Customer Service Specialist, Senior

City of Richmond, Virginia; Richmond (VA); On-site; USD 55,000 - 69,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Virginia Retirement System (VRS)

Language Incentive

Referral Bonus

Tuition Assistance Program

Job summary

The City of Richmond's Department of Public Utilities is seeking a qualified Customer Support Specialist, Senior to deliver exceptional service by assisting customers and agents with account inquiries, researching and adjusting accounts, handling escalations, and maintaining accurate records.

Responsibilities include coaching customer care agents, entering data into databases, resolving billing discrepancies, processing service orders, educating customers on payment options, and communicating

Qualifications

• Associates Degree in a business related area.
• Three years of customer service or payment processing, reconciliation, and adjustment experience.
• Experience in account investigation, billing inquiries, or payment processing is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Assist customers and internal agents by providing information and handling requests.
• Explain procedures, conduct research, and adjust accounts where appropriate.
• Discuss and resolve problems and concerns.
• Provide call center support and dispatch calls as assigned.
• Educate customers on payment options and account processes.
• Enter information into databases to capture complaints.
• Observe and comply with policies and QA activities.
• Investigate and resolve account discrepancies, billing errors, and payment concerns.
• Communicate professionally across phone, email, and in-person.

Job description

Are you Richmond R.E.A.D.Y? Respect. Equity. Accountability. Diversity…YOU!!!

About

This is an EXCITING time to Join the City of Richmond! We are committed to nurturing talent, fostering growth opportunities, and building strong connections within our workforce. As we continue to make strides to becoming the employer of choice, we are thrilled about the below employee benefit enhancements:

• Virginia Retirement System (VRS)
• Language Incentive
• Referral Bonus
• Tuition Assistance Program

Description

The anticipated hiring range is $54,789 - $68,754.

The City of Richmond Department of Public Utilities is seeking a qualified Customer Support Specialist, Senior to provide exceptional service by assisting customers and customer service agents with account-related inquiries, resolving issues, and ensuring a seamless customer experience. This role involves handling customer requests, researching and adjusting accounts, handling escalations, coaching customer care agents, and maintaining accurate records while adhering to quality and compliance standards.

Duties include but are not limited to

• Assist customers and internal agents by providing information, handling requests and escalations, explaining procedures, conducting research, adjusting accounts where appropriate, and answering questions.
• Discuss and resolve problems and concerns.
• Provide call center support and dispatch calls as assigned.
• Contact citizens to ensure their request was completed and provide follow-up based on their response.
• Assist Supervisors with coaching and developing of customer care agents by either call observations or one on one coaching.
• Enter information into databases to capture complaints and allow other agencies to respond to citizen requests.
• Observe and comply with departmental policies, customer service standards, and compliance guidelines.
• Participate in ongoing training, cross-training, and quality assurance (QA) activities, including conducting QA training when assigned.
• Investigate and resolve account discrepancies, billing errors, and payment concerns.
• Process service orders to address customer issues and update account information.
• Educate and navigate customers on payment options, account processes, and assistance programs.
• Communicate professionally and effectively across multiple channels, including phone, email, and in-person interactions.

Qualifications, Special Certifications And Licenses

MINIMUM TRAINING AND EXPERIENCE

• Associates Degree in a business related area
• Three years of customer service or payment processing, reconciliation, and adjustment experience

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Experience in account investigation, billing inquiries, or payment processing is a plus.

LICENSING, CERTIFICATIONS, And/or OTHER SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS

• N/A

Knowledge, Skills, And Abilities

TYPICAL KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES: These are a representative sample; position assignments may vary.

