Gear Advisor EMEA

Come and be part of Rock N'Roll History at FENDER!

Fender Musical Instruments Corporation ("FMIC") is one of the world's leading musical instrument manufacturers, marketers and distributors, whose portfolio of brands includes Fender®, Squier®, Gretsch®, Jackson®, EVH®, Charvel® and Groove Tubes®, among others. Our brand mission is to accompany each player at every stage with products and brand experiences that fuel the pursuit of musical expression. Fender EMEA is a growing team that plays a critical role in the engine that delivers Fender to a global audience. We accompany the legendary brand at every step of the way. An American icon, Fender was born in Southern California and has built a worldwide influence extending beyond the studio and the stage. A Fender is more than an instrument, it's a cultural symbol that resonates globally.

About the role

We have a unique opportunity for a Gear Advisor to join our team based at our Fender EMEA head office in East Grinstead!

If you're passionate about making a difference, working with a close knit team, and will enjoy the challenge of working across a European business...this role is for you!

Hybrid Working

Post COVID-19, Fender is working under a hybrid flexible working arrangement, with most employees working both from home and the office. This means that in most cases, our employees will experience a blend of working from home, or from the office, dependent on what type of role they undertake and the requirements of that role. We encourage leaders to both manage business requirements and offer flexibility where possible.

Key Purpose of the Job

As a Gear Advisor, you will be entrusted with the critical responsibility of providing direct communication and customer service support to FMIC consumers via phone, e-mail, and print mail. We're looking for someone who knows our products inside-and-out and who can eat, breathe and sing about guitars, amps and accessories all day long. The department provides key support for all service and parts related issues, technical queries and return and repair of FMIC products. A key aspect of the role is being able to provide high standards of customer service and support within Company guidelines.

Main Responsibilities

• Fielding inquiries regarding product specifications, performance, application, pricing, and availability as well as providing historical information for all FMIC brands.
• Evaluate and troubleshoot possible product performance issues
• Facilitate consumer product returns
• Place orders in AS400 for parts and replacement products required to resolve defective product issues
• Track orders and shipments, also inAS400, and online through all carriers
• Guide consumers, when necessary, to resources like Authorised Fender Dealers for physical repairs
• Coordinate with consumers, Fender dealers, authorised Fender service centres and Fender's Repair Department to resolve customer service and product performance issues/disputes involving defective and damaged product
• Maintain a call issues and resolutions records database and refer consumers to a myriad of non-FMIC resources to assist with their product, aftermarket parts or informational needs.
• Assist with our online store. You'll receive and respond to customer communications in all available media in a professional and courteous manner
• Respond to technical enquiries relating to all FMIC brands
• Ad-hoc projects as required

This is an indication of the main responsibilities of the role and the Company reserve the right to amend the content of the role at its discretion

Person Specification

Essential Skills/Experience/Knowledge

• 2-years of experience in a musical instruments retail sales &/or customer service contact centre role.
• Extensive technical knowledge of all FMIC product lines.
• Experience with CRM and Chat platforms in a Customer Service environment preferred.
• Experience with Zendesk platform preferred
• SAP experience preferred, but not required.
• Demonstrated ability to explain more complex or technical information to a broad-based audience, possibly with less knowledge.
• Read technical specifications and drawings for FMIC products
• Experience working with MS Office products - Excel, Word, and Outlook at a minimum
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Strong sense of team-orientation.
• Excellent detail-orientation and strong organizational skills with a focus on attention to detail.

Desirable Skills/Experience/Knowledge

• Experience of working in an office environment
• Ability to develop and maintain professional working relationships
• Experience of working in a customer service driven environment
• Excellent knowledge of FMIC product lines
• French and / or German speaking

Why Work for Fender?

We offer a range of Company benefits to our employees, and we would love you to join the team!

• Private Medical Cover

All employees are eligible to join our private health care scheme through salary sacrifice. Employees are eligible to benefit from tax relief of this provision.

• Learning and Development

We have an extensive range of courses and Udemy training sessions to enhance your learning! We also fund accreditations and externally recognised qualifications.

• Season Ticket Loans

If you need a season ticket loan for travel, we offer season ticket loans that cover your travel, and the cost is repaid free from interest.

• Birthday Voucher

Every employee receives an employee voucher on their birthday!

• Long Service Awards

We operate a long service awards that recognises your individual contributions to Fender.

• Employee Assistance Programme with Health Assured

Unlimited telephone counselling 24/7 counselling helpline and where applicable, structured short-term solution focused therapy. Advice and information for practical legal, financial, and medical matters. Online CBT and resources, face to face sessions up 6 per year.

• Cycle to Work Scheme

Cycle scheme gives employees access to bikes and safety equipment with big savings up to 50% over retail prices created by economies on VAT*, Income Tax and National Insurance.

• Workplace Pension Scheme

We offer a workplace pension which Fender will contribute 50% of your contributions, capped at 3%.

• Free unlimited access to Fender Play

Want to learn the guitar, bass, or ukulele? Look no further than Fender Play, free to all our employees!

• Fender Staff Discounts Program

We offer comprehensive discounts on all products and accessories available from our Fender.com & Jackson.com websites.

• PreSonus Staff Discount Program

Discounts are also available on products from PreSonus Audio Electronics, a member of the Fender Family of brands.

• Working from Home Allowance

All employees that can work from home are eligible to receive an allowance to cover the extra costs of working from your home.

• Working from Home Equipment and Support

We want to support all our employees to work from home and offer a wide range of support mechanisms and equipment to ensure you're all good to go!

• Flexible Working Culture

All our employees* have the opportunity to work from home and from the office environment. We have offices in East Grinstead and Endell Street, London.

• Subject to individual role requirements

• Fender Days

2 x discretionary annual leave days taken on Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve for all employees.