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Salary: $26.88 – $28.00 Hourly
Location: Seattle Municipal Tower, 700 5th Ave., Seattle, Washington
Job Type: Temporary – Non-Benefit Eligible
Shift: Day
Department: Seattle Public Utilities
Bargaining Unit: PTE, Local 17 – Admin Support
Closing Date 07/05/22 04:00 PM Pacific Time
Position Description:
Seattle Public Utilities provides solid waste and drainage and wastewater services for Seattle residents and businesses and drinking water for the 1.4 million regional customers both in Seattle and the 26 municipalities and special water districts also served by the Utility. “Our Promise” to the community is to deliver efficient and forward-looking utility services that keep Seattle the best place to live. Our customers depend on us to be there for them – to deliver utility services reliably and to spend their dollars wisely.
Seattle Public Utilities’ (SPU) Customer Response Division is seeking temporary Contact Center Representatives (Utility Account Representative Trainees) to support our Joint Utility Contact Center. Call Center representatives are the first point of contact for many Seattle Public Utilities and Seattle City Light customers, and they play an important role in answering and resolving billing related questions and issues related to water, sewer, drainage, solid waste, and electric services. The Customer Response Division is committed to developing knowledgeable, results driven team members who are able to quickly identify customer needs and determine the appropriate solutions with minimum customer effort.
For the first 6 weeks during the training period, your schedule will be 8 AM – 5 PM. After the training period, employees will move to the Call Center floor. Call Center regular hours of operation are 7:30 AM – 7:00 PM Monday- Friday. Eight-hour shifts will be scheduled within these hours of operation.
Strict attendance is required especially during the first 3 months for training purposes. Adherence to a rigid schedule (start and stop times, breaks, and lunches) is essential. New employees are eligible to request vacation leave after 6 months of continuous service.
These temporary assignments are approved for 11 months from the date of hire. While not benefited to start, there is a possibility of medical, dental and vision benefits after 6 months of full-time work.
Temporary assignments with the City of Seattle cannot automatically be converted to regular positions, but temporary work provides an excellent opportunity to gain experience working in a City office environment.
WHO SHOULD APPLY?
SPU is looking to hire disciplined, dependable people who will be committed to delivering fast and friendly customer service to customers with high expectations. If you are not 100% reliable and ready to give it your all, this isn’t the job for you. We are seeking “A” performers that have a passion for customer service. If you excel in fast-paced, performance metrics-based environments, are a strong critical thinker, and have a knack for figuring out answers to challenging questions, then we bet you have the right stuff. This role requires positive energy, consistent performance and a desire to help provide the essential services to the Seattle community. You must have excellent verbal and written communication, be able to multi-task, and possess a serious work ethic.
As part of the application process, you must include a cover letter and resume with your application describing how your education and/or experience meet the qualifications for this position. In your cover letter, please address the following question:
Please describe your customer service experience (employer, types of customers, in-person interaction or online, volume, etc.) as well as your experience working in a contact center, if any (employer, average number of calls handled, types of calls received, etc.).
**Failure to include your resume and cover letter with an answer to the question listed above will result in your application not being considered.**
Job Responsibilities:
Receive and respond to service and billing inquiries from residential and commercial utility customers regarding water, sewer, drainage, solid waste, and electric services by telephone, in person, and through written correspondence in a professional and timely manner;
Research and analyze account information to accurately answer customer questions and resolve customer concerns;
Create and update customer account records, document information regarding customer interactions in utility billing system;
Assist customers in resolving delinquent accounts and establishing payment plans, when applicable;
Provide income eligible customers information regarding rate discount and payment assistance programs to help reduce utility costs;
Handle a high-volume of customer calls throughout the day in a professional manner at all times.
Qualifications:
Education/Experience: One year of customer service/contact center experience and/or experience in a billing process.
Education/Experience Equivalency: Other combinations of appropriate education, training, certification and experience will be evaluated on an individual basis for comparability to the minimum education and experience requirements
The ideal candidate has:
5+ years of customer service experience, including 2+ years working in a contact center environment
Ability to communicate professionally with and work effectively within a multi-cultural workforce serving a diverse customer base
Strong focus on providing excellent customer service to clients through analysis and resolution; understands importance of providing stellar service to all customers at all times
Ability to calculate utility bills and make billing adjustments using basic math skills
Working knowledge of Windows and the ability to type 35 WPM or more
Ability to be reliable, proven track record for consistent attendance and punctuality
Additional Information:
Work Environment:
Work is performed in a contact center environment using a computer and constant and repeated use of a headset, keyboard, and mouse.
Adherence to a rigid schedule regarding start and stop times, breaks, and lunches is essential to ensure optimal service levels to customers.
Work hours are from 9:10 AM to 6:10 PM for the first 12 months. Shift changes are awarded through a bid process based on seniority after completion of 12 months of service.
Individuals must be able to work overtime and/or weekends in the event of an emergency (i.e., unscheduled power outages), scheduled training, and/or dedicated assigned work.
Fast-paced with potential high stress environment that knows how to incorporate fun in the daily work.
Additional Information:
All City of Seattle employees are required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19. Failure to submit proof of vaccination or qualify for a reasonable accommodation will result in withdrawal of a job offer.
Job offers are contingent upon verification of information provided by the applicant as well as completion of a background check which includes criminal history. A background check will be required for candidates selected for employment who are not currently working for the City of Seattle.
Please note that this job advertisement is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities and activities may change at any time with or without notice.
Who may apply: The City of Seattle encourages people of all backgrounds to apply, including people of color, immigrants, refugees, women, LGBTQ, people with disabilities, veterans, and those with diverse life experience. This position is open to all qualified candidates that meet the minimum qualifications. The City of Seattle values diverse perspectives and life experiences. Applicants will be considered regardless of race, color, creed, national origin, ancestry, sex, marital status, disability, religious or political affiliation, age, sexual orientation, or gender identity.
Learn more about Seattle Public Utilities at our web page www.seattle.gov/util/
