Customer Service Representative

Customer Service Representative

Salary Range: $30,743.44 - $59,344.48

Distinguishing Characteristics of Work:

This position involves extensive contact with the general public in receiving, investigating, and adjusting complaints of customers of the City water and sewers utility. Duties involve responsibility for investigating and adjusting customer telephone complaints concerning water service and billing. Incumbents take applications for new service. This customer contact is of significance in utility public relations. Although work is performed in accordance with established policies, it is not supervised in detail and a considerable amount of independent judgment is frequently involved. General supervision is received from Customer Service Supervisor and usually consists of consultation and a review of reports.

Essential Examples of Duties:

• Receives customer inquiries in the office or by telephone regarding high bills, low pressure, leaks in mains or lines, final bills, connecting or disconnecting of service, or refund of deposits;
• Processes call with tact and politeness.
• Resolves controversies of water bills.
• Estimates charges where defective or stopped meters are discovered.
• Collects delinquent water bills; explains department billing procedure and requirements for starting or terminating service.
• Performs a wide variety of clerical tasks in the office in maintaining records of customer contacts, checking bills for lack of payment, or maintaining service records.
• Accesses information by computer.
• Performs related work as required.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

Ability to learn departmental procedures regarding utility rates, credit procedures and billing practices, rules, regulations and policies.

Ability to learn to read water meters, record readings, and perform simple arithmetical calculations accurately and quickly.

Ability to apply general departmental rules and procedures to specific customer problems regarding billing or service.

Ability to handle customer complaints tactfully, and to establish and maintain effective working relationships with the public.

Ability to keep records and prepare a variety of reports, either by hand or by computer.

Ability to communicate in English and Spanish effectively.

Physical Requirements:

Must have ability to effectively communicate and interact with other employees and the public through the use of telephone and personal contact as normally defined by the ability to see, read, talk, stand, hear, hands to finger dexterity, handle, feel or operate objects, read and write English.

Physical capability to effectively use and operate various items of office equipment; such as but not limited to a personal computer, calculator, copier and fax machines.

Work is performed indoors within a quiet to moderately noisy environment.

Must be able to lift, carry and or push articles weighing up to 20 lbs.

Minimum Education and Experience:

Must be a high school graduate or have a G.E.D. Equivalency Certificate.

Must be bi-lingual in English and Spanish and have at least one (1) year experience working in a customer service environment.

Sales experience does not constitute customer service experience for the purpose of qualifying for this position.

English & Spanish Speaking preferred.

Any combination of education & experience may be considered.