Technical Support Specialist

BFT Automation is an Italian company that is part of the SomfyGroup. It designs and manufactures a wide range of access automation equipment. With over 40 years in the industry, we are a market leader in security automation products and are known for product quality, excellent customer service, and expert technical support. While we are most widely known for our gate automation products, we also design and manufacture an extensive range of traffic barriers, automatic bollards and motorized head units and controls that automate the opening of a wide variety of doors. This gives us the capability of providing the key technology components needed by any access security project for any industrial, commercial, or residential site.

Our products include a range of electromechanical and hydraulic motors that can open gates of various weights and sizes, garage door operators, traffic barriers and bollards, automatic door motors, control panels, transmitters, and a variety of safety accessories. The company is headquartered in Schio, Northern Italy, and turns over in excess of 150 million Euros. It sells its products worldwide through fully owned country subsidiaries such as our business in the UK as well as through independent distributors across the globe.

In the UK, BFT sells its products to a variety of installers, including specialist gate installers, security companies, metal fabricators, and fencing contractors. These professionals provide entrance security systems to both domestic and commercial/industrial customers. We operate primarily as a product sales, support, and distribution business, with two locations in the UK: an office and distribution centre in Stockport, Cheshire, and an additional office in Swindon, Wiltshire.

In this role, you will be responsible for providing technical support and advice to our access installer community as well as solving any of their technical issues related to the wide range of technology solutions we provide.  This support will primarily be on the phone but will also involve engaging customers face to face when they come into our offices. You will also play a critical role in enhancing our customer experience by collecting and utilizing feedback from our customers that will help us improve our knowledge, the tools we use and our processes.

Responsibilities:

• Develop expertise in all of our technology offerings and provide our installing customers with guidance, primarily via the phone, that enables them to troubleshoot and solve their on-site issues; 
• Handle return requests and perform inspection, testing and repairs of hydraulic and electromechanical motors, control panels and other technology components returned by our installing customers;
• Support the field and internal sales staff with technical information requests;
• Show attention to continuous improvement to improve the customer journey by collecting customers’ feedback and sharing information with the relevant internal stakeholders to improve our knowledge, tools and our processes.

• Secondary education in a technical subject with hands-on experience in electro-mechanical and hydraulic systems;
• Practical knowledge of electrics and basic electronics (formal qualifications not required);
• Comfortable with internet-based and IT systems;
• Strong problem-solving skills and a practical, mechanical mindset;
• Clear communicator with a calm, patient phone manner;
• Self-motivated, well-organized, and able to work independently or in a team;
• Eager to learn with strong information retention;
• Flexible, adaptable, and a good sense of humour;
• Experience using ERP and CRM software.

• Competitive compensation plus year-end bonus based on performance;
• 22 days holidays + Bank Holidays plus the period between Christmas & New Year;
• Opportunity to join company pension scheme upon successful completion of 3 months probationary period;
• A practical and stable position in a fast-paced international company;
• Working in a small team of professionals where you can really make a difference and where your voice and opinions both sought and heard;
• Access to and support from the infrastructure associated with a large multinational corporation;
• A dynamic and innovative culture.
• Role is based at Unit C2-C4, Embankment Business Park, Vale Road, Heaton Mersey, Stockport, SK4 3GL;
• Free parking is available.

The protection of our candidates’ personal data is a commitment of Somfy Group. We therefore ask any candidate to submit their application to us exclusively via our secure system, and not by email or postal.