Customer Service Representative
Orange Water And Sewer Authority (NC), Carrboro, NC, United States
Join our Team and make a difference! Orange Water and Sewer Authority (OWASA) strives to be our community’s trusted partner for clean water and environmental protection. Through teamwork and partnership, we work together to deliver valuable water and sewer services that are essential to our community. Our Customer Service and Billing Team plays a very important role in ensuring that all our customers receive and understand the value of our services.
We are seeking a friendly, customer-focused individual to join our team as a Customer Service Representative. This team member will provide excellent customer service to the members of the public in matters related to application for water and/or wastewater service, customer utility billing inquiries, and processing of billing and collection and recording of utility payments.
Essential Duties:
Processes bills for non-UNC customers; Imports meter readings and reviews consumption; reviews and handles billing and meter reading exception reports; troubleshoots and corrects errors; documents any issues discovered with notes entered into customer account records; transmits billing files to third-party bill vendor; coordinates with staff to make site visits to troubleshoot meter issues; processes billing adjustments and corrected billings. Handles non-utility billing, and final billing.
Interacts and assists customers in-person, over the telephone and by email; processes payments from customers; responds to customer inquiries; works with staff to meet customer service requests; starts and ends customer’s accounts; performs customer credit checks; collects security deposits; handles returned payment; performs desktop audits of customer’s water use data; calculates and processes leak adjustments; processes property management agreements; sets-up extensions of credit and payment assistance credits.
Handles collection and follow-up related to returned payments and unpaid debts for active and inactive customers.
Processes the daily bank deposits, e-box and lockbox files. Handles lockbox and e-box decisioning transactions. Balances cash drawer and tracks petty cash transactions.
Provides website and customer portal technical support to customers; educates and helps customers use features of the self-service portals; troubleshoots billing system problems; participates in process improvement projects; reads and coordinates responses to emails sent to department-wide email addresses.
Research and process back-bills for unbilled water and sewer services; enters new service locations to the billing system.
Meets service quality standards for telephone, email and in person interactions for customer satisfaction.
Fills-in for other departmental staff, including reception area, during absences and breaks.
Performs other related duties as required or assigned.
Qualifications Required:
High school diploma or GED and two years’ experience working in billing and/or customer service; utility billing experience preferred.
Proficient with computers and office software systems.
Math skills to perform basic calculations rapidly and accurately.
Focus on customer service while maintaining procedural integrity. Ability to effectively communicate information and respond to questions in person-to-person and small group situations with customers, public, and other staff.
Strong attention to detail, as well as interpersonal and computer skills.
Ability to work independently and make routine decisions within established guidelines.
An awareness and appreciation of the cultural diversity of the community.
Team members are our most important resource. Benefits include:
Membership in the NC Local Government Employee Retirement System (pension plan)
5% Employer 457 plan contribution
Retirement health savings account
Employer paid Health, Dental, Vision, Life insurance, Long-term Disability
Ability to telework up to two days per week after six months of successful employment
Vacation, Sick, Personal, Bereavement, and Parental Leave; 12 Paid Holidays
Ability to transfer unused sick leave from previous NC Local Government or State agency employer
OWASA is an equal opportunity employer committed to continuous improvement, sustainability, creativity, diversity, and inclusion.
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We are seeking a friendly, customer-focused individual to join our team as a Customer Service Representative. This team member will provide excellent customer service to the members of the public in matters related to application for water and/or wastewater service, customer utility billing inquiries, and processing of billing and collection and recording of utility payments.
Essential Duties:
Processes bills for non-UNC customers; Imports meter readings and reviews consumption; reviews and handles billing and meter reading exception reports; troubleshoots and corrects errors; documents any issues discovered with notes entered into customer account records; transmits billing files to third-party bill vendor; coordinates with staff to make site visits to troubleshoot meter issues; processes billing adjustments and corrected billings. Handles non-utility billing, and final billing.
Interacts and assists customers in-person, over the telephone and by email; processes payments from customers; responds to customer inquiries; works with staff to meet customer service requests; starts and ends customer’s accounts; performs customer credit checks; collects security deposits; handles returned payment; performs desktop audits of customer’s water use data; calculates and processes leak adjustments; processes property management agreements; sets-up extensions of credit and payment assistance credits.
Handles collection and follow-up related to returned payments and unpaid debts for active and inactive customers.
Processes the daily bank deposits, e-box and lockbox files. Handles lockbox and e-box decisioning transactions. Balances cash drawer and tracks petty cash transactions.
Provides website and customer portal technical support to customers; educates and helps customers use features of the self-service portals; troubleshoots billing system problems; participates in process improvement projects; reads and coordinates responses to emails sent to department-wide email addresses.
Research and process back-bills for unbilled water and sewer services; enters new service locations to the billing system.
Meets service quality standards for telephone, email and in person interactions for customer satisfaction.
Fills-in for other departmental staff, including reception area, during absences and breaks.
Performs other related duties as required or assigned.
Qualifications Required:
High school diploma or GED and two years’ experience working in billing and/or customer service; utility billing experience preferred.
Proficient with computers and office software systems.
Math skills to perform basic calculations rapidly and accurately.
Focus on customer service while maintaining procedural integrity. Ability to effectively communicate information and respond to questions in person-to-person and small group situations with customers, public, and other staff.
Strong attention to detail, as well as interpersonal and computer skills.
Ability to work independently and make routine decisions within established guidelines.
An awareness and appreciation of the cultural diversity of the community.
Team members are our most important resource. Benefits include:
Membership in the NC Local Government Employee Retirement System (pension plan)
5% Employer 457 plan contribution
Retirement health savings account
Employer paid Health, Dental, Vision, Life insurance, Long-term Disability
Ability to telework up to two days per week after six months of successful employment
Vacation, Sick, Personal, Bereavement, and Parental Leave; 12 Paid Holidays
Ability to transfer unused sick leave from previous NC Local Government or State agency employer
OWASA is an equal opportunity employer committed to continuous improvement, sustainability, creativity, diversity, and inclusion.
#J-18808-Ljbffr