Customer Care Specialist

This position is responsible for handling all customer service duties relating to new or existing Utility accounts, service requests, securing deposits and service fees, submitting work orders, processing payments, establishing payment extensions per policy, handling delinquent accounts, and other customer service related functions on a daily and/or follow-up basis by providing either face-to-face customer care and/or answering inbound calls.The following statements describe the principal functions of this job and its scope of responsibility but shall not be considered an all-inclusive listing of work requirements. Individuals may perform other duties as assigned, including working in other functional areas to cover absences or relief, to equalize peak work periods, or otherwise to balance the workload.

• Greets walk-in customers and/or answers inbound customer calls regarding Utility accounts.  
• Assists with answering questions about water, sewer and septage utility accounts; may also receive questions from the public on solid waste recycling, landfill, water conservation, franchised solid waste collectors to provide information. 
• Assists customers (Residential or Commercial) requiring new service or new connection, establishing customer accounts for new or temporary service locations in computerized programs, accurately assigning appropriate account number, verifying and collecting applicable deposits, connection and hook-up fees and securing signed contracts and/or required documentation from customers for water and/or sewer service in accordance with County ordinances.  Follow-up, as needed, by mailing, e-mailing, calling or faxing necessary information and/or contracts to customers wishing to open new accounts, transfer accounts, suspend or discontinue accounts and/or other service requests via in person, by telephone, voicemail, fax or written correspondence. 
• Handles account transfers, properly requesting the termination or suspension of the former account, or (as required), verifying legal description, obtaining correct meter information for that location, and accurately assigning new account number. Collects the appropriate required deposit and turn-on fee from new customers and secures a signed contract for water and/or sewer service in accordance with county ordinances. Accurately receipts payments and correctly makes change in case of cash payments 
• Research customer accounts to accurately respond to customers’ questions regarding account balances, such as arrears, credits or payment receipts; and checks customer’s payment history for consideration in granting payment date extensions. 
• Accepts Utilities’ payments (by cash, check, money order or credit card) from walk-in customers or credit card payments by phone.  Responsible for ensuring accurate cash handling and processing of customers’ payments. 
• Informs customers, verbally or in writing, of all department procedures and policies, such as establishing service requirements, name or address changes on accounts, account turn-on/turn-off procedures for customers, adjustment policies, ordinances, etc.
• Properly documents all customers’ accounts according to procedures.  
• Prepares appropriate customer correspondence in response to completed work orders and reviews all correspondence to customers for accuracy and professionalism, prepares file copies of all correspondence, ensures timely mailing of correspondence, and routes copies for filing and/or scanning.
• Opens and closes business office daily, per standard operating procedures. Opens night deposit drop box and processes payments, as needed; checks messages from voicemail and fax; secures customer service lobby and work area for the night in accordance with standard operating procedures.  Ensures customer service lobby is organized, neat and well supplied with customer forms, literature as needed each day. 
• Maintains and balances assigned cash drawer daily against payment stubs and daily receipts for deposit, per procedure. Assures necessary allocation of bills and change required for business day. Bags cash and secures in safe at the close of business. Drops excess cash in the safe periodically to maintain minimum cash in drawer. 
• Compiles and accurately enters service requests daily into work order program; retrieves and processes work orders daily from Operations and/or field personnel; prints and distributes work orders to field. Receives completed work orders from field and verifies action taken and properly routes for data entry, monthly reports, and/or filing. 
• Coordinates with HCUD Billing staff when new residential accounts are established to ensure proper collection of fees and other charges. Coordinates requests with Sr. Commercial Account Specialist, as required for commercial accounts.
• Assists customers with questions regarding their bill, coordinates testing of meter equipment, schedule consumption reports, analyze usage reports of complexity to assist customers with potential leaks, handle concerns and provide information as obtained.  Assist customer with processing adjustments requests, as warranted. 
• Responsible to file customer documents daily - including work orders, new account contracts and receipts, correspondence, name or address change information and all other pertinent customer or business-related documents for retention. 
• Performs other reasonable related duties as assigned by immediate supervisor or other management personnel.

Emergency Response 
County employees are required to report for work during a state of emergency and are subject to recall around the clock for emergency response operations which may include duties other than those specified in this job description. Employees may request an exemption from this requirement by submitting the appropriate exemption form, subject to review and approval.

Minimum Qualifications

• Graduation from an accredited high school or possession of an acceptable equivalency diploma (GED).
• Three (3) years of experience in customer service with two (2) years of experience in a general office setting and use of computers.

Licenses, Certifications or Registrations

• Must possess and maintain a valid Florida Driver’s License or must obtain within 30 days of establishing residency in Florida and be insurable by current insurance carrier, or valid Florida Identification Card is acceptable only for positions not required to drive a county vehicle.

• Must have or be able to obtain certification within three (3) months of employment in FEMA National Incident Management System (NIMS) courses:
  • IS-100.c: Introduction to the Incident Command System (ICS)
  • IS-200.b: ICS for Single Resources & Initial Action Incidents
  • IS-700.b: An Introduction to the National Incident Management System

A combination of education, training and experience may be substituted at the County's discretion.

Required Competencies

• Knowledge of
  • general office practices and procedures
  • basic accounting principles and accounts receivable procedures
  • computerized accounting and billing systems
• Ability to
  • effectively communicate with customers, staff, and the general public in a courteous, tactful and considerate matter.
  • understand contracts and agreements regarding connection fees, assessments, and deposits, and calculate accounts receivable based on these contracts and agreements. 
  • serve the public in a friendly, professional, efficient manner.
  • compose business correspondence of moderate complexity.

Physical Requirements/Work Environment

• Requires sitting most of the day.
• The job involves frequent lifting and carrying up to 10 pounds, and occasionally up to 20 pounds.
• The job requires frequent bending, twisting, and occasional squatting, climbing, kneeling, and balancing.
• The job requires the completion of tasks that involve simple grasping, pushing, pulling, fine manual manipulation, and typing.

• The job requires normal visual acuity and field of vision, depth perception and color vision, hearing, and speaking
• Work is performed primarily in an office environment working closely with others in occasional noisy office conditions, including computer and printer noises.
• Works in a safe and secure work environment that may periodically have unpredicted requirements or demands.

Pay Grade: 3
Salary Disclosure: Pay rates are based on policy, education, skill, experience level and internal equity.

VETERANS' PREFERENCE: Under Section 295.07, F.S., Chapter SSA-7, Hernando County BOCC provides to veterans, that preference in appointment will be given to preference-eligible applicants.

PLEASE REVIEW THE MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS ON POSTING AND COMMUNICATE HOW YOU MEET THE MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS IN YOUR APPLICATION/RESUME. MINIMUM REQUIEMENTS MUST BE MET TO BE CONSIDERED.
All applications will be carefully reviewed to evaluate qualifications and overall suitability for the position. The relevance, scope, and length of related work experience, training, and education outlined in the application and resume will be considered during the screening process. Selected applicants will be contacted to participate in interviews. Candidates are encouraged to clearly document all pertinent experience, including relevant knowledge, skills, or abilities gained outside of traditional employment, in the additional information section of the application.

Hernando County Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of sex, race, color, religion, gender, orientation, national origin, age, marital status, veteran status, genetic information, pregnancy, disability, or any other protected characteristic as defined by law.

Hernando County is a Drug-Free workplace. All employees are subject to drug testing in accordance with Federal and Florida State Law. 

Applicants requiring reasonable accommodations as defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act, must provide notification to the BOCC in advance to allow sufficient time to provide an accommodation.