Customer Service Representative - Utility Billing

Description

CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE - UTILITY BILLING

Regular, Full Time Employment Opportunity

The final filing date is Monday, February 10, 2025, at 5:00 pm or after receiving 100 qualified and complete applications, whichever is first.

The City of Sunnyvale is looking for a dynamic Customer Service Representative for the Department of Finance. The Customer Service Representative will be part of a small team of representatives that assist Sunnyvale residents and businesses with inquiries regarding water, wastewater, garbage, and recycling services. The candidate selected for this position will be the first point of contact with customers over the phone and in person, not only handling routine transactions but also handling issues requiring investigation and analysis. In addition to call center duties, the candidate will have regular duties such as processing payments, placing work orders, and answering written inquiries. The candidate must have excellent customer service and organizational skills, have strong attention to detail and know how to thrive in a fast-paced call center environment.

Under general supervision, performs office work in assisting customers with utility services provided by the City of Sunnyvale; investigates and resolves customer complaints; provides customers with verbal and written information and instructions; maintains computerized customer account information; performs related duties as assigned.

DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTICS

Customer Service Representatives work in the Utilities Division of the Finance Department. This classification is distinguished from other clerical classifications by its primary focus on customer service in handling a variety of complex and varied billing and service issues for both residential and commercial utility accounts.

Essential Job Functions

(May include, but are not limited to, the following)

• Respond to customer inquiries about water, sewer, garbage and recycling services and rates over the phone, in person and in writing.
• Investigate and resolve customer problems and complaints concerning water, sewer, garbage and recycling services.
• Respond to water and sewer emergency calls and dispatch appropriate technicians to resolve urgent problems.
• Explain utility service standards and requirements to residential and commercial customers.
• Understand and analyze customer needs and recommend appropriate solutions.
• Maintain computerized records of utility customer accounts.
• Review and process customer utility payments.
• Review and explain utility bills to customers.
• Handle collection calls and develop customer payment schedules as necessary.
• Process sign-up and cancellation of utility services for residential and commercial customers.
• Input and retrieve utility customer account data using computerized billing and maintenance systems.
• Make calculations and quote billing rates for utility services.
• Prepare billing adjustments to customer utility accounts.
• Review, process, and audit utility bills and materials related to utility billing.
• Compile data and prepare reports.
• Prepare cash receipt vouchers, journal vouchers and documents.
• Compose correspondence.
• Prepare work orders related to utility services for field personnel.
• Perform cashiering functions including processing checks, balancing cash drawer, and verifying daily cash receipts.
• Respond to general inquiries about City services unrelated to utilities.
• Receive, sort and distribute mail.
• Maintain files and records.

WORKING CONDITIONS

Position requires prolonged sitting, standing, walking, reaching, twisting, turning, kneeling, bending, squatting and stooping in the performance of daily activities. The position also requires grasping, repetitive hand movement and fine coordination when using a computer keyboard. Additionally, the position requires near and far vision when reading and using a computer. Acute hearing is required when providing phone and personal service. The need to lift, push and pull files, paper and documents weighing up to 25 pounds also is required. Some of these requirements may be accommodated for otherwise qualified individuals requiring and requesting such accommodations.

Minimum Qualifications

The minimum qualifications for education and experience can be met in the following way:

High school graduation or tested equivalent, AND

Two years of general clerical experience that includes heavy public contact experience, including at least one year of customer service experience in a call center environment.

Other Qualifications
At least one Customer Service Representative will be designated as bilingual (English/Spanish), and the incumbent must successfully pass the City of Sunnyvale bilingual examination.

Knowledge of:

• Customer service techniques and practices.
• Standard office procedures, practices, and equipment.
• Computer equipment and software applications related to assignment.
• Business mathematics
  

Skill in:

• Operating standard office equipment, including a personal computer and 10-key calculator by touch.
  

