Customer Care Specialist

Overview

This position is responsible for handling all customer service duties relating to new or existing Utility accounts, service requests, securing deposits and service fees, submitting work orders, processing payments, establishing payment extensions per policy, handling delinquent accounts, and other customer service related functions on a daily and/or follow-up basis by providing either face-to-face customer care and/or answering inbound calls. Individuals may perform other duties as assigned, including working in other functional areas to cover absences or relief, to equalize peak work periods, or otherwise to balance the workload.

• Greets walk-in customers and/or answers inbound customer calls regarding Utility accounts.
• Assists with answering questions about water, sewer and septage utility accounts; may also receive questions from the public on solid waste recycling, landfill, water conservation, franchised solid waste collectors to provide information.
• Assists customers (Residential or Commercial) requiring new service or new connection, establishing customer accounts for new or temporary service locations in computerized programs, accurately assigning appropriate account number, verifying and collecting applicable deposits, connection and hook-up fees and securing signed contracts and/or required documentation from customers for water and/or sewer service in accordance with County ordinances. Follow-up, as needed, by mailing, e-mailing, calling or faxing necessary information and/or contracts to customers wishing to open new accounts, transfer accounts, suspend or discontinue accounts and/or other service requests via in person, by telephone, voicemail, fax or written correspondence.
• Handles account transfers, properly requesting the termination or suspension of the former account, or (as required), verifying legal description, obtaining correct meter information for that location, and accurately assigning new account number. Collects the appropriate required deposit and turn-on fee from new customers and secures a signed contract for water and/or sewer service in accordance with county ordinances. Accurately receipts payments and correctly makes change in case of cash payments
• Research customer accounts to accurately respond to customers’ questions regarding account balances, such as arrears, credits or payment receipts; and checks customer’s payment history for consideration in granting payment date extensions.
• Accepts Utilities’ payments (by cash, check, money order or credit card) from walk-in customers or credit card payments by phone. Responsible for ensuring accurate cash handling and processing of customers’ payments.
• Informs customers, verbally or in writing, of all department procedures and policies, such as establishing service requirements, name or address changes on accounts, account turn-on/turn-off procedures for customers, adjustment policies, ordinances, etc.
• Properly documents all customers’ accounts according to procedures.
• Prepares appropriate customer correspondence in response to completed work orders and reviews all correspondence to customers for accuracy and professionalism, prepares file copies of all correspondence, ensures timely mailing of correspondence, and routes copies for filing and/or scanning.
• Opens and closes business office daily, per standard operating procedures. Opens night deposit drop box and processes payments, as needed; checks messages from voicemail and fax; secures customer service lobby and work area for the night in accordance with standard operating procedures. Ensures customer service lobby is organized, neat and well supplied with customer forms, literature as needed each day.
• Maintains and balances assigned cash drawer daily against payment stubs and daily receipts for deposit, per procedure. Assures necessary allocation of bills and change required for business day. Bags cash and secures in safe at the close of business. Drops excess cash in the safe periodically to maintain minimum cash in drawer.
• Compiles and accurately enters service requests daily into work order program; retrieves and processes work orders daily…