Customer Service Representative

City-of-Redding; Redding (CA); On-site; USD 42,000 - 52,000; Full time

Job summary

City of Redding is seeking a detail-oriented Customer Service/Utility Billing Clerk to assign and bill new accounts, respond to routine and urgent customer inquiries, and explain charges and policies. The role supports accurate financial record keeping and timely payment processing in a fast-paced service environment.

The ideal candidate will have a high school diploma with clerical experience, strong typing skills, and the ability to handle sensitive customer information with professionalism.

Qualifications

• High school diploma or equivalent.
• Two years general clerical experience, preferably including financial record keeping and one year of customer service.

Responsibilities

• Assign and bill new accounts.
• Respond to intense daily contact with customers regarding utility billing in person, by phone, and via email/fax.
• Respond to customers' calls regarding service failures.
• Explain charges, policies, procedures, special programs, and rates.
• Conduct special billing investigations and resolve disputes.
• Process and balance utility bill payments received in person, by phone, or by mail.
• Monitor account balances and initiate credit and collection procedures.
• Maintain records and locate numerical data accurately.

Skills

Typing 30 wpm

Customer service

Interpersonal communication

Mathematical calculations

Financial record keeping

Problem solving

Education

High school diploma or equivalent

Tools

10-key adding machine

Calculator

Fax machine

Data entry terminal

Computer

Job description

• Assign and bill new accounts.
• Respond to intense daily contact with internal and external customers in person, over the telephone, and via e-mail and facsimile with regard to utility billing.
• Respond to customers' calls regarding service failures.
• Interpret and explain charges, policies, procedures, special programs, and rates.
• Conduct special billing investigations involving difficult problems; make determinations and resolve disputes.
• Keep/review records, maintain files and assign items to their proper place, locate and explain numerical data, and compare names and numbers accurately and rapidly.
• Handle difficult credit and collection issues, all according to departmental policies and procedures, requiring use of individual judgement.
• Monitor customer account balances for utilities services and initiate credit and collection procedures.
• Process and balance utility bill payments received in person, by telephone, or through the mail.

• Knowledge of automated computer systems and procedures for bill collection and follow up
• Knowledge of office equipment, including computer, 10-key adding machine, and copy and fax machines
• Knowledge of methods, practices, and terminology used in financial and statistical record keeping, interpersonal communication skills, and mathematical calculations
• Ability to post and make mathematical computations rapidly and accurately, which includes handling payment transactions
• Ability to operate office machines such as a calculator, typewriter, adding machine, and data entry terminal
• Ability to compose and type business letters
• Ability to interpret utility rate schedules and customer billing records, understand and interpret city ordinances, contracts, and legal documents, compare names and numbers accurately and rapidly
• Ability to type at least 30 wpm, net (see Typing Requirement below).

Education, Experience and Special Requirements

• Any combination of training and experience that provides the required knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform the various job functions is qualifying
• Typical education would include a high school diploma, or equivalent.
• Typical experience would include two years of general clerical experience, preferably including some financial record keeping and one (1) year of customer service in a call center, utility service, fee collection environment, retail environment or other related industry.

You will receive notifications pertaining to this recruitment at the e-mail address and text message number provided on your application. Email correspondence may go to your spam or junk mail folder. Applicants requesting a reasonable accommodation for any portion of the testing or interview process should contact Personnel at [phone] by the application deadline.

Examination Process

An online written examination will be administered. This recruitment will establish an eligibility list that may be used to fill current and future vacancies. This recruitment will be open until filled and may close with little or no notice.

City of Redding Employees- If you took and passed the Customer Service Representative Exam examination since April 2022, you are not required to retest and may retain your prior score, OR, if you prefer, you may retest to receive a new score. You will not have the option of retesting and keeping the better of the two scores. Your name may remain on the eligibility list for a period of five years before you will be required to test again, unless significant changes are made to the examination. Either way, you must submit an online application and select the appropriate box on the supplemental question that asks to either "Retest" or "Retain" your previous score.

Typing requirement

The typing requirement for this position is 30 NET words per minute. Candidates must attach a valid typing certificate. Please note that online typing certificates are not considered valid by the closing date and time.

Selection Process

• Positive past employment references.
• Review of driver history record.
• Passing a city paid fingerprint criminal conviction check (applicants 18 and older).
• Passing a pre-employment medical exam and drug and alcohol screening test.

Veterans Credit

Applicants who attach a copy of the DD-214 to their application indicating "Honorable Discharge" from military service and receive a passing score on the examination process will have two (2) additional points added to their final examination score. The City of Redding adheres to Cal/OSHA COVID-19 requirements.

AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY/FEDERAL AFFIRMATIVE ACTION EMPLOYER