Ability to:

• Learn and effectively communicate utility services, rate structures, and specialized utility billing functions for both residential and commercial accounts.
• Establish and maintain effective working relationships and demonstrate customer service orientation with peers, departmental representatives, and the public.
• Learn and follow City procedures and policies.
• Understand and follow written and verbal instructions.
• Read, write, spell and speak clearly in English.
• Communicate information, policies and procedures clearly, concisely and tactfully, both verbally and in writing.
• Maintain accurate records; audit and verify information; compile and reconcile numerical and financial data.
• Perform basic mathematical calculations accurately with a 10-key calculator, or calculator by touch.
• Use a computer to input and access customer information.
• Perform computational tasks and other technical functions with accuracy.
• Exercise independent judgment in applying appropriate policies and procedures.
• Effectively and simultaneously manage a variety of tasks and assignments; work effectively under the pressure of deadlines.
• Type accurately at the rate of 30 net words per minute.
• Work in a confined area, wearing a headset which may restrict physical movement about the work area.
• Accurately enter information into the computerized utility billing system while simultaneously receiving information by phone or in person.
• Work in a highly structured environment where all communications or work may be recorded or documented as public record.
  

DESIRABLE QUALIFICATIONS

• Utility billing customer service experience.
• Bilingual ability to speak and write in English and Spanish.
• Experience working in the public sector.
  
  

Application and Selection Process

APPLICATION PROCESS
If you are interested in this opportunity, please submit a City of Sunnyvale employment application and responses to the supplemental questions to the Department of Human Resources by 5:00 pm on February 10, 2025 (postmarks or faxes are not accepted). If interested in this position, you should apply as soon as possible as only the first 100 qualified and complete applications will be considered.

Candidates are asked to fully describe any training, education, experience or skills relevant to this position. Electronic applications may be submitted on-line through the City's employment page at Sunnyvale.ca.gov and click on Jobs. Late or incomplete applications will not be accepted.

EXAM PROCESS

Applications will be competitively screened based on the minimum qualifications of this position. Based upon a review of the application materials, the most qualified candidates will be invited to participate in the examination process, which may consist of an oral examination scheduled for Tuesday, February 25, 2025.(Note: The examination process may be changed as deemed necessary by the Director of Human Resources).

SELECTION PROCESS
Those candidates that receive a passing score on the examination will be placed on an eligibility list for up to one year, in accordance with the City's Civil Service Rules and Administrative Policies. Top candidates on the eligibility list will be invited to participate in a selection interview with the department tentatively scheduled on Wednesday, March 5, 2025. Any candidate that is selected by the hiring department will be required to successfully complete a pre-employment process, which may consist of a background history check, as well as a medical exam(s) administered by a City selected physician(s) before hire. Prior to starting work, all newly-hired employees will be fingerprinted to check conviction history. A conviction history will not necessarily disqualify an applicant from appointment; however, failure to disclose conviction history will result in refusal of employment or termination. Positions which are covered by the Department of Transportation regulations are required to submit to a pre-employment drug test and to random drug and alcohol testing.

INFORMATION ABOUT PROOF OF EDUCATION Any successful candidate selected by the hiring department will be required to submit proof of education (i.e., copy of the diploma or college/university transcripts). An applicant with a college degree obtained outside the United States must have education records evaluated by a credential evaluation service at the candidate's expense. Candidates may utilize any third-party agency for the evaluation. If you search ‘education equivalency verification' or similar online, you will obtain results for agencies that provide this evaluation service. A conditional job offer cannot be made until the education has been evaluated and submitted to the Department of Human Resources.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Positions in this job classification are represented by the Sunnyvale Employees Association (SEA).

The information contained within this announcement may be modified or revoked without notice and does not constitute either an expressed or implied contract.

The City of Sunnyvale is an Equal Opportunity Employer. It is the policy of the City of Sunnyvale not to discriminate against all qualified applicants or employees on the basis of actual or perceived race, religion (including religious dress or grooming practice), color, sex (includes gender, pregnancy, childbirth, medical conditions related to pregnancy or childbirth, breastfeeding or medical conditions related to breastfeeding), gender identity and/or gender expression, sexual orientation (including heterosexuality, homosexuality and bisexuality), ethnic or national origin, ancestry, citizenship status, uniformed service member status, marital status, family relationship, age, cancer or HIV/AIDS related medical condition, genetic characteristics and/or genetic information, and physical or mental disability. Applicants needing special accommodations for testing should submit a request to the Department of Human Resources at time of application.

Summary of Sunnyvale's Employees Association SEA

Notice of CFRA (California Family Rights Act) Rights and Obligations

Closing Date/Time: 2/10/2025 5:00 PM Pacific

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• City of Sunnyvale

• 408-730-3017

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