Customer Service Rep P/T

Position Summary

The Customer Service Representative (CSR) in the Call Center provides excellent customer service to our customers by providing support in all areas concerning their utility accounts. The individual should have excellent written and oral communication skills, a positive attitude, strong work ethic, extreme professionalism, and a passion to serve others. This includes the ability to multi-task and type while talking on the phone without being distracted by others and the ability to manage emotions in stressful situations. Multitasking and stress management skills are essential for this position. The CSR must have the ability to apply critical thinking strategies to autonomously resolve customer grievances.

The CSR in the Call Center is highly involved in interacting with external and internal customers via telephone, fax, letter or email. As the first point of contact, the CSR will become familiar with the general duties and responsibilities of the New Construction, Conservation and Customer Solutions, Electric Engineering, Electric Operations, Water Engineering, Water Operations, Laboratory and Control Center teams to facilitate incoming customer inquiries and direct to the appropriate department.

In addition, the Customer Service Representative in the Call Center performs basic clerical duties such as filing, organizing, printing, copying, etc. and assists in the operational duties of other areas within Customer Service as needed.

The representative acts with a sense of urgency, is solution-oriented, approachable, professional and takes great pride in working with customers to deliver an experience that meets and, at times, exceeds their expectations.

Part-time representatives generally work 3–4 hours per day during standard business hours (8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.). Schedules may occasionally change to support staffing needs. Training requires a full-time in-office commitment from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, and may last up to 6 months.

Essential Duties & Responsibilities

ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT

• Obtains account information from customers and explains charges on utility bill while maintaining confidentiality
• Conducts account searches by utilizing the Customer Information System (CIS); Northstar
• Investigates, researches and resolves problems in accordance with established policy and procedures
• Corrects misapplied payments, researches refunds, reverses late fees, NSF fees, processing fees, and tampering fees, if applicable
• Provides meter reading and data analysis on electric and water meters using MeterSense
• Offers and explains the additional services and programs available such as; auto draft, auto pay, pick your due date, budget billing, senior citizen billing and critical care.
• Provides information about utility bill assistance program and the contact information for the various agencies that aid with their particular need
• Understanding of the necessity and value of accuracy and attention to detail; ability to process information with high levels of accuracy
• Serves as a peer resource and may perform general administrative support
• Drafts monthly message and auto dialer calendars
• Generate, review, and complete past due auto dialer campaigns using MilSoft
• Provides proof of residency, customer account summaries for tax or financial assistance purposes and other requested customer account documentation
• Versed in basic IT troubleshooting techniques to identify and resolve technology issues when working from home
• Familiar with Microsoft suite to draft emails, compose memos and construct spreadsheets to communicate with customers, internal and external.
• Ability to manage multiple concurrent objectives, projects, groups, or activities, making effective judgments as to prioritizing and time allocation.

INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL COMMUNICATION

• Maintains calm composure and commitment to work during periods of heavy workload and stressful situations
• Knowledgeable of NBU's rate structure, Service Conditions Policy and City of New Braunfels Code of Ordnance, Chapter 130, to effectively educate customers on the governance of their accounts
• Schedules re-reads on electric and/or water meters, schedules energy or water assessments, compares electric and water usages, calculates and performs qualifiable billing adjustments, as needed.
• Knowledge of and ability to utilize processes, tools, and techniques for detecting, addressing and preventing fraudulent situations
• Calculates and quotes appropriate deposit amount for location; collects deposit payments
• Provides information for alternative forms of deposit other than a deposit payment i.e. guarantor, letter of credit, irrevocable letter of credit and the retention periods
• Processes Applications or letters of credit received via fax or email
• Processes disconnect and transfer of service requests
• Verifies caller's identity via Online Utility Exchange for application or debt collection purposes
• Researches CIS system to confirm if applicant has any past account balances. If outstanding balance is found, sets up payment arrangement and forwards to Collections Representative.
• Understands and can demonstrate how billings are calculated to successfully educate the customers
• Advise, educate, and engage customers on a variety of technological tools and resources allowing them to explore solutions to achieve their goals
• Becomes familiar and understand the duties and responsibilities of other key departments to accelerate resolution to customer requests

GENERAL RESPONSIBILITIES

• Maintain regular attendance; leave schedule should be managed so as to not interfere with ability to accomplish tasks, including special projects and assignments with deadlines
• Adhere to NBU safety guidelines and practices at all times and in all situations
• Maintain a clean and safe work area, office, field site and vehicle as applicable
• Develop & maintain effective customer service skills for communications with co-workers, customers and the public in general
• Maintain strict confidentiality of business, employee and customer information in written and oral communications and safeguard sensitive documents
• Adhere to NBU policies and procedures
• Exemplifies NBU Core Values of Integrity, Stewardship, Team, Culture and Safety
• Participate in and support initiatives to reach annual NBU Performance Measures

Other Minimum Qualifications

• Utilize current versions of computer software and hardware provided by NBU to research customer accounts, perform data entry, and to create other documents that are clear, accurate and grammatically correct. - Excellent 10 Key and data entry skills - Ability to efficiently operate various standard office machines like copiers, scanners, and faxes.

Other Software Knowledge

Harris NorthStar (CIS system) including mCare, Customer Connect, MeterSense, and Fixed Network, ADP ezLabor (payroll), DataProse (outsourced bill mailer), Halogen (evaluations & training mgmt.), Scanner, Invoice Cloud (3rd party payment processor), Laserfiche (electronic document storage), Online Utility Exchange (Identification verification), MilSoft and Microsoft Office Suite.

Experience with Machines, Tools, Equipment and Other Work Aids

Personal Computer, Copier, Fax Machine, Scanner, Printer, Calculator, Telephone