Customer Service Representative - Utilities

Town of Jupiter • Jupiter, FL

1d • Onsite

About The Position

The purpose of this classification is to provide customer service for utility customers, to include assisting customers, receiving payments, generating bills, maintaining utility accounts, processing related documentation, and to perform special projects as assigned. This role involves processing a variety of documentation associated with departmental operations, performing customer service functions such as answering telephone calls and assisting customers at the front counter, providing information related to utility services, accounts, bills, and procedures. The representative will maintain customer utility accounts by processing activities like new account setup, verification, changes, adjustments, courtesy credits, meter reading re-checks, service changes, account transfers, payment arrangements, refunds, and account closings. They will also research discrepancies and problems related to accounts, re-calculate billing charges, research misapplied payments, unbilled accounts, high bill complaints, and incorrect services. Responsibilities include receiving, processing, and distributing mail, responding to customer correspondence, and preparing outgoing mail. The role involves receiving payments for utility bills and other fees, verifying payments, researching discrepancies, recording transactions, issuing receipts, posting payments, balancing revenues, preparing bank deposits, and preparing payment reconciliation reports. Additionally, the representative will create daily service orders, enter meter readings, process various service orders, research and correct errors, follow up on service orders, and generate reports. They will also process the electronic meter reading system, prepare accounts for billing, review billing exceptions, and process various bills and reports. Monitoring and researching delinquent accounts, processing accounts for late notices and disconnections, and processing the daily disconnect report are also key duties. The role requires understanding and applying knowledge of bankruptcy and foreclosure processes for utility accounts. The representative will prepare, complete, and receive various forms and documentation, operate a computer for data entry and retrieval, and utilize various software programs. The ability to multi-task using several electronic systems and communicate effectively with supervisors, employees, other departments, contractors, customers, and the public is essential. Cross-training in all areas of customer service, including service, billing, and collections, is required. Additional functions include operating a motor vehicle for work-related activities and performing general clerical tasks.

Requirements

• High school diploma or GED.
• College level course work or vocational training in customer service and personal computer operations.
• A comparable amount of training, education, and experience which provides the requisite knowledge, skills, and abilities for this job may be considered as a substitute for the college level coursework or vocational training requirements.
• One (1) year previous experience and/or training involving customer service, billing, accounts receivable, general office work, and personal computer operations; or any equivalent combination of education, training, and experience which provides the requisite knowledge, skills, and abilities for this job.
• Must possess or obtain one (1) Utility approved customer service training certification within the first two years of appointment to this position.
• Must possess and maintain a valid Florida driver’s license.
• For application purposes, a valid driver’s license from any state (equivalent to a State of Florida Class E) may be utilized with the ability to obtain the State of Florida driver’s license within thirty (30) days from date of employment.
• Requires the ability to calculate and/or tabulate data. Includes performing subsequent actions in relation to these computational operations.
• Requires the ability to provide guidance, assistance, and/or interpretation to others regarding the application of procedures and standards to specific situations.
• Requires the ability to operate, maneuver and/or control the actions of equipment, machinery, tools, and/or materials used in performing essential functions.
• Requires the ability to utilize a wide variety of reference and descriptive data and information.
• Requires the ability to perform addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division.
• Requires the ability to carry out instructions furnished in written, oral, or diagrammatic form. Involves semi-routine standardized work with some latitude for independent judgment concerning choices of action.
• Requires the ability to exercise judgment, decisiveness and creativity in situations involving evaluation of information against measurable or verifiable criteria.
• Tasks require the ability to exert light physical effort in sedentary to light work, but which may involve some lifting, carrying, pushing and/or pulling of objects and materials of light weight (5-10 pounds).
• Tasks may involve extended periods of time at a keyboard or work station.
• Some tasks require the ability to perceive and discriminate visual cues or signals.
• Some tasks require the ability to communicate orally.
• Performance of essential functions may require exposure to adverse environmental conditions, such as disease or pathogenic substances.

Nice To Haves

• Ability to multi-task using several different electronic systems to accomplish required tasks.

