Customer Service Specialist

Job Title

This employee class provides front-line customer service, citizen assistance, and revenue processing. Extensive data entry and account reconciliation. Strong ability to handle escalated inquiries, respectively, as well as conduct research, and adjustments for all manner of account queries. May serve as a lead worker. Ability to address customer complaints, billing queries and processes changes to accounts. Work will include entering data into an assigned system; researching and correcting account errors, and system defects; assisting with training of employees; creating bills; processing account adjustments; calculating and processing refunds; responding to phone calls, emails, and in-person inquiries; reconciling funds received; transmitting and posting electronic files; operating machines, and remittance processors; and performing basic clerical functions such as filing, utilizing computers, printers, issuing correspondence, mail sorting, etc.

Supervision Exercised/Received:

• Exercised: This classification typically does not supervise other employees, but may assist the supervisor with supervision duties, and/or act as a lead worker.
• Received: This classification typically reports to a supervisor or manager.
• Note: Other reporting relationships may apply.

Duties Include But Are Not Limited To

• Provides customer service account support activities such as investigating and researching account information and history; processing and adjusting customer accounts; performing billing and account reconciliation; clearing billing exceptions and correcting billing errors; following up on service orders; and processing refunds.
• Provides routine and advanced-level customer service, handling basic and escalated inquiries. Assists customers, departments, and employees by providing information, handling requests, and researching and responding to inquiries over the telephone, email, and in-person.
• Performs data entry. Prepares reports, spreadsheets, and other documentation.
• Performs other clerical and administrative duties, as required.

Qualifications, Special Certifications and Licenses

Knowledge (some combination of the following):

• Proficient communication skills, ability to create correspondence internally and externally
• Ability to adhere to deadlines
• Adhere to customer service policies and procedures
• Experience with Municipal governments
• City of Richmond Assessors File
• Familiarity using accounting and standard office equipment and programs
• Understand and implement principles, methods, and practices of accounting
• Ability to analyze and interpret fiscal and accounting data and to prepare appropriate statements and reports

Skills (some combination of the following):

• EnerGov
• Proficient in accounting practices
• Proficiency with Accounts Receivable
• Proficiency with Accounts Payable
• Proficiency at Microsoft Office Suite
• Proficient in Data entry and reconciliation
• Diplomacy
• Problem-solving
• Account management
• Strong Oral and written communication skills
• Interpersonal communication
• Basic mathematics
• Customer service
• Researching
• Interacting with potentially irate or irrational customers

Abilities (some combination of the following):

• Multi-task
• Listen attentively
• Analyze information
• Work with diverse populations
• Work in a fast-paced environment
• Analyze data to resolve customer issues or concerns

Licensing, Certifications, and Other Special Requirements:

• Bilingual preferred

Minimum Training and Experience:

• High School Diploma or GED
• Four years of customer service and payment processing, reconciliation and adjustment experience
• An equivalent combination of training and experience (as approved by the department) may be used to meet the minimum qualifications of the classification

Americans With Disabilities Act Requirements

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of the job. Prospective and current employees are invited to discuss accommodations.

Environmental Hazards: Working conditions may include exposure to travel to other locations within the City of Richmond as well as outside of the City of Richmond; exposure to hazardous physical conditions such as mechanical parts, electrical currents, vibrations, etc.; atmospheric conditions such as fumes, odors, dusts, gases, and poor ventilation; inadequate lighting; intense noise; and environmental hazards such as disruptive people, imminent danger, and a threatening environment.

Physical Requirements and Working Environment: Due to the nature of work assignments, incumbents must be able to perform detailed work on multiple, concurrent tasks, with frequent interruptions and under time constraint. While performing the essential duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to talk, see, hear, finger (pick, pinch, type, or otherwise work primarily with fingers), and use substantial repetitive motions of the wrists, hands and fingers. The employee is occasionally required to stoop, kneel, crouch, walk and reach extending hands and arms in any direction. In terms of the physical strength to perform the essential duties, this classification is considered to be sedentary, exerting up to 10 pounds of force occasionally, and a negligible amount of force frequently or constantly to move objects.

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement

The City of Richmond provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.

The City of Richmond is committed to the full inclusion of all qualified individuals. As part of this commitment, the City of Richmond will ensure that persons with disabilities are provided with reasonable accommodations. If you require reasonable accommodations under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) to participate in the job application and/or the interview process, please contact Veronica Kenner, by email at View email address on click.appcast.io.

This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruitment, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation and training.

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