Industrial cleaning customer service representative job description
An industrial cleaning customer service representative answers plant maintenance, sanitation and safety staff by phone and email, books cleaning and degreasing jobs, and keeps customer records current. Before a crew is sent, they gather what it needs to know, such as what was in the equipment and when the line goes down.
By the HireBus team · Updated · Pay data: BLS, May 2025
Median pay, building services companies · BLS, May 2025
Industrial Cleaning & Degreasing - Customer Service Representative
Company Name:
[INSERT COMPANY NAME HERE]
Department:
Operations
Reports to:
[Office Manager]
Location:
[INSERT LOCATION HERE]
1. Position Summary
Serve as the frontline representative for clients requiring industrial cleaning and degreasing services. Field inbound client calls, schedule service appointments, and resolve customer issues efficiently. Contribute to a seamless operations experience by fostering positive customer interactions. Support company growth by ensuring high levels of customer satisfaction and timely service delivery.
2. Essential Duties and Responsibilities
Handle incoming client calls and inquiries with professionalism and accuracy.
Schedule and coordinate industrial cleaning and degreasing services.
Address and resolve customer issues promptly, ensuring excellent service follow-up.
Maintain accurate customer records and appointment logs.
Collaborate with field teams to ensure that service appointments are met on schedule.
3. Key Tasks / Daily Activities
Answer and direct calls to the appropriate departments.
Verify service requests and confirm appointments with clients.
Provide detailed explanations of service processes and follow-up procedures.
Update customer account information and service logs in real-time.
Escalate complex issues to the appropriate supervisor or technical team.
Issue Resolution Time: 90% of issues resolved within 24 hours.
5. Required Qualifications and Skills
Minimum high school diploma or equivalent; associate’s or bachelor’s degree preferred.
At least 1-2 years of customer service experience in a related field.
Strong verbal and written communication skills.
Proficiency with scheduling software and customer relationship management (CRM) systems.
Ability to multitask and work efficiently in a fast-paced environment.
6. Preferred Experience
Previous experience in the industrial cleaning or degreasing industry.
Familiarity with safety procedures and compliance standards in industrial environments.
Experience in using industry-specific software tools for scheduling and issue tracking.
Background in handling technical service inquiries.
7. Physical Requirements
Ability to sit for extended periods while handling calls and computer tasks.
May be required to lift service-related documents and work in a busy call center environment.
Moderate visual and hearing acuity required for phone and computer interactions.
Comfortable working in a fast-paced, energetic office setting.
8. Work Environment and Schedule
Standard work hours typically fall between 8:00 AM and 5:00 PM.
Some overtime may be required during peak periods.
Occasional on-call support may be necessary for urgent customer issues.
Collaborative office environment with minimal travel requirements.
9. Compensation and Benefits
Salary Range: $30,000 - $40,000 per year, based on experience.
Potential for performance-based bonuses.
Comprehensive benefits package including Health, Dental, and Vision insurance.
401k retirement plan with company match.
Additional fringe benefits may include paid time off, professional development opportunities, and employee wellness programs.
10. Company Culture and Overview
At [INSERT COMPANY NAME HERE], our culture is built on a foundation of respect, collaboration, and a passion for service excellence.
We are committed to continuous growth and innovation, providing opportunities for professional development.
Our inclusive environment encourages creative problem-solving and teamwork.
Join us to be part of a dynamic company that values each team member's contributions and supports your journey toward success.
11. How to Apply
If you meet the above criteria and want to be part of a growth-oriented company focused on customer satisfaction, please send your resume to [INSERT EMAIL HERE] or apply online at [INSERT WEBSITE LINK HERE].
Need help filling this role? HireBus posts the ad, Iris interviews every applicant by phone before you do, and you decide who to hire. Start hiring now
What changes for a CSR at an industrial cleaning company
Callers are plant staff with a work window and a list of hazards, not homeowners with a free afternoon. Four parts of the job change because of that.
Ask what was in the tank
OSHA's hazard communication rule says a plant whose chemicals could expose another employer's workers must say in its program how those workers get on-site access to the safety data sheets. Ask the caller what product was in the tank, line or pit, and request the sheets with the work order. Pass them to the supervisor before the crew is scheduled. Source: eCFR: 29 CFR 1910.1200(e)(2), hazard communication at multi-employer workplaces.
Food plants book around allergen changeovers
Many food plants work under FDA's preventive controls rule. It lists protection from allergen cross-contact as a control, and it counts allergen hazards among those sanitation controls must address. When a food plant calls, ask which line, which products run before and after the clean, when the line stops, and who signs off before restart. Source: eCFR: 21 CFR 117.135, preventive controls in human food plants.
Dock and port sites can require a TWIC
TSA says workers who need access to secure areas of the nation's maritime facilities and vessels need a Transportation Worker Identification Credential. If the job is at a port terminal or a plant with its own dock, ask whether the work area needs the card. Then dispatch can send cardholders, or the site can arrange access before the crew drives out. Source: TSA: Transportation Worker Identification Credential (TWIC).
A stopped line is a different call
A plant with a line down from a spill, a plugged drain or fouled equipment loses output every hour. Teach the CSR to spot those calls, take the location, product and contact name, and hand off to the on-call supervisor right away. Promise a callback time, not an arrival time, until dispatch confirms a crew.
