SOFA - Suppliers of Furniture and Appliances

Sales & Customer Service

About the opportunity

Assist in the main office and showrooms, arranging deliveries, serving customers and taking payments. Other duties include data input, filing, stock control.
The project offers a supportive working atmosphere with a strong sense of community. Volunteers receive varied work experience and on the job training with the aim of assisting people back into paid work. The project also helps with this by providing support with job applications and CV writing. There are also potential opportunities to complete NVQs and other formal training.

Sales & Customer Service involves;

  • Greet customers in a friendly and non-judgmental way and assist them in choosing furniture and other items
  • Be responsible for clerical duties in support of delivery of furniture
  • Enter and update customer information onto SOFA databases, ensuring confidentiality
  • Inform customers about how to get a referral from the various agencies who assist SOFA
  • Receive cash and debit/credit card payments for furniture by operating our Electronic Point Of Sales System and complete associated paperwork
  • Book deliveries in accordance with SOFA's systems and procedures
  • Answer telephone inquiries and deal with answer machine according to SOFA procedures when required
  • Assist in bar coding and stock control
  • Undertake routine filing and other clerical tasks as required
  • Maintain a clean and safe working environment
  • Participate in any training required by the project, especially Health and Safety
  • Assist new volunteers as required

About SOFA

Sofa is a Registered Charity originally set up to provide low cost furniture to those in need with additional benefits of providing work experience and training for individuals seeking employment. Just as important now is our role in recycling and re-use by making effective use of donated furniture and reducing landfill.

What are we looking for?

A positive and friendly attitude, a willingness to learn new skills and to work in a cooperative manner is essential. Previous experience and qualifications are not required but are useful. All volunteers must be able to manage their own responsibilities and work under their own initiative. Volunteers cannot be guaranteed to be supervised at all times. They must also be able to work as part of a team and possess good communication skills to deal with members of the general public. Above all else volunteers must be reliable and committed to the project whether they commit a few hours or days per week (note: SOFA has a flexible volunteering policy).

SOFA provides free carpark for volunteers

Find our carpark here

SOFA is a member of the Furniture Re-Use Network - a national organisation which supports, assisits, and develops charitable re-use organisations across the UK. For more information on their work and on furniture re-use in general please visit https://reuse-network.org.uk/.