DEFINITION

Following guidelines and procedures, perform office support duties which involve providing information to the public, receiving payments, addressing customer complaints, preparing and maintaining records within the Finance Department, and performs other duties as required.

DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTICS

Under general supervision, a Customer Service Representative provides various types of office support such as responding to customer inquiries, maintaining customer accounts, processing applications for service, and receiving payments according to specific guidelines and procedures. This class is distinguished from the accounting specialist classes in that the responsibilities of this class are primarily concerned with dealing with the public to receive and process payments and applications for utility services while the Accounting Specialists perform a wider variety of specialized accounting clerical and bookkeeping functions.

SUPERVISION RECEIVED/EXERCISED

Supervision is provided by the Utility Billing Supervisor. The incumbent will also receive direction regarding assigned tasks from other staff of the Finance Department.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES

Each employee in this classification may not perform all of the duties listed below. Depending upon assignment, duties may include, but are not limited to, the following:

Greets public in person and over the telephone; answers questions regarding status of various accounts and attends to problems or complaints from customers in person, on the telephone or by written correspondence; explains policies, regulations and rate structures; receives and processes applications and payments to the City for services, licenses, permits and fees; makes change and issues receipts; opens and closes accounts; posts payments to the proper account; processes adjustments, returned checks and refunds; counts cash; calculates, balances, and reconciles cash drawers, cash receipt records, spreadsheets and other records; researches and resolves account and billing problems; sets up and maintains various files, records and registers; completes a variety of forms and prepares account summaries and reports; files forms and records; makes photocopies and operates a variety of standard office machines; opens, date-stamps and processes incoming mail; prepares correspondence and performs various other clerical and administrative duties for the Finance Department.

OTHER DUTIES

Completes special projects as assigned by the Utility Billing Supervisor.

QUALIFICATIONS

Experience/Education

Sufficient experience, education and training to perform office support and customer assistance duties in a City Finance Department. A typical way to obtain the required qualifications is to have the equivalent of a high school diploma including some training in office procedures and one year of responsible clerical experience including public contact. Utility or public sector experience is desirable.

Knowledge/Skill/Ability

Good knowledge of modern office practices and procedures; correct spelling, punctuation and grammatical usage; basic business arithmetic; techniques and methods of using standard word processing, spreadsheet, database and other office software and equipment; practices and procedures related to the accounting for cash receipts and the maintenance of revenue accounts. General knowledge of the procedures of a City government. Skill in using spreadsheets and word processing software packages, organizing data and materials, and preparing reports and documents and in entering data accurately and efficiently. Ability to type accurately at a rate of 40 w.p.m.; use 10-key calculator by touch; interact tactfully and effectively with members of the public, co-workers and managers; interpret, apply and explain applicable codes, ordinances, policies and procedures; research information and solve customer service problems; enter data accurately and efficiently into appropriate data system; make accurate arithmetic calculations and maintain accurate records and files; receive cash and make change; balance cash and receipts and maintain accurate financial records and documentation; understand and carry out written and oral instructions; perform detailed clerical work and maintain attention to detail despite frequent interruptions; establish and maintain effective working relationships with those contacted in the course of the work; work independently and make sound judgements within established guidelines. Ability interact tactfully and effectively with members of the public, co-workers and managers; interpret, apply and explain applicable codes, ordinances, policies and procedures; research information and solve customer service problems; enter data accurately and efficiently into appropriate data system; make accurate arithmetic calculations and maintain accurate records and files; receive cash and make change; balance cash and receipts and maintain accurate financial records and documentation; understand and carry out written and oral instructions; perform detailed clerical work and maintain attention to detail despite frequent interruptions; establish and maintain effective working relationships with those contacted in the course of the work; work independently and make sound judgements within established guidelines.

Working Conditions

Position requires prolonged sitting in the performance of daily duties and frequent repetitive keyboarding motion for inputting data and preparing reports and other documents. The position also requires walking, standing, stooping, some pushing, dragging, light and heavy lifting while handling bound records or printouts or boxes of paper and documents. The incumbent often juggles multiple tasks, works under pressure of deadlines and with frequent interruptions. Risk is involved in handling money.