Customer Care Representative I/Senior Customer Care Representative

City of Kennewick•Kennewick City Hall, WA

11d•Onsite

About The Position

The City of Kennewick is seeking a customer-focused and detail-oriented Customer Care Representative to join our Customer Service Division. In this role, you'll play an important part in helping residents, businesses, and visitors access City services. You'll join a collaborative team environment where customer service, problem-solving, and professional growth are valued. Every interaction is an opportunity to make a positive impact in our community. The Customer Care Representative provides routine, prompt and courteous customer service at the front desk, over the telephone and online to internal and external customers. Work is focused on performing a variety of duties. The ability to multi-task is essential. The incumbent must be proficient with a PC and must possess considerable knowledge and experience in operating various software programs. The Senior Customer Care Representative serves as a subject matter expert within the Customer Service Division and performs advanced-level customer service functions. In addition to providing customer service, the Senior Customer Care Representative may assist with staff training, business licensing activities, complex account research and adjustments, customer complaint resolution, data analysis, and other specialized customer service functions. Placement at the Senior Customer Care Representative level is dependent upon meeting the minimum qualifications for that classification.

Requirements

Associate’s Degree in business, communications, accounting, or related field.
Two (2) or more years of progressively responsible related experience in a direct customer service environment and handling difficult and varied customer issues.
Proficiency with a PC and considerable knowledge and experience in operating various software programs.
Ability to multi-task.
Must pass a criminal background investigation.
Must maintain a level of mental and physical fitness required to perform the essential functions of this classification.
Must maintain regular attendance and punctuality.
Must regularly talk, hear/listen, see/observe, sit, stand, and walk.
Must regularly demonstrate fine motor skills.
Must occasionally exert up to 10 pounds of force.

Nice To Haves

Four (4) or more years of progressively responsible related experience in direct customer service environment and handling difficult and varied customer issues (for Senior Customer Care Representative).
Two (2) years of experience as a Customer Care Representative with the City of Kennewick (for Senior Customer Care Representative).

Responsibilities

Provide direct services to the public and respond to inquiries on a wide range of topics to include utility billing, service requests, and business licensing. Customer inquiries may be made in person, over the telephone, by internet, and through e-mail.
Prioritize customer requests and personally resolve issues whenever possible.
Assist customers in locating and completing application forms.
Determine the best means of meeting the customer’s needs.
Perform research necessary to address customer issues or concerns.
Adapt guidelines and policies to varied situations while maintaining consistency when interpreting unclear guidelines or policies.
Work with other individuals inside and outside the organization as necessary to obtain a solution and/or deliver service.
Take accountability for follow-through with the customer to bring closure to the request, service issue or problem.
Contribute to ongoing improvements to service delivered throughout the organization by providing input on methods that will enhance the mission of the City in delivering exceptional customer service.
Encourage consistent customer service delivery across the organization.
Promote a positive and professional public image of the City.
Process requests for opening/closing utility accounts, ebilling, managing online profiles and auto payment requests.
Explain account fee structures and city code to customers.
Assist with preparing final closing bills and may work with escrow companies to produce final payoffs.
Assist with calculating reads and billing adjustments for all utility account types.
Create and process service orders and may assist with monitoring consumption reads and reports.
Assist with processing delinquent penalties and nonpay liens including scheduling disconnection and reconnection of services.
Assist customers and outside collection agencies with pre-collection and collection accounts.
Perform fee payment and cashiering duties in accordance with established rates, policies, and auditing requirements.
Operate equipment as needed to process transactions; calculate fees owed; reconcile transactions and resolve out-of-balance conditions; process work in a manner that results in a complete and evident audit trail; and prepare comprehensive and accurate documentation of transactions and adjustments.
May provide assistance with the City’s Business Licensing system.
Direct and guide customers requiring interaction with other departmental staff and schedule appointments for other departmental staff as deemed appropriate.
Perform routine office support activities.
Perform other related duties as assigned.
Assist with staff training, business licensing activities, complex account research and adjustments, customer complaint resolution, data analysis, and other specialized customer service functions (Senior Customer Care Representative).