Knowledge (some Combination Of The Following)

• Best practices in customer service policies and procedures
• DPU's Rules and Regulations regarding Utility Rates
• CIS billing system
• Using standard office equipment

Skills (some Combination Of The Following)

• Computer Proficiency, including Microsoft Office Suite
• Diplomacy
• Account management
• Oral/written communication
• Interpersonal communication
• Basic Mathematics
• Customer service
• Researching
• Customer management systems
• Identifying and correcting account discrepancies accurately

Abilities (some Combination Of The Following)

• Multi-task
• Problem solve
• Work with diverse populations
• Listen attentively
• Analyze data to resolve customer issues or concerns
• Prioritize responsibilities
• Remain flexible in a fast-paced environment.

Americans With Disabilities Act Requirements

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of the job. Prospective and current employees are invited to discuss accommodations.

ENVIRONMENTAL HAZARDS

Working conditions may include exposure to travel to other locations within the City of Richmond as well as outside of the City of Richmond; exposure to hazardous physical conditions such as mechanical parts, electrical currents, vibrations, etc.; atmospheric conditions such as fumes, odors, dusts, gases, and poor ventilation; inadequate lighting; intense noise; and environmental hazards such as disruptive people, imminent danger, and a threatening environment.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS AND WORKING ENVIRONMENT

Due to the nature of work assignments, incumbents must be able to perform detailed work on multiple, concurrent tasks, with frequent interruptions and under time constraint. While performing the essential duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to talk, see, hear, finger (pick, pinch, type or otherwise work primarily with fingers), and use substantial repetitive motions of the wrists, hands, and/or fingers. The employee is occasionally required to stoop, kneel, crouch, walk, and reach extending hands and arms in any direction. In terms of the physical strength to perform the essential duties, this classification is considered to be sedentary, exerting up to 10 pounds of force occasionally, and a negligible amount of force frequently or constantly to move objects.

• Internal use: HR Generalist to review.

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement

The City of Richmond provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.

The City of Richmond is committed to the full inclusion of all qualified individuals. As part of this commitment, the City of Richmond will ensure that persons with disabilities are provided with reasonable accommodations.

If you require reasonable accommodations under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) to participate in the job application and/or the interview process, please contact Veronica Kenner, by email at [e-mail].

This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruitment, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation and training.

City of Richmond Values Veterans.

We are an official V3 Certified Company.

The City of Richmond is a proud partner with the US Army Partnership for Your Success PaYS Program.

With over 4,000 employees, the City of Richmond is an "Employer of Choice" among cities throughout the nation. The City strives to hire and retain employees who bring dedication and talent to the workforce. Offering a competitive, cost effective, and quality benefits package is one element of an "Employer of Choice".

The City offers a full range of benefit programs from initial hire through retirement. Please visit our Web site for details.

01
10-point compensable veteran. You must have an existing compensable service-connected disability of 10 percent or more. Other 10-point veteran include disabled veteran or a veteran who was awarded the Purple Heart for wound or injuries received in action, veteran's widow or widower who has not remarried, wife or husband of a veteran who has a service-connected disability, widowed, divorced or separated mother of an ex-service son or daughter who died in action, or who is totally and permanently disabled. Do any of these apply?
Yes
No
02
5-point veteran's must have been discharged under honorable conditions and had one of the following: ... Do any of these apply?
Yes
No
03
Which best describes your highest level of education?
High school diploma/GED
Some college
Associate's Degree
Bachelor's Degree
Master's/ Advanced Degree
None of the above
04
Do you have experience conducting coaching sessions or audits in a call center customer service environment?
Yes
No
05
How many years of experience do you have handling escalated situations in customer service?
Less than one year
1–3 years
4–6 years
More than 7 years
No experience
06
How many years of experience do you have in a customer service/call center environment (phone, email, or in-person support)?
Less than one year
1–3 years
4–6 years
More than 7 years
No experience
07
What is your level of proficiency using Microsoft Office applications (Word, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint)?
Beginner
Intermediate
Advanced
Expert
08
Do you have experience creating coaching plans or maintaining Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), or QA forms for Customer Service Call Centers?
Yes
No
09
Please summarize your experience using QA or a Customer Service Information system to recommended or implement process improvements.
Required Question