OUR OPPORTUNITY
We have an exciting opportunity available for a Customer Service Representative (6-month contract) at our Thorold Distribution Centre. We're seeking a talented individual to be the voice of our Book Outlet and/or Book Depot brands and champions for our customers. In this role, you'll transform customer interactions into positive experiences while maintaining our high standards of service excellence. Your strong writing abilities, problem-solving skills, and customer-centric approach will help build lasting relationships with our customers across multiple communication channels.
***PLEASE CONFIRM WHICH OF THE FOLLOWING OPTIONS YOU ARE INTERESTED IN, WHEN APPLYING:
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Full-Time: Wednesday to Sunday
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Hybrid: In office Wednesday to Friday, remote from home Saturday & Sunday
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Part-Time: Saturday & Sunday
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Weekend coverage only (Saturday & Sunday, remote from home)
JOB PURPOSE
Book Depot Inc.'s Customer Service Representatives (CSRs) are the voice of our Book Outlet and/or Book Depot brands and a champion for our customers. This role transforms customer interactions into positive experiences while maintaining our high standards of service excellence. CSRs will use strong writing abilities, problem-solving skills, and a customer-centric approach to help build lasting relationships with our customers across multiple communication channels.
Book Depot Inc.'s Customer Service Representatives are:
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Skilled communicators who can adapt writing style to match our brand voice
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Creative problem-solvers who think outside the box to find effective solutions
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Customer champions with genuine empathy and a desire to help others
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Detail-oriented professionals who can maintain accuracy while multitasking
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Team players who bring positive energy and a collaborative spirit
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Composed professionals who stay focused and effective under pressure
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Self-starters who take initiative and drive continuous improvement
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Agile learners who confidently embrace new systems, both automated and manual
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AI-forward thinkers who actively leverage available tools to drive efficiency
Strategic and Functional
Key measurables or activity-based leading indicators that the job is accountable for include:
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Response Time Standards for:
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Email
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Chat
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Social media direct messages
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Google reviews
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Phone queue management metrics
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Resolution Metrics
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First contact resolution rate
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Average resolution time
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Number of interactions per customer
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Customer Satisfaction Metrics
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Customer Effort Score (CES)
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Customer satisfaction scores (CSAT)
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Positive review generation
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Productivity Metrics
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Number of tickets/emails/chats handled
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Talk time management
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Goals set vs. completed ratio
In addition to the strategic purpose of the role outlined above, you will:
Create Exceptional Customer Experiences
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Engage with customers across multiple channels (phone, email, chat, social media, ticket system)
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Articulate clear, brand-aligned responses to customer inquiries
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Transform challenging situations into positive outcomes
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Process returns, replacements, and refunds efficiently
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Process tax exemption requests for retail and business customers, verifying documentation and applying exemptions through tax program.
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Resolve order fulfilment and shipping discrepancies with urgency
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Apply customer history and brand voice to personalize every interaction
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Generate positive customer reviews through outstanding service
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Interact with third-party customers and partners for policy and service-related issues
Drive Customer Success
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Analyze and resolve complex customer inquiries
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Identify and report trends in customer feedback
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Meet or exceed response time and resolution targets
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Maintain high customer satisfaction scores
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Review and action orders flagged as potentially fraudulent, approving legitimate transactions or escalating suspected fraud to protect customers and the business
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Recognize and escalate improvement opportunities for the website and Customer Service platforms based on customer feedback
Contribute to Team Excellence
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Collaborate with teammates to share best practices and strengthen collective knowledge
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Contribute to the maintenance of internal knowledge base articles and customer-facing FAQ content to reflect current policies and processes
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Participate in continuous improvement initiatives
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Navigate multiple Customer Service platforms and systems
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Work fluently across internal warehouse management and operational systems
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Document customer interactions thoroughly
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Support department KPIs and quality standards
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Complete interdepartmental cross-training as required
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Engage in professional development through company training programs
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Assist with website QA testing, evaluating proposed changes from a customer experience perspective
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Provide peer mentorship and constructive feedback
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Handle all customer information in compliance with applicable privacy legislation and internal data handling policies
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Other duties as assigned
People and Culture:
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Model Book Depot Inc.’s values in all that you do and hold others accountable in maintaining the integrity of them
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Foster Book Depot Inc.’s purpose-driven culture — to get more books into more hands — by cultivating a values-aligned, family-friendly, high-performing, and innovative environment, and by recognizing team members who consistently bring this culture to life
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Ensure everyone is pulling together in the same direction and that you are prioritizing departmental and individual goals
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Champion, influence, embrace and motivate change, with a strategic mindset for continuous improvement and scalability
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Actively empower the learning and professional growth of your team through encouraging your team’s participation in Book Depot University (BDU), and also being a participant
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Provide mentorship and meaningful feedback to your team
QUALIFICATIONS
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Post-secondary education in Communications, English, Hospitality, Retail, or related field
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Previous experience in e-commerce or retail customer service is advantageous
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Additional language capabilities are a plus
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Experience with specific Customer Service platforms and Microsoft Office Suite
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Demonstrated ability to learn new technology quickly
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Strong typing speed and accuracy
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Strong ability to adapt tone and voice across different brands
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Excellent writing, editing, and proofreading skills
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Experience working in a fast-paced, KPI-driven environment
WORKING ENVIRONMENT
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Fast-paced, dynamic environment
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Opportunity to work independently while contributing to team goals
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Professional development and growth opportunities
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Value-driven culture focused on excellence and innovation
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Commitment to continuous learning and improvement
***DUE TO VOLUME, ONLY SUCCESSFUL CANDIDATES WILL BE CONTACTED. NO AGENCIES OR PHONE CALLS, PLEASE.
