Customer Service Representative

Position Summary

The Water Utility Billing Customer Service Coordinator oversees daily customer service operations related to water and wastewater billing activities. This role serves as a technical and administrative resource for customer service staff, coordinates billing workflows, ensures accuracy and timeliness in utility billing cycles, and handles complex customer account issues. The coordinator works closely with field operations, meter services, finance, and management to support an efficient customer service environment and deliver high-quality service to the community.

Key Responsibilities

Customer Service Coordination

• Serve as the primary point of contact for escalated or complex customer inquiries regarding billing disputes, meter issues, high-usage complaints, service interruptions, and account discrepancies.
• Provide guidance to customer service representatives, including coaching, training, and quality review of customer interactions and account documentation.
• Assist in developing customer communication templates, scripts, FAQs, and informational materials related to billing processes, rate changes, and service policies.

Billing Operations Oversight

• Coordinate the full billing cycle, ensuring accurate meter reads, consumption data validation, billing adjustments, and on-time bill generation.
• Review and approve account adjustments, fee reversals, service orders, and high-usage investigations in accordance with utility policies.
• Monitor billing reports for exceptions, anomalies, and missing data; coordinate with meter services or IT to resolve issues.
• Assist in setting up new rates, seasonal charges, or fee changes in the billing system, with oversight from management.

Service Order & Field Team Coordination

• Oversee the creation, routing, and completion of service orders for meter re-reads, repairs, inspections, resets, turn-ons/offs, and leak checks.
• Collaborate with field crews to prioritize work, resolve customer issues efficiently, and verify service order outcomes.
• Track service order backlogs, turnaround times, and recurring field issues; recommend process improvements.

Payment & Collections Support

• Oversee escalated collection cases, including disputed shutoffs, payment plan exceptions, returned checks, and delinquency inquiries.
• Review and approve payment arrangements or financial hardship exceptions where authorized.
• Ensure compliance with state regulations, city ordinances, and utility policies related to shutoff procedures and payment processing.

Data Management & Reporting

• Maintain high standards of data accuracy within the Customer Information System (CIS).
• Prepare reports on customer service metrics, billing cycle performance, delinquencies, adjustments, and workload trends.
• Analyze usage patterns, recurring customer issues, and billing errors to identify opportunities for improvement.

Policy, Compliance & Process Improvement

• Ensure adherence to utility rules, state regulatory requirements, internal controls, and audit standards.
• Participate in developing or updating departmental policies, SOPs, and training materials.
• Recommend improvements to service delivery, billing accuracy, and workflow efficiency, collaborating with supervisors and managers.

Team Leadership & Support

• Support onboarding, training, and ongoing development of customer service staff.
• Provide cross-coverage for customer service representatives during busy periods or absences.
• Act as a liaison between customer service, billing, finance, meter operations, and IT to resolve cross-departmental issues.

Qualifications

Education & Experience

• High school diploma or equivalent required; associate or bachelor's degree in business, public administration, accounting, or related field preferred.
• 3-5 years of experience in utility billing, municipal customer service, or a high-volume billing environment.
• Experience with CIS or utility billing software (e.g., Munis, CIS Infinity, Tyler, Banner) highly desirable.
• Prior experience in a lead or coordinator role preferred.

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities

• Strong understanding of water utility billing principles, rate structures, meter reading processes, and consumption analysis.
• Excellent customer service and interpersonal skills, with the ability to de-escalate and resolve complex situations.
• Proficiency with billing systems, CRM tools, Microsoft Office Suite, and data entry operations.
• Advanced problem-solving and analytical abilities; comfortable working with billing reports and usage data.
• Ability to interpret and apply utility policies, ordinances, regulations, and financial procedures.
• Strong organizational skills, time management, and attention to detail.
• Ability to work collaboratively across departments and guide team members.

Working Conditions

• Standard office environment with frequent computer and phone use.
• Occasional extended hours during billing cycles, system upgrades, or utility emergencies.
• Some in-person customer interaction at a service counter or administrative office.

Physical Requirements

• Ability to sit for extended periods, operate standard office equipment, and lift up to 20 lbs. as needed for records or materials.

Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.