Responsibilities

• Processes a variety of documentation associated with departmental operations, per established procedures and within designated timeframes.
• Performs customer service functions; answers telephone calls and assists customers at front counter; provides assistance and information related to utility services, utility accounts, utility bills, installation charges, procedures, forms, problems or other issues; responds to routine questions, complaints, or requests for service; researches problems and initiates problem resolution.
• Maintains customer utility accounts; processes various account activities, including new account setup, verification of account information, changes/corrections in name/address, adjustments, courtesy credits, meter reading re-checks, changes in service, account transfers, payment arrangements, refunds, account closings, or other account activities; verifies emailed application forms for new accounts.
• Researches various discrepancies and problems relating to accounts, and makes appropriate corrections/adjustments; researches and re-calculates billing charges; researches misapplied payments, unbilled accounts, complaints of high bills, and wrong services assigned to account; researches correct addresses of mail returned to the department; researches, edits, and re-bills off-cycle billing.
• Receives, opens, processes, and/or distributes incoming mail; picks up mail from post office as needed; responds to correspondence from customers; composes letters or completes form letters to customers; prepares outgoing mail.
• Receives moneys in payment of utility bills or other fees/services, including fees for other departments, in person, by mail, or from drop box; verifies customer name and amount on payment stub with payment; verifies advanced payments; verifies whether payments received are on turn-off list; contacts customers to research payment discrepancies or questions; records transactions and issues receipts; posts payments to proper account on computer; balances revenues with payment stubs and balances batch; prepares bank deposits and forwards revenues as appropriate; prepares payment reconciliation report for all monies coming into Town Hall, counts/balances daily cash drawers.
• Creates daily service orders for submission to utility maintenance staff; enters new readings and final readings; processes various service orders for line breaks, new installations, service cut-off, service restoration, re-reading of meters, or other actions; researches service order errors and makes corrections; follows up on service orders and door cards; completes and closes out related service orders; generates weekly/monthly reports of outstanding service orders.
• Processes electronic meter reading system; retrieves and returns meter reading data to host computer.
• Prepares accounts for billing; submits billing charge creation; reviews billing exceptions; deletes accounts not billable; enters bills notes; submits monthly billing; prepares reference number sheets for new bills.
• Processes various bills and reports, including monthly bills, late notice bills, GR bills, and billing reports; processes posting of interdepartmental payments.
• Maintains penalty charges, monthly consumption, deposit refunds, interest accrued, and interest refunds; files water used reports and EMR reports electronically.
• Monitors and researches delinquent accounts; reviews active delinquent lists and corrects/changes dates as appropriate.
• Processes accounts for late notices and water service disconnections
• Processes the daily disconnect report for the Water Plant Operators.
• Creates lien search requests from Title companies and maintains escrow accounts.
• Understands and applies knowledge of bankruptcy and foreclosure process to utility accounts.
• Prepares, completes, or receives various forms, reports, correspondence, consumer service applications, meter installation applications and estimates, utility bills, checks, payment extensions, service orders, cash edit listings, cash/cash only reports, deposit slips, journal entries, statements, guaranteed revenue reports, account consumption reports, top consumption by class reports, meter reading exception reports, meter readings, residential blueprints, policies, procedures, maps, operating guides, directories, manuals, or other documentation; reviews, completes, processes, forwards, or retains as appropriate.
• Operates a computer to enter, retrieve, review or modify data; verifies accuracy of entered data and makes corrections; utilizes word processing, spreadsheet, database, utility account management, e-mail, Internet, or other computer programs; performs basic maintenance of computer system and office equipment, such as backing up data or replacing paper, ink, or toner.
• Ability to multi-task using several different electronic systems to accomplish required tasks.
• Communicates with supervisor, employees, other departments, contractors, customers, the public, and other individuals as needed to coordinate work activities, review status of work, exchange information, or resolve problems.
• Conducts cross-training in all areas of customer service, including service, billing, and collections.
• Operates a motor vehicle to retrieve mail or conduct other work activities.
• Performs general/clerical tasks, which may include answering telephone calls, typing documents, making copies, filing documentation on computer, or processing incoming/outgoing mail.
• Provides assistance to other employees or departments as needed.
• Performs other related duties as required.

Benefits

• The Town of Jupiter, Florida, is an Equal Opportunity Employer. In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Town will provide reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities and encourages both prospective and current employees to discuss potential accommodations with the employer.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level
• Education Level: High school or GED