Technical Customer Advocate (Inside Sales) in Fort Wayne, Indiana at Transmission & Fluid Equipment Inc

Family-owned and -operated since 1964, TFE provides high-quality Fluid Power and Power Transmission products to northeast and central Indiana, northwest Ohio and southern Michigan. TFE is a growing company with emphasis on quality products and service for the OEM customer and the end user.

Join a high-impact sales team where your technical expertise truly matters. This is an outstanding opportunity for an experienced inside sales professional with a background in power transmission, fluid power, or industrial products to play a key role in driving our continued growth.

We’re looking for a technically minded, customer-focused professional who thrives in a collaborative environment. This role goes beyond transactional selling—you’ll leverage your mechanical aptitude and product knowledge to deliver real solutions, support complex applications, and build long-term partnerships with customers.

The ideal candidate brings strong communication skills, the ability to quickly retain and apply technical information, and a proactive, problem-solving mindset. You’ll work closely with a seasoned sales team, contributing to strategic growth while establishing yourself as a trusted advisor to customers across a variety of industrial applications.
Essential Responsibilities:

• Quoting process: Prepare and manage quotes for industrial parts, equipment, and solutions with speed and accuracy.
• Customer interaction: Respond to inbound calls and emails, provide product recommendations, pricing, and order information.
• Vendor coordination: Communicate with manufacturers and suppliers to obtain pricing, availability, and lead times.
• Team leadership: Support and mentor junior inside sales reps; coordinate with outside sales on major accounts and opportunities.
• CRM & ERP: Maintain accurate customer and quote data using internal systems (experience with Epicor products a plus).
• Ability to work with minimal supervision.
• Able to multi-task, set priorities and have a sense of urgency.

Schedule:

Monday-Friday, 8am-5pm

Perks of being a TFE Employee:

• Work/Life Balance
• Advancement Opportunities
• Paid Time Off/vacation
• Birthday Paid Time Off
• Paid Holidays
• Climate Controlled
• 401(k) with generous employer match
• Medical Insurance
• Dental insurance
• Vision Insurance
• Disability insurance
• Health Savings Account
• Mental Health EAP
• Employer Paid Life insurance
• Employee Events and Raffles

Compensation:

Starting at $50k-$55k and will increase depending on candidates experience and industry knowledge.

• 5+ years of inside sales experience, preferably in industrial distribution (e.g., MRO, electrical, automation, fluid power, or mechanical products).
• Proven experience in generating technical quotes in a B2B environment.
• Thorough knowledge of sales principles, methods, practices and techniques
• Experience in working in a results-oriented, team environment
• Professional demeanor and excellent communication skills
• Ability to understand and follow instructions in English.
• Ability to read and understand technical drawings and diagrams.
• Math: Ability to add, subtract, multiply, divide, calculate percentages, calculate ratios, interchange fractions & decimal equivalents freely, and perform other simple calculations.
• Reasoning: Ability to apply common sense/empirical information to customer requests, which lead to quoting and customer orders.
• Positive attitude.
• Proficiency with ERP systems and Microsoft Office Suite (outlook, Word, Excel)
• High School diploma or equivalent is preferred.
• Ability to lift 35 pounds.
• Valid drivers license.

Perform other duties as assigned by a Supervisor.