Location: 

This position will be based in Charlotte, NC.

Reporting:

This position will report to Manager, Customer Advocacy. 

Summary of Role

We are seeking a dedicated and experienced Customer Advocacy Specialist to join our Customer Advocacy team within the Customer Experience organization. As a key member of the team, the Customer Advocacy Specialist will be responsible for managing and resolving complex customer issues, ensuring that escalations are handled promptly and effectively. This role requires excellent problem-solving skills, a customer-centric mindset, and the ability to work cross-functionally to drive resolutions and enhance overall customer satisfaction. The Customer Advocacy Specialist will also serve as a cultural driver, helping Palmetto continue to establish its standing as the client experience leader in the clean technology space.

Key Responsibilities

• Escalation Management:
• Serve as the primary point of contact for escalated customer issues, managing the escalation process from initiation to resolution.
• Quickly assess the nature and severity of escalations, prioritize cases, and develop action plans to address them.
• Work directly with customers to understand their concerns, provide timely updates, and ensure their issues are resolved satisfactorily.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration:
• Collaborate with internal teams, including customer support, product and business groups, sales, and legal, to gather information and resources needed to resolve escalations.
• Facilitate meetings and discussions with relevant stakeholders to expedite resolution of escalated issues.
• Advocate for customer needs and ensure that their feedback is communicated to the appropriate teams for further action.
• Process Improvement:
• Identify root causes of recurring escalations and work with cross-functional teams and the VOC program to implement corrective actions and process improvements.
• Develop and maintain escalation management procedures and best practices.
• Track and analyze escalation metrics to identify trends and opportunities for improvement.
• Customer Experience Enhancement:
• Ensure that escalations are handled in a manner that reinforces customer trust and loyalty.
• Provide recommendations to improve overall customer experience based on insights gained from handling escalations.
• Partner with the Voice of the Customer (VoC) program manager to integrate customer feedback into broader customer experience initiatives.
• Team Leadership and Training:
• Develop training materials and conduct workshops to enhance the team's ability to handle escalations efficiently.
• Foster a customer-centric culture within the broader CX & Support team and promote a proactive approach to issue resolution.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Customer Experience, or a related field.
• 3+ years of experience in customer support, customer service, or a related role with a focus on escalation management.
• Bilingual in English and Spanish (written and verbal) required.
• Proven track record of effectively managing and resolving complex customer issues.
• Excellent problem-solving and analytical skills.
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to interact effectively with customers and internal stakeholders at all levels.
• Experience with customer support tools and systems (e.g., CRM, helpdesk software).
• Ability to work collaboratively with cross-functional teams and influence without authority.
• Strong organizational and project management skills, with the ability to manage multiple priorities.
• Passion for improving customer experiences and driving customer-centric change.
• Consumer experience (B2C or D2C) is required, and experience in the solar industry and / or in a high-growth startup is highly preferred.
• Bias for action, entrepreneurial mindset, and focus on growth and scale.

Main KPIs

• Customer contact rate
• Case resolution time 
• Cost / contact 
• NPS throughout journey
• Palmetto brand reviews