Supervisor of Customer Service

About the role

The Supervisor of Customer Service, New York is responsible for overseeing the customer service office(s), walk-in payment center(s) and field service operations for the New York Municipal Water Division of Veolia. This role provides supervision to the New York Customer Service Leader and CSRs, spanning across the call center, collections, billing, revenue integrity, and backoffice/field work.

Responsibilities

• Manage customer expectations to continuously improve Customer Satisfaction Surveys as well as reduce regulatory complaints.
• Maintain adequate call center, backoffice, revenue, collection and field service metrics as directed by the Manager(s) or Director of Customer Operations.
• Schedule and supervise daily collection and service field work and schedule monthly field visits to ensure staff follow safety standards and optimize routes.
• Handle call escalations for customers at every level, serving as the first point of contact at the management level.
• Daily report on key performance indicators to upper-level management via email, tracking spreadsheet, or over the phone.
• Manage all daily/weekly/monthly income controls for auditing purposes.
• Collaborate with the Non Revenue Water Management Team to provide input and gather information for various non-revenue water initiatives.
• Cover the Customer Service Department and/or Metering Department in NY and/or Westchester offices or divisionally as needed in any of the NY division office locations.
• Manage other initiatives such as CC&B Upgrades, Web Upgrades, or other special projects at the direction of the Director of Customer Service & Metering.
• Manage the Call Center and Walk-in Office: Ensure customers are being responded to quickly and efficiently by staff. Schedule daily workloads to meet demands on the phones and backoffice exceptions. Manage the cash collection process in the office to meet all auditing concerns and timely deposits of cash and checks. Respond to customer escalations professionally and respectfully whether over the phone or at the front counter. Ensure staff have adequate supplies and tools to perform their daily work load. Perform call monitoring and provide feedback to staff for improvement. Develop a friendly office environment and atmosphere to improve productivity of staff by providing staff with awards and incentives. Update the phone system with emergency main break information, updates on discolored water or main breaks.
• Manage Regulatory and Customer Complaints: Ensure that all regulatory complaints are responded to efficiently with a resolution that follows NYS Public Service Commission guidelines and satisfies the customer to the best of our ability. Work with the regulator to settle cases, come to agreements with customers, and attend informal hearings with the regulator. Work with customers on a case-by-case basis to come to an agreement or understanding of their issue and resolution of that issue.
• Manage Collections & Field Service: Work closely with staff to provide feedback on top collection candidates for service termination. Closely work with the Manager and/or Director of Customer Service to develop strategies and plans for collection activities such as additional phone calls and letter campaigns. Keep close financial benchmarks to track accounts receivables. Work closely to monitor and review write-off reports as well as Penn Credit reports for accuracy. Handle processing of all bankruptcy accounts. Daily/Weekly/Monthly review and assignment of field service work routing, ensuring customer expectations/appointments are met, including providing support to meter department staff in office and in the field to ensure work completion rates.
• Manage Revenue Integrity and Non-Revenue Water Initiatives: Review accounts requesting leak adjustments to make determinations and discuss cases with customers and areas for future improvements. Review and monitor "pending bills" in the billing system to make sure bills are being generated timely. Process all back office work timely and avoid estimating bills due to field work (i.e. meter change outs, radio device change outs). Monthly review of Top 200 users to make sure billing on time. Work closely with metering on Strategic Meter initiative to update the billing system in a timely manner. Work closely with the Planning and Metering Department to ensure all new properties are receiving bills in a timely manner. Test new rates in the billing system and assist the rates department with monitoring surcharges. Ensure staff review and work with the metering department on the zero consumption, vacant properties with consumption and consecutive estimate reports. Manage bill segment "to do's" in the billing system to make sure staff are working them timely.
• Other Responsibilities: Comply with all INCOME, regulatory and tariff processes and procedures. Assist the Manager(s) of Customer Operations, Manager of Metering and Supervisor of Metering with ongoing divisional projects for improving the customer experience (i.e. CC&B Upgrades, Web Upgrades, etc.). Work closely with Local Union Officials and unit bargaining employees for discipline and disputes.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree or 5 years of experience of experience managing a team.
• Minimum of 5 years of experience in Call Center Management and/or billing, collections and metering operations, preferably in Regulated Utility.
• Significant technical expertise and experience required as it relates to internal control structure, policies, procedures and compliance.
• Direct supervision of union workforce.

Skills

• Dealing with customers, clients and regulators in a courteous, professional and diplomatic manner.
• Knowledge of cash management operations & field service/metering operations.
• Leadership qualities needed to motivate and direct staff.
• Ability to multitask, handle multiple deadlines and projects.
• Strong oral, written, and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to prepare written technical reports and interact effectively and diplomatically with management and / or bargaining unit employees as well as regulators, consultants, municipal officials, health officers, customers, contractors, and the general public.
• Familiarity with computer applications i.e. Excel, Word, CC&B, Mobile Workforce Management, Infor, PeopleSoft, and Google applications etc.
• Able to work under stressful conditions and make quick and concise decisions.
• Knowledge of calls centers, IVR & ACD systems, recording systems, and NYS Regulations, credit and collection laws, public service law.
• Budgeting for customer service operations.

Additional Information

Pay Range: $80000 to $90000 per year. Benefits: Veolia’s comprehensive benefits package includes paid time off policies, as well as health, dental, vision, life insurance, savings accounts, tuition reimbursement, paid volunteering and more. In addition, employees are also entitled to participate in an employer sponsored 401(k) plan, to save for retirement. We are an Equal Opportunity Employer! All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability or protