Supervisor, Customer Service

In spring of 1996, Bill & Carol Foley purchased 1,000 acres of lush and fertile earth within the then relatively unknown Sta. Rita Hills region of Santa Barbara County. Their plan – produce hand-crafted Chardonnay and Pinot Noir that reflected the best of California’s Central Coast. Named for their two daughters – Lindsey & Courtney – Lincourt Vineyards was born, and with it, the beginning of Foley Family Wines & Spirits.

Summary

The Customer Service Supervisor leads the Customer Service representatives and oversees inquiry management across Foley Family Wines & Spirits (FFWS). The team serves as a central resource for inquiries involving tasting rooms, wine club, ecommerce, wholesale, media, and other FFWS brands and business functions.

This hands-on supervisor manages daily service operations, employee performance, case management, and escalations, ensuring inquiries receive timely, accurate responses and consistent follow-through. The role oversees cases from initial contact through resolution, including requests requiring coordination with other departments.

Reporting to the Director, Memberships & Customer Service, the Supervisor establishes clear expectations, coaches’ employees, develops standard operating procedures (SOPs), identifies process gaps, and maintains reliable resources that help hourly employees confidently answer questions and resolve issues. Some nights and weekends are required.

Team Supervision and Performance Management

• Supervise Customer Service representatives, assign daily responsibilities, and hold employees accountable for service quality, productivity, attendance, accuracy, and follow-through.
• Manage staffing schedules, coverage, time-off requests, and workload distribution to support daily operations and periods of increased demand.
• Conduct regular individual coaching, team meetings, and performance reviews. Provide clear feedback, document performance concerns, and implement improvement plans in partnership with the Director and Human Resources.
• Train and onboard employees, maintain training plans, and provide cross-training across FFWS brands, systems, and inquiry types.
• Participate in hiring and recommend staffing, employee development, and disciplinary actions as appropriate.
• Monitor and manage team performance across response times, case resolution, customer satisfaction, service quality, and follow-through. Establish clear expectations, review results with leadership, and address gaps through coaching, training, staffing adjustments, and process improvements.
• Provide hands-on customer service support during high-volume periods, staffing gaps, and complex situations.

Case Management and Escalations

• Oversee the full case management process, including intake, categorization, prioritization, assignment, investigation, follow-up, resolution, and closure.
• Ensure each open case has a clear owner, accurate documentation, a defined next step, and an appropriate follow-up timeline.
• Monitor phone, email, SMS, webchat, and shared inboxes throughout the day. Balance workloads, review aging cases, and prevent missed inquiries, duplicate efforts, and overdue responses.
• Serve as the primary escalation point for Customer Service representatives, providing timely guidance and taking ownership of complex complaints and unresolved issues.
• Research case details, coordinate with the appropriate departments, communicate next steps, and follow through until resolution is confirmed.
• Resolve service issues and approve exceptions within delegated authority, escalating decisions that require additional approval.
• Identify recurring issues, repeat contacts, and barriers to resolution; recommend changes that improve the customer experience and reduce unnecessary follow-up.

FFWS Inquiry Management and Department Coordination

• Oversee the receipt, response, and coordination of inquiries across FFWS, including tasting rooms, wine club, ecommerce, wholesale, media, and other business functions.
• Establish clear routing procedures, department contacts, handoff expectations, and escalation paths so inquiries reach the appropriate resource promptly.
• Retain responsibility for tracking inquiries referred to other departments, ensuring timely acknowledgement, follow-up, and documented closure.
• Coordinate with tasting rooms, Membership Operations, Ecommerce, Wholesale, Marketing, Fulfillment, Finance, Compliance, and other internal teams to resolve inquiries and maintain accurate information.
• Route media and other specialized requests to designated contacts and promptly escalate urgent or sensitive matters.
• Partner with Membership Operations to prepare the team for club billing, releases, shipping schedules, and member communications.
• Execute approved member outreach, cancellation recovery, and retention initiatives, ensuring consistent documentation and follow-through.

SOP Development and Employee Resources

• Identify missing, unclear, or outdated SOPs through case reviews, repeated questions, escalations, customer feedback, and employee input.
• Develop and implement SOPs for common inquiries, service issues, exception handling, departmental handoffs, and escalations.
• Ensure procedures clearly define required steps, decision points, responsible contacts, documentation requirements, and expected response and follow-up times.
• Serve as a day-to-day resource for hourly employees, helping them locate information, interpret procedures, and determine appropriate next steps.
• Research unfamiliar questions using approved systems, policies, and subject matter experts; verify information before providing guidance.
• Maintain an organized, searchable knowledge base, including FAQs, response templates, troubleshooting guides, and department contact information.
• Coordinate procedural updates with the appropriate departments and leadership, maintain version control, and communicate changes to the team.
• Train employees on new and revised procedures and confirm understanding through coaching and case reviews.
• Maintain a prioritized list of process and knowledge gaps, with clear ownership and timelines for improvement.

Standards of Service

• Implement and reinforce consistent service standards for response times, follow-up, resolution, tone, accuracy, documentation, and service recovery across FFWS brands and channels.
• Ensure customers receive a clear acknowledgement, an accurate answer or next step, and a realistic expectation for follow-up.
• Maintain proactive communication when resolution depends on another department, fulfillment partner, or external resource.
• Review customer interactions and transactions for professionalism, accuracy, policy adherence, complete records, and resolution quality.
• Coach employees on effective communication, problem-solving, de-escalation, and delivering a consistent, premium customer experience.
• Prepare the team for approved changes to benefits, pricing, promotions, products, policies, and operating schedules.

Reporting and Continuous Improvement

• Review inquiry volume, workload, staffing coverage, backlog, and aging cases to identify service risks and adjust priorities.
• Provide leadership with regular updates on team performance, customer concerns, escalations, recurring issues, and recommended actions.
• Analyze customer feedback, service errors, cancellation drivers, and operational trends to identify opportunities for improvement.
• Coordinate approved improvements with the appropriate teams and evaluate whether changes improve service and reduce repeat issues.
• Support departmental projects and other responsibilities as assigned.

Required Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Demonstrated ability to supervise employees, establish clear expectations, coach performance, and address performance concerns.
• Strong customer service judgment, problem-solving abilities, and de-escalation skills.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to provide clear guidance to employees and customers.
• Strong organizational skills and the ability to manage competing priorities, multiple service channels, and unresolved cases.
• Ability to research and verify answers, identify appropriate resources, and coordinate follow-through across departments.
• Ability to translate complex information into practical SOPs, training materials, and employee resources.
• Ability to interpret service data, identify recurring issues, and recommend actionable improvements.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office, including Excel, and experience with customer service platforms, phone systems, and CRM or order management tools. Commerce7 experience preferred.
• Ability to maintain accurate records and handle customer and payment information appropriately.
• Commitment to premium hospitality, consistent service standards, and professional conduct.
• Must be at least 21 years of age.
• Must have reliable transportation for regional travel as needed.
• Must be available for occasional nights, weekends, and events.

Education and Experience

• At least three years of customer service experience, including one year in a supervisor or team lead role with responsibility for coaching and team performance.
• Experience managing case queues, escalations, service quality, and employee performance.
• Demonstrated experience developing SOPs, maintaining employee resources, and training frontline employees.
• Wine, hospitality, ecommerce, or subscription membership experience preferred.
• Bachelor’s degree or a wine-related technical degree preferred.

Physical Requirements

• Ability to perform sustained computer and telephone work with accuracy and attention to detail.
• Ability to communicate clearly with employees, vendors, and customers by telephone, email, and in person.
• Ability to sit or stand for extended periods and use a computer keyboard.
• Ability to respond calmly and effectively under pressure.
• Ability to walk, stoop, and occasionally lift or carry wine cases up to 40 pounds, with reasonable accommodation as applicable.

Work Environment

• While performing the duties of this job, the employee usually works in a moderately noisy office environment with light traffic and business office machines and occasionally exposed to outdoor weather conditions.
• The employee will also be working in the tasting room/on location at times. The tasting room is a non-smoking work environment. The employee is asked to not smoke during a workday or be free from any smell that may be associated with smoking. No heavy perfumes, hand lotion or hair products are allowed as they can interfere with the tasting of wines.

Company Core Values

Teamwork – Be a Spirited Partner

Commitment – Crush Every Day

Quality – Good vs. Grape: It’s All in The Details

Integrity – It Takes a Community

Safety – Tend the Vines

Entrepreneurship – Love the Wine You’re With

Fun! - Smile! You Have Purple Teeth!