As part of its mission, Alphapointe provides preferential hiring to people with vision impairments (legally blind).

Alphapointe is a non-profit agency whose mission is to empower people with vision loss to achieve their goals and aspirations. Alphapointe offers a great working environment that's both challenging and satisfying as well as an array of benefits including medical, dental, vision and life insurance, short and long term disability, vacation and sick time, paid holidays and flexible spending options as well as a generous 401(k).

Job Summary: The Lead Customer Support Specialist serves as a senior member of the Customer Service team, providing guidance, support, and expertise to fellow Customer Support Specialists while maintaining direct responsibility for handling customer inquiries. This role acts as a key resource for team members and management by helping coordinate daily operations, addressing escalated customer issues, and ensuring service consistency and quality. The Lead assists in training, process improvements, and serves as a bridge between the Customer Support team and other departments.

Key Responsibilities:

• Perform all duties of a Customer Support Specialist, including responding to customer inquiries, processing orders, initiating RMAs, and troubleshooting customer issues.
• Act as a primary resource and point of contact for team members when they need guidance on procedures, complex customer requests, or system-related questions.
• Utilize the company’s report server to proactively identify orders impacted by back-orders (item-specific or time-related) and communicate potential delays or resolutions to customers and the team.
• Assist management by monitoring daily workload distribution to ensure coverage of phones, emails, and order processing tasks.
• Handle escalated customer issues and work collaboratively with other departments (Sales, Shipping, Production, etc.) to drive timely and satisfactory resolutions.
• Support training of new and existing team members on processes, systems, and best practices.
• Provide feedback to management regarding team performance, process gaps, and potential improvements.
• Assist in developing and updating standard operating procedures and customer service guidelines.
• Foster a positive, team-oriented environment, encouraging collaboration and knowledge sharing among Customer Support Specialists.
• Stay current on company products, services, policies, and customer programs to serve as a subject matter expert for the team.

Qualifications:

• High school diploma or equivalent (associate or bachelor’s degree preferred).
• 3+ years of customer service or client support experience, preferably in a call center or account management environment.
• Proven ability to handle complex or escalated customer issues with professionalism and poise.
• Excellent communication skills—both written and verbal—with a strong customer-first mindset.
• Strong organizational skills and attention to detail.
• Ability to mentor peers and provide constructive guidance without formal supervisory authority.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office (Outlook, Excel, Word).
• Experience using data tools such as a report server to analyze and interpret order and inventory status

Preferred Attributes:

• Prior experience in a lead or senior customer service role.
• Strong problem-solving and decision-making skills.
• Adaptability in a fast-paced, evolving work environment.
• Highly developed multi-tasking skills

Work Conditions:

• Position is on-site in Kansas City, MO.
• Salary: $20-$24/hour

Alphapointe is an Equal Opportunity / Affirmative Action Employer. Minority/Female/Disability/Veteran