Customer Billing Rep I

City of Bentonville; Bentonville (AR); On-site; USD 36,000 - 48,000; Full time

Job summary

The City of Bentonville is seeking a Utility Billing Clerk to maintain customer accounts and perform billing for electric, water, sewer, and refuse services. You will process payments, respond to inquiries, and support month-end billing with accurate data entry and reporting.

You will work with billing software, Excel, and standard office tools to ensure timely, accurate billing and customer satisfaction in a fast-paced municipal environment.

Qualifications

• High School Diploma or GED and 3+ years of related experience or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Ability to read and interpret documents such as safety rules, operating instructions, and procedure manuals.
• Ability to write routine reports and correspondence; speak effectively before groups of customers or employees.
• Must be able to learn and operate various software programs, including Microsoft Word, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint, and billing software.

Responsibilities

• Assist in monthly preparation of combined utility bills for ~30,000 accounts and 55,000 meter readings.
• Research meter readings and customer accounts; handle up to ~3,200 work orders annually.
• Respond to customer inquiries via phone, email, or in person about utility accounts and City information.
• Enter and maintain customer data in billing software; set up accounts for various programs.
• Process payments, issue refunds, and handle misapplied payments; monitor billing accuracy.

Skills

Customer service

Data entry

Excel

Word/Outlook/PowerPoint

Communication

Education

High School Diploma or GED + 3+ years related experience

Tools

Billing software

Keyboarding

Job description

SUMMARY

Performs utility account (electric, water, sewer and refuse) maintenance and research; billing of electric, water, sewer and refuse services to customers of the City of Bentonville; processes payments for utility service by phone and through the internet; communicates with the public by performing the following duties.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Participates in the monthly preparation of combined service utility bills for approximately 30,000 customer accounts consisting of more than 55,000 validated meter readings with a value of approximately $127,000,000 a year in revenue.
• Participates in the examination of meter readings for evidence of irregular conditions, researches accounts and prepares and reviews a portion of the approximately 3,200 work orders prepared each year.
• Researches customer complaints and comments, then communicates results to the customer.
• Answers phone, email and in-person inquiries about utility accounts and general City information.
• Researches customer payments and determines if payments have been properly or misapplied.
• Communicates by radio, phone, mail, and email with staff and customers.
• Enters information into billing software.
• Sets up accounts for average billing, bank drafting, penalty waiver and medical alert programs.
• Accepts payment by phone.
• Set-up, transfer and terminate utility service.
• Review accounts based on customer request and grant extensions if customer qualifies.
• Prepare adjustments to utility accounts.
• Enter meter readings.
• Orders tests to detect meter malfunctions.
• Maintains all aspects of customer utility accounts.
• Uses imaging software to archive and for research.
• Maintain various files.
• Operates office machines.
• Works in a safe manner.
• Creates delinquent notices and work orders.
• Sets, exchanges and retires meters.
• Investigate incorrect billings.
• Process reverse/transfer payments.
• Issue refunds for over payments through the auditable billing system.
• Calculates charges.
• Maintains an updated list of specific tasks and procedures performed.

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES

None.

QUALIFICATIONS

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

EDUCATION and/or EXPERIENCE

High School Diploma or GED and three (3) + years related experience and/or training; or equivalent combination of education and experience.

LANGUAGE SKILLS

Ability to read and interpret documents such as safety rules, operating and maintenance instructions, and procedure manuals. Ability to write routine reports and correspondence. Ability to speak effectively before groups of customers or employees of organization.

MATHEMATICAL SKILLS

Ability to add, subtract, multiply, and divide in all units of measure, using whole numbers, common fractions, and decimals. Ability to compute rate, ratio, and percent. Ability to add and subtract numbers and to multiply and divide with 10's and 100's. Ability to perform these operations using units of American money and weight measurement, volume, and distance.

REASONING ABILITY

Able to apply common sense understanding to carry out instructions furnished in written, oral, or diagram form. Ability to deal with problems involving several concrete variables in standardized situations.

COMPUTER SKILLS

Ability to read, understand, explain, create, and modify spreadsheets, from the most simple to the more complex. Ability to convert written and spoken ideas into useable, functional spreadsheets to be read and used inside and outside the utility billing area. Must have demonstrated skills in Microsoft Word, Excel, Outlook, Power Point or other similar software and have the ability to learn and operate in a variety of software programs.

CERTIFICATES, LICENSES, REGISTRATIONS

Must be able to be bonded in the State of Arkansas.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to sit; use hands to finger, handle, or feel; reach with hands and arms; and talk or hear. The employee is occasionally required to stand; walk; climb or balance; and stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl. The employee must regularly lift and/or move up to 10 pounds, frequently lift and/or move up to 25 pounds, and occasionally lift and/or move up to 50 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and ability to adjust focus. This position requires a significant amount of “Keyboarding”.

WORK ENVIRONMENT

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.

We are an equal opportunity employer, and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, pregnancy, age, national origin, disability status, genetic information, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.