Customer Service Representative (Fair Chance Hiring Event)

City of Austin•Austin, TX

1d•Onsite

About The Position

Under general supervision, this position is responsible for handling customer questions, complaints, and billing inquiries. The role involves receiving inquiries via email, fax, or phone from customers, contractors, and other city departments, and resolving customer issues with one call resolution. The representative will answer customer requests or inquiries concerning services, products, billing, and equipment, verify customer account and active services using various databases and software applications, and research customer account information to explain services, charges, and adjustments. Additionally, the position requires logging customer complaints, creating service requests, and routing them to the appropriate department(s), as well as maintaining and filing all generated service requests. This position is responsible for radio, telephone and dispatching communications to customers and field service crews, initiating service requests and work orders, ensuring that calls are received, reviewed, documented, and referred to appropriate parties for resolution, providing assistance to field service crews via 2-way radio, and conducting notifications for water outages, main breaks, and street cuts.

Requirements

Graduation from an accredited high school or equivalent, plus two (2) years of experience in billing, credit counseling, or customer service.
Knowledge of billing procedures.
Knowledge of good customer relations practices.
Skill in oral and written communication.
Skill in handling multiple tasks and prioritizing.
Skill in using computers and related software.
Skill in planning and organizing.
Skill in handling conflict and uncertain situations.
Ability to work with frequent interruptions and changes in priorities.
Ability to establish and maintain effective communication and working relationships with city employees and the public.
Must possess required knowledge, skills, abilities, and experience and be able to explain and demonstrate, with or without reasonable accommodations, that the essential functions of the job can be performed.

Nice To Haves

Bilingual in English and Spanish.
Experience working in a utility or similarly-regulated environment.
Customer service experience in a high-volume call center environment.
Experience using two-way radio to dispatch field crews.
Experience using geographic information systems (GIS) or other geographic mapping software.
Experience with automated billing system (e.g. the City of Austin Customer Care and Billing System – CC&B).
Database or software experience, including data entry and researching customer account information.
Experience creating, routing, tracking, filing, and maintaining generated service requests.
Ability to travel to more than one work location.

Responsibilities

Receives by email, fax, or phone, inquiries from customers, contractors, and other city departments.
Resolves customer issues with one call resolution.
Answers customer requests or inquiries concerning services, products, billing, and equipment.
Verifies customer account and active services using various databases and software applications.
Researches customer account information to explain services, charges, and adjustments.
Logs customer complaints, creates service requests, and routes to the appropriate department(s).
Maintains and files all generated service requests.
May train others.
Responsible for radio, telephone and dispatching communications to customers and field service crews.
Initiates service requests and work orders.
Ensures that calls are received, reviewed, documented, and referred to appropriate parties for resolution.
Provides assistance to field service crews via 2-way radio.
Conducts notifications for water outages, main breaks, and street cuts.