USPTO | UCC Customer Service Representative | Active | Greenville, SC

Ares Enterprise; Greenville (SC); On-site; USD 23,000 - 29,000; Full time

Job summary

Ares Enterprise is seeking a customer-focused UCC Customer Service Representative (Tier I) to provide front-line technical support to USPTO employees and contractors. The role serves as the primary front-line contact for inquiries across phone, email, postal mail, voicemail, and virtual agent interactions.

The position emphasizes resolving incidents at first contact, documenting actions in the CIP-CC CRM, and escalating when needed.

Qualifications

• Must be legally authorized to work in the United States and meet federal requirements.
• At least one year of IT, technical support, customer support, help desk, or Service Desk experience.
• Working knowledge of Windows and Microsoft 365 applications.
• Familiarity with hardware, network connectivity, and basic IT troubleshooting methods.
• Ability to document incidents and resolutions clearly and accurately.

Responsibilities

• Front-Line Customer Support — Tier I contact for general public inquiries about USPTO programs and services.
• Handle inquiries via telephone, email, postal mail, voicemail, fax, and virtual agent channels.
• Provide accurate responses using the UCC knowledge base and CRM resources.
• Assist customers with MyUSPTO/USPTO.gov account issues (password resets, MFA, login).
• Navigate USPTO online systems and resolve basic website issues.
• Log interactions and resolutions in the CIP-CC CRM system.

Skills

Customer service

Active listening

Troubleshooting

Documentation

Communication

Microsoft 365

Windows OS

Account provisioning

Remote access

Teamwork

Education

Associate degree in IT

High school diploma + certs

Tools

ServiceNow

CRM systems

Knowledge base

Job description

Description

Ares Enterprise is seeking customer-focused UCC Customer Service Representative (Tier I) to provide front-line technical support to U.S. Patent and Trademark Office employees and contractors. The UCC Customer Service Representative serves as the primary front-line customer service center, responding to public inquiries regarding USPTO programs and services and will provide timely, accurate, and courteous assistance to customers contacting the USPTO through multiple channels—including phone, email, postal mail, voicemail, and virtual agent interactions. This position is responsible for resolving incidents at the first point of contact whenever possible, fulfilling standard service requests, documenting all support activities, and escalating unresolved issues to the appropriate technical support teams.

Ares Enterprise is an ISO 9001:2015, ISO/IEC 20000-1:2018, and ISO/IEC 27001:2022-certified technology and professional services company. We provide mission-focused solutions to federal customers while maintaining a collaborative environment that values technical excellence, professional development, continuous improvement, and exceptional customer service.

Requirements

Primary Responsibilities

The UCC Customer Service Representative will:

• Front-Line Customer Support — Serve as the Tier I point of contact for general public inquiries related to USPTO programs, services, and digital platforms.
• Multi-Channel Response Handling — Receive and respond to customer inquiries via telephone, email, postal mail, voicemail, facsimile, and virtual agent channels.
• General Information Assistance — Provide accurate, timely responses using the UCC knowledge base, CRM resources, USPTO.gov, and approved reference materials.
• Account & Access Support — Assist customers with MyUSPTO/USPTO.gov account issues, including password resets, MFA troubleshooting, and login/access concerns.
• Website & System Support — Help customers navigate USPTO online systems and resolve basic website-related issues.
• Resource Referral — Direct callers to appropriate resources such as Patent & Trademark Resource Centers (PTRCs) when additional assistance is needed.
• Issue Escalation — Transfer unresolved or specialized inquiries to second-tier contact centers or program offices following established procedures.
• CRM Documentation — Log all customer interactions, actions taken, and resolution steps in the CIP-CC CRM system with accuracy and completeness.
• Email Processing — Respond to incoming emails using pre-approved USPTO templates and perform quality checks for new CSRs.
• Mail & Message Management — Retrieve voicemail, process postal mail and returned mail, and respond to facsimiles in accordance with SLAs.
• Scripted Call Handling — Follow standardized USPTO scripts to ensure consistent, compliant customer interactions.
• SLA Compliance — Ensure all calls entering the queue before closing are answered the same day and meet established service-level performance metrics.
• Pattern Monitoring — Utilize ACD system data to support staffing optimization and efficient call handling.
• Continuous Improvement — Participate in process reviews, documentation updates, and improvement initiatives throughout the contract lifecycle.
• Emerging Technology Utilization — Support USPTO efforts to integrate AI, virtual agents, automated summarization, knowledge search tools, and other approved technologies.
• Training & Development — Complete comprehensive training modules and ongoing coaching to maintain proficiency, quality, and compliance with USPTO SOPs.
• Professional Customer Interaction — Demonstrate active listening, empathy, problem-solving, and clear communication in all customer engagements.
• Cross-Center Collaboration — Work with other USPTO contact centers to ensure consistent information delivery and efficient use of shared knowledge resources.
• Other Duties — Perform additional UCC support tasks as assigned to meet operational needs.

Required Qualifications

• Must be legally authorized to work in the United States and meet all applicable federal contract, suitability, and residency requirements.
• Must have continuously resided in the United States for the previous two years, subject to any exceptions permitted under applicable federal requirements.
• Must be able to successfully complete a federal background investigation and obtain and maintain a Public Trust determination.
• Associate degree or higher in information technology, computer science, information systems, or a related discipline; a high school diploma or equivalent combined with relevant technical certifications, training, or experience may be accepted in place of a degree.
• At least one year of information technology, technical support, customer support, help desk, or Service Desk experience.
• Working knowledge of Windows operating systems and Microsoft 365 applications.
• Familiarity with desktop and laptop hardware, peripheral devices, network connectivity, and common information technology troubleshooting methods.
• Basic understanding of network hardware, protocols, remote connectivity, and information security practices.
• Ability to document incidents, troubleshooting activities, and resolutions clearly and accurately.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills.
• Strong customer service, active listening, analytical, and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to follow established procedures while exercising sound judgment when troubleshooting customer issues.
• Ability to work effectively in a structured, metrics-driven, and team-oriented environment.
• Ability to manage multiple customer inquiries and priorities while maintaining professionalism and attention to detail.
• Reliable attendance and the ability to work an assigned shift within the Service Desk’s operating schedule.

Work Schedule

The Service Desk is expected to operate during the following hours:

• Monday through Friday: 7:30 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.
• Saturday: 7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Employees will generally be assigned an eight-hour shift, five days per week. Specific shifts may include daytime, evening, and Saturday coverage. Work schedules may be adjusted based on Government requirements, operational needs, or surge activities.

Preferred Qualifications

• Previous experience supporting a federal Government customer.
• Experience working in a Tier I help desk or enterprise Service Desk environment.
• Experience using ServiceNow or a comparable information technology service management platform.
• Experience supporting Active Directory, password resets, account provisioning, multifactor authentication, and remote access.
• Familiarity with Microsoft Teams, Microsoft 365, virtual private networks, mobile devices, printers, and telework support.
• Knowledge of incident management, service request management, knowledge management, and escalation procedures.
• Familiarity with artificial intelligence-enabled Service Desk tools, virtual agents, or automated workflows.
• HDI Support Center Analyst certification.
• ITIL 4 Foundation certification.
• CompTIA A+, Network+, Security+, or a comparable information technology certification.
• Experience working in a collaborative, process-oriented, and service-level agreement-driven environment.

Core Competencies

• Customer service orientation
• Technical troubleshooting
• Clear and professional communication
• Attention to detail
• Documentation accuracy
• Accountability and reliability
• Teamwork and collaboration
• Time and priority management
• Adaptability and continuous learning
• Commitment to information security and customer privacy

Salary Description$18.50