Customer Service Representative - On-Call

Benton County Public Utility District 1 • Kennewick, WA

1d • Onsite

About The Position

Benton PUD is hiring an on-call, non-exempt, bargaining-unit Customer Service Representative to support customers and the Customer Service team as needed. The position has limited workdays and no guaranteed schedule. The team operates on a Monday-through-Thursday 4/10 schedule, and the successful candidate must work full-time for the first eight weeks for training. The position starts at $26.18 per hour, with an additional $3.50 per hour in lieu of benefits; limited benefits are available.

The role provides service to customers by handling account and billing issues, answering phone calls, processing payments and cashiering, reviewing credit and collections matters and payment arrangements, processing and delivering mail, and maintaining professional service. The representative helps ensure customer service expectations are met and departmental policies, procedures, and standards are followed. Work includes assisting customers by phone and in person, responding to account questions, starting and stopping electric service, and resolving other customer service needs.

Requirements

• High school diploma or GED.
• Two years of prior experience in a directly related customer service position, or six months of District experience in a department or administrative support position.
• Pass the District tests identified in the Office & Customer Service Classification – Testing Profile & Development Plan during selection or within the specified two-year period before the posting start date or internal promotion.
• Pass a credit check as a condition of hire or promotion; the offer is contingent on review of credit and a determination of suitability.
• Consistent attendance at the job site or work location and punctuality.
• Ability to occasionally move or lift boxes and/or files weighing up to 30 pounds.
• Ability to work under regular deadline or quota pressure and frequently handle unpleasant issues involving people or situations.

Responsibilities

• Model behavior aligned with the District’s mission, values, and ethical code.
• Provide quality phone and in-person customer interactions and resolutions that contribute to department service goals and performance standards.
• Receive and post customer payments, reconcile cash drawers daily, and operate the remittance processing system.
• Greet customers promptly, handle routine lobby and phone requests, and refer customers to the appropriate department.
• Pick up mail at the post office as needed; open, sort, and route mail; retrieve and deliver mail at Operations facilities; operate postage meter and letter-inserting equipment; and prepare outgoing mail.
• Research current customer addresses for returned mail and update the customer information system according to procedures.
• Use multiple technologies and systems, recommend enhancements, and train other customer service employees on their use.
• Assist with preparing and maintaining accounts for external collections.
• Take and process requests to start and stop service, create and modify landlord agreements, assist with credit issues, receive outage calls, and resolve other customer service matters.
• Select and complete service orders in the customer information system, initiate disconnects and reconnects, and research and respond to customer billing and service inquiries.
• Perform other duties as assigned to meet team, department, and organizational goals.

Benefits

• Additional $3.50 per hour in lieu of benefits.
• Limited benefits are available.
• Paid holidays are available when assigned to work both the full shift before and the full shift after a holiday.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Part-time
• Education Level: High school or GED