Customer Service Associate

Customer Service Associate

Performs routine work by providing assistance and directions in person and over the telephone. The Customer Service Associate will act as a liaison, provide services information and resolve any emerging problems that customers to the City might face with accuracy and efficiency. The target is to ensure excellent service standards, respond efficiently to customer inquiries and maintain high customer satisfaction. An employee in this class operates a multi-line switchboard and standard office equipment such as photocopiers, typewriters, fax machine, mailing equipment, and personal computer. Employee is required to maintain solid customer relationships by handling questions and concerns professionally. Work is performed under general supervision and reviewed for quality of service rendered to employees and the public.

Answers and manages incoming calls, emails, chats, and/or interactive voice response systems. Provides excellent customer care and focus; ability to assess customers' needs and provide the correct answer, path, troubleshooting, or method for a positive customer experience. Greets and directs all visitors, including vendors, residents, job candidates and customers. Places, receives and routes a high volume of calls through the switchboard. Supply information to callers, relay messages to intended recipient timely and announces visitors and callers. Retrieves and distributes messages from general voice mailbox. Able to think fast, find answers, and respond quickly to customer issues, all with a polite, empathic, and professional voice and manner. Provides administrative support where needed, this includes keeping records, processing and filing documents. Manages the City's lobby area by organizing brochures, flyers and other information for visitors. Ensures completion of paperwork and sign-in procedures. Sorts, date stamp and distributes incoming and outgoing mail. Operates manual and electrical mailing equipment to process mail for City business only. Maintain appropriate postage balances in accordance with front desk policies and procedures. Accepts, logs and distributes all mail. Immediately notify via phone or email recipients of deliveries. Directs servers of subpoenas to the appropriate staff member for acceptance. Retrieve faxes and place in mailbox of intended recipient and provide notification via email or phone of faxes. Maintains central calendar of conference rooms at City Hall and Council Chambers. Log calendar requests into central Outlook folder. Monitors supplies for printers and faxes. Monitor working condition of printer and fax machine and generate service repair request in system. Performs data entry or drafts and composes a variety of correspondence, notifications, forms, meeting minutes, and related documents in order to communicate information to staff, council members and/or the public. May assist with overflow work from administrative and executive assistants. Order office supplies. Performs related work as required.

Knowledge of telephone etiquette techniques and effective interpersonal skills. Knowledge of procedures for operating various office equipment, including personal computers. Knowledge of standard formats used for a variety of letters, memos, and related documents. Knowledge of English spelling and grammar. Ability to operate a personal computer to prepare a variety of correspondence using a variety of software/applications. Ability to compose letters, memos, and related documents covering a variety of routine work related topics. Ability to operate a variety of standard office equipment. Ability to sort/file alphabetically, chronologically, and numerically. Ability to keyboard. Ability to prioritize work activities. Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with co-workers, other departments, council members and the public in a manner conducive to full performance and high morale. Ability to work effectively with confrontational persons both in person and by telephone. Ability to communicate effectively both orally and in writing and understand and follow oral and written instructions. Ability to receive and place telephone calls and provide solid customer relationships by handling questions and concerns with speed, accuracy and professionalism. Ability to operate switchboard accurately, efficiently and with speed. Skill in the use of a personal computer, switchboard and related equipment. Graduation from high school; two (2) years of customer services/administrative/secretarial/switchboard experience. Experience working in municipal government and delivering exceptional customer service highly desirable.

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently required to sit and talk or hear. The employee is frequently required to walk; use hands, handle, or operate objects, tools, or controls; and reach with hands and arms. The noise level in the work environment is moderately quiet. Work is performed in an office setting within a controlled environment.