Customer Service Representative I, (B272931-3), 202, Aminal Control

City of Laredo•Laredo, TX

3d•Onsite

About The Position

The Customer Service Representative I serves as an initial point of contact for customers, answering calls, responding to emails, communicating in person, addressing concerns, providing general information, and directing inquiries to the appropriate employee or department. The role records customer calls and resolutions, coordinates schedules and appointments, processes payments, maintains inventory, and performs related office and customer service duties. The employee may be assigned duties in Utility Billing, Utility Billing Field Collections, Utility Customer Service, or Solid Waste. The position requires driving a City vehicle for City business and performing other duties as assigned. Depending on assignment, duties may include processing utility bills and account cutoffs; preparing and distributing billing, payment, collection, and work-order reports; researching account histories and resolving billing or meter-reading issues; preparing meter-related work orders and account adjustments; helping customers understand utility charges, payment plans, service accounts, and water conservation; balancing collections and preparing deposits; and processing or tracking Solid Waste service requests, complaints, trash-can inventory, deliveries, and work orders. The position requires knowledge of City ordinances, protocols, policies, services, and departments; basic arithmetic; office procedures and applicable computer software; and English grammar and writing. Solid Waste assignments additionally involve Google Maps, locating and reading water meters, and potentially operating a forklift. The job includes occasional outdoor work and exposure to unpleasant conditions or hazards, and requires handling or moving objects weighing up to 35 pounds occasionally. Work is often in an office, with occasional outdoor work and sometimes street-side or vehicle environments. Local travel is frequent.

Requirements

High school diploma or G.E.D. equivalency.
At least one year of experience in customer service, clerical work, or administrative support.
Ability to maintain a valid Texas Driver License and a good driving record.
Ability to communicate effectively in English orally and in writing, and orally in Spanish.
Knowledge of City ordinances, protocols, policies, services, and departments; basic arithmetic; modern office procedures and methods; applicable computer software; and English grammar, spelling, and punctuation.
Ability to plan, organize, manage time, perform varied tasks, think critically and logically, deliver customer service, maintain effective working relationships, follow supervisor directions, and meet schedules and deadlines.
Ability to project a positive and professional image of the City, comply with City policies and procedures, and maintain sufficient health and physical condition to perform the job duties.
Ability to perform strenuous and routine work and to occasionally exert up to 35 pounds of force, frequently up to 20 pounds, and constantly up to 20 pounds when moving objects.
For Solid Waste duties, ability to read maps, use a computer keyboard, type at least 40 words per minute, maintain manual and electronic files and records, perform arithmetic computations and tabulations, prepare reports, and use word-processing and spreadsheet software.
Applicants educated outside the United States must provide a foreign credential evaluation from an eligible NACES- or AICE-member agency verifying U.S. equivalency; applicants are responsible for evaluation costs.
Applicants offered employment must complete a background check and provide certified school transcripts; selected applicants must undergo pre-employment drug and alcohol testing. Safety-sensitive positions are subject to random drug and alcohol testing.

Nice To Haves

For Solid Waste assignments, a valid Texas Driver License is desired; an out-of-state license must be replaced with a Texas license within six months of employment.
For Solid Waste assignments, knowledge of Google Maps and the ability to locate and read water meters.
For Solid Waste assignments, ability to operate a forklift.

Responsibilities

Serve as the initial point of contact for customer concerns, questions, and complaints.
Answer calls and emails and assist customers and guests in person; provide general information or route inquiries to the appropriate employee or department.
Create, enter, and maintain customer call and resolution records in a database.
Coordinate schedules and appointments, relay messages, process payments, and maintain inventory as assigned.
For Utility Billing assignments, initiate utility bill production; print, review, and distribute billing and financial reports; research account histories and resolve billing or meter-reading issues; prepare meter and service work orders; calculate account credits or debits and recommend adjustments; review delinquent accounts; and prepare correspondence and records.
For Utility Billing Field Collections assignments, process account cutoffs and delinquency notices, assist with meter-reading processing, track billing-cycle work orders, conduct database research, process liquid-waste tracking and billing, prepare account-termination work orders, and maintain reports and records.
For Utility Customer Service assignments, explain water, sewer, and garbage charges; assist customers with high bills, payment plans, account balances, due dates, and cutoff dates; open, transfer, and terminate customer accounts; balance daily collections and prepare bank deposits; process utility bills and meter work orders; verify refund checks; and communicate with other departments about approvals.
For Solid Waste assignments, process and follow up on 311 requests, inform customers about policies, ordinances, and schedules, investigate and track complaints, verify account and service information, maintain trash-can inventory, deliver, collect, and replace cans, prepare work orders and reports, and coordinate deliveries for City events and other needs.
Type, sort, and file letters, memos, notices, lists, correspondence, and other documents; prepare and maintain reports and records.
Drive a City vehicle for City business as required and perform other duties as assigned.