• Respond promptly and professionally to customer inquiries via phone, email, or in-person.
• Understand customer projects, requirements, and priorities through effective questioning and guide them to appropriate solutions.
• Follow-up proactively on inquiries, leads, and projects to advance sales opportunities through the pipeline.
• Build and maintain strong, trustworthy relationships with architects, developers, builders, homeowners, and other key stakeholders.
• Identify opportunities to increase sales and enhance the value of existing and potential customer engagements.
• Negotiate skillfully to secure favorable commercial outcomes.
• Take ownership of sales processes to convert inquiries into successful transactions wherever feasible.
• Maintain accurate, current records of customers, leads, and projects within the CRM system and manage the sales pipeline collaboratively with the Sales Manager.
• Assist showroom visitors by explaining and comparing products and solutions.
• Support the Sales Manager with presentations to architects, builders, developers, and industry groups.
• Contribute to initiatives aimed at boosting product awareness, fostering relationships, and securing product specifications.

Required Skills and Attributes

• Strong customer service aptitude and relationship management skills, with confidence engaging diverse customers and stakeholders.
• Commercially focused with keen ability to identify prospects, advance leads, negotiate effectively, and help deliver successful sales outcomes.
• Excellent communication, listening, and questioning capabilities that enable clear understanding and explanation of customer needs.
• Robust planning and organisational skills, able to juggle multiple customers, projects, and priorities while maintaining meticulous attention to detail.
• Responsible and proactive attitude, committed to quality, persistent in following through commitments, and capable of independently solving problems.
• Proficient computer skills, comfortable using CRM and other business applications.