Customer Service Specialist

City of Portsmouth • Portsmouth, VA

3d • Onsite

About The Position

Under general supervision, this position performs a variety of routine clerical functions such as opening and terminating accounts, collecting payments, and issuing work orders. Reports to the Manager of Administration & Financial Services.

Requirements

• A high school diploma or the equivalent, and 3 - 4 years of customer service experience, or any equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Experience working in a call center, or office setting preferred.
• An acceptable general background check to include a local and state criminal history check.
• Must be physically able to operate a variety of automated office machinery and equipment including computer, printer, typewriter, calculator, facsimile machine, copier, multi-line telephone systems, etc.
• Must be able to exert up to 20 pounds of force occasionally, and/or up to 10 pounds of force frequently, and/or a negligible amount of force constantly to move objects.
• Physical demand requirements are in excess of those for sedentary work.
• Light work usually requires walking or standing to a significant degree. However, if the use of arm and/or leg controls requires exertion of forces greater than that for sedentary work and the worker sits most of the time, the job is rated for Light Work.
• Requires the ability to compare and/or judge the readily observable, functional, structural or composite characteristics (whether similar or divergent from obvious standards) of data, people or things.
• Requires the ability of speaking and/or signaling people to convey or exchange information. Includes receiving instructions, assignments or directions from superiors.
• Requires the ability to read a variety of correspondence, forms, reports, log sheets, billing registers, water contracts, bills, etc.
• Requires the ability to prepare correspondence, forms, reports, field tickets, rate charts, etc., using prescribed formats and conforming to all rules of punctuation, grammar, diction and style.
• Requires the ability to speak to people with poise, voice control and confidence.
• Requires the ability to apply common sense understanding to carry out detailed but uninvolved written or oral instructions; to deal with problems involving a few concrete variables in or from standardized situations.
• Requires the ability to record and deliver information, explain procedures, and follow oral and written instructions.
• Must be able to communicate effectively and efficiently in standard English and possess a basic working knowledge of accounting, clerical and computer operation terminology.
• Requires the ability to utilize mathematical formulas, to add and subtract, multiply and divide, and utilize decimals and percentages.
• Requires the ability to inspect items for proper length, width and shape.
• Requires the ability to coordinate hands and eyes rapidly and accurately in using office equipment.
• Requires the ability to handle a variety of items such as office equipment.
• Must have minimal levels of eye/hand/foot coordination.
• Does not require the ability to differentiate between colors and shades of color.
• Requires the ability to deal with people beyond giving and receiving instructions.
• Must be adaptable to performing under stress and when confronted with persons acting under stress.
• Requires the ability to talk and hear (Talking: expressing or exchanging ideas by means of spoken words. Hearing: perceiving nature of sounds by ear.)
• Must be able to communicate via telephone.

Nice To Haves

• Experience working in a call center, or office setting preferred.

Responsibilities

• Receives orders for connection or disconnection of water; records required documentation and identification; prepares adjustments to water bills due to leaks; responds to and researches complaints of water quality, disconnection for non-payment, illegal usage, billing information and water and wastewater line locations; prepares refund checks for deposit balances and overpayment; contacts customers, and collects balances for delinquency, insufficient check funds and water restoration from property lien action; prepares and dispatches work orders for service initiation, meter reading, discontinuance, or maintenance and repairs; maintains records of water and wastewater taps.
• Files property liens for outstanding utility bills based on city and department policy; authorizes payment extensions or payment arrangements for unpaid utility bills; processes utility accounts for billing on a scheduled basis; reviews customer utility accounts; analyzes and forwards accounts with unusually high or low consumption for verification; provides bankruptcy information at the request of the City Attorney's Office.
• Performs administrative support work such as word processing, creating spreadsheets, data entry and retrieval, and functions that may require interpretation, judgment and determining appropriate processes to be used; reviews forms, data and other information to ensure accuracy and conformance to established procedures and policies; utilizes supplemental data to resolve inquiries pertaining to water bills and meter leaks.
• Answers telephone and greets visitors; responds to inquiries and complaints, and provides or referees callers to the appropriate source; routes messages for department personnel; prints and reviews distribution reports, scan sheets, and various billing; prepares and posts billing reports, monthly delinquent notice, and billings; reviews utility bills, prior to mailing, for high consumption and special billing.
• Researches outstanding bills, and develops and submits data for the state tax offset program; interacts with the public and others outside the work unit to obtain and provide information and assistance in a variety of circumstances; may screen and respond to inquiries and complaints; provides information on policies and procedures; performs other similar types of administrative support activities; responsible for establishing, coordinating, and/or maintaining filing and record systems.
• Performs other duties as assigned. Individual assignments will be determined by supervisor based on current workload and department needs.

What This Job Offers

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