Customer Service Representative

Utility Billing Office Clerk

To provide quality customer service and a variety of routine / advanced, reporting and clerical / cashier duties relating to the collection and reconciliation of utility payments; the maintenance and adjustment of customer accounts and related records; reporting of delinquent customer accounts and the opening and closing of utility accounts.

Essential Functions

• Answers customer inquiries over the counter and on the telephone.
• Investigates billing errors and resolves customer complaints relating to such errors.
• Assists customers to resolve minor problem accounts; makes routine adjustments to customer accounts as appropriate.
• Receives Utility Bill payments, negotiates partial payments amounts and delinquency payment extensions and monitors accounts with payment extensions.
• Maintains records of monies received and issues appropriate receipts.
• Sorts, reviews and balances receipts daily; prepares accurate detailed reports of collections.
• Maintains customer accounts and related records incidental to cashier operations.
• Balances cash and combined receipts for bank deposits.
• Deposits City monies collected in designated depositories.
• Adjusts utility bills for minor billing errors, leaks, pool fills, vacation garbage and other authorized, routine purposes.
• Maintains records and reports for accounts in a non-pay status and for meters to be disconnected.
• Opens new utility accounts and initiates new service; closes accounts when required.
• Initiates meter check reads and meter bench tests when required.
• Corrects routine errors in the customer master file database.
• Maintenance of daily-automated cash receipt functions related to : bank drafting, lockbox service and other electronic forms of payment.
• Assists in the training of Customer Service Representatives in the policies and procedures of the department.
• The intent of this class description is to provide a representative summary of the types of duties and responsibilities that will be required of classifications given this title and shall not be construed as a declaration of the specific duties and responsibilities of any particular position. Incumbent may be required to perform job-related tasks other than those specifically presented in this job description.

Minimum Qualifications

Job Based Competencies

Responsibility

Under the direction of and responsible to the Department Head or designated representative. Usually no supervision exercised; occasionally may direct the work of one or a few clerical employees.

Physical Requirements

This is office work, requiring limited physical effort. Visual acuity is required for reviewing, checking, preparing and maintaining computer and manual files, as is manual dexterity to operate computers and other office equipment. Incumbent is required to have sufficient hearing ability to perceive information accurately at normal spoken word levels. Manual dexterity to operate computers and other office equipment is required.

Public Contact

Contacts are an essential component of this position. In addition to extensive contact on the telephone and in person with members of the public inquiring about utility bills and billing issues, the incumbent interacts daily with Utility Billing Office employees and with employees of other City departments.

Retirement Benefit

The City of Sarasota made the transition to become a Florida Retirement System (FRS) employer effective December 1, 2021. To learn more about what this benefit may mean for you, please visit MyFrs.com. Please note that if you are hired to work for the City of Sarasota as an FRS employer, you will be asked to complete a form to certify your FRS status, as there may be an impact to any FRS benefit you are already receiving.

If you require reasonable accommodation in completing this application, interviewing, completing any pre-employment testing, or otherwise participating in the employee selection process, please direct your inquiries to Jake Brown our ADA Coordinator. Jake can be reached via email at Jake.Brown@sarasotafl.gov or via phone at 941-263-6299.

For questions pertaining to general employment or job application status, please call 941-263-6476, or email HR@sarasotafl.gov.