How much industrial cleaning customer service representatives make
Customer service representatives who work for building and home services companies earned a median of $20.25 an hour ($42,130 a year) in May 2025, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. That’s below the $44,770 median for customer service representatives in all industries. About 12,680 of the 2,595,750 customer service representatives in that survey work for building services companies.
Usually hourly with overtime. Even the top of this template's band falls short of what a typical CSR at a building services firm earns, per BLS, and its bottom is lower than nearly all BLS pay here. Check local wages before you post.
Building services companies
$42,130$42,130 median Middle half $36,770–$47,500 10th–90th $33,810–$57,320
All industries
$44,770$44,770 median Middle half $36,870–$51,780 10th–90th $31,750–$63,590
$20k$30k$40k$50k$60k$70k
10th–90th percentileMiddle halfMedianAnnual pay, May 2025. Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics.
Annual pay by percentile
Group
10th
25th
Median
75th
90th
Building services companies
$33,810
$36,770
$42,130
$47,500
$57,320
All industries
$31,750
$36,870
$44,770
$51,780
$63,590
BLS doesn’t publish pay for industrial cleaning companies on their own. These figures cover services to buildings and dwellings, which include them. Post a real range for your market in the ad.
The pay line in the template above is an example from our Role Blueprint. Set yours from these figures and what local companies pay.
Skills to hire for, and what you can teach
Hire for these
A clear phone and email manner with plant staff who think in work orders
Complete notes on site, equipment, product and contact for every request
Comfort running a CRM and a scheduling board side by side
Knowing when to pass a call up instead of answering it
A steady voice on urgent calls from a plant with a line down
Teach these on the job
Your services: degreasing, pressure washing, tank and pit cleaning
Plant terms like lockout, sanitation window and changeover
Which customers need badges, cards or orientations
Your intake checklist for chemical and allergen questions
Who is on call and how to reach them after hours
Most offices log requests in a CRM, share a scheduling board with dispatch, and use email, since plant planners often send work orders in writing. Say in the ad which systems you use and whether the CSR also covers the after-hours line.
Industrial cleaning customer service representative interview questions
Two of the 6 questions we'd ask, and what a strong answer sounds like. Ask every candidate the same questions, and rate each answer on your own before you compare notes.
Situational · Handling vague requests
A plant manager calls asking for a price to 'clean everything' this weekend. What do you do?
A strong answer: Gets details on equipment, soils, access and timing, explains a site visit is needed for an accurate price, and gets sales involved quickly.
Behavioral · Customer follow-through
Tell me about a time a customer's operation was waiting on you. How did you keep them informed?
A strong answer: Gave regular updates with honest timelines, owned the problem, and confirmed when it was resolved.
Industrial cleaning customer service representative KPIs
Lean on the template's figures just until real data comes in. A month or two of call counts and bookings will show what is realistic.
Average Response Time
Use the phone system's reports to see answer times by day and hour. Count emailed work requests too, measured from arrival to first reply.
Appointment Scheduling Accuracy
Count bookings that had to change because of a wrong date, site, contact or scope, or missing hazard details. Review the misses with dispatch each week.
Customer Satisfaction Rating
Send the plant contact a short survey or email after each job. Read the comments for booking problems the score hides.
Issue Resolution Time
Log each complaint or question with an open and a closed time. Count it closed only when the customer agrees it has been handled.
Career path
Receptionist or office assistantAnswers the main line and learns who the customers are.
Customer service representativeBooks plant jobs and gathers what each crew needs to know.
DispatcherAssigns crews and trucks and follows jobs through the day.
Office managerRuns billing, contracts and the office team.
Other roles in an industrial cleaning & degreasing business
Industrial cleaning customer service representative FAQ
Why does the CSR template mention visual and hearing acuity?
The line describes tasks: hearing callers who are often on a cell phone near running equipment, reading work orders and site maps on a screen, and typing notes while listening. Headsets with noise cancelling, larger monitors or captioned phones can help someone do those tasks. Talk through any request for a change case by case.
How much does an industrial cleaning customer service representative make?
Customer service representatives who work for building and home services companies earned a median of $20.25 an hour ($42,130 a year) in May 2025, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The middle half earned between $36,770 and $47,500 a year. Pay also depends on your local market, experience and overtime.
Who at a plant does an industrial cleaning CSR usually deal with?
Requests come from maintenance planners, sanitation managers, safety staff and purchasing. Planners set the date, safety staff set the entry rules, and purchasing issues the purchase order. Note who is who in the customer record, because the person who booked the job is often not the one who can approve extra work or let a crew in at night.
How much safety vocabulary does a new CSR need?
Enough to recognize words like lockout, permit space, hot work and allergen changeover in a request and pass them to the supervisor. The CSR should not tell a customer whether something is safe or what protection a job needs. That answer comes from your safety lead.
Can someone from janitorial or residential cleaning do this job?
Yes, if they learn that the customer here is a plant, not a household. Job dates follow production schedules, a booking often needs a purchase order and safety papers first, and one job can run for days. A good interview test: have them walk you through booking a weekend tank clean for a plant they have never visited.
Customer Service Representative in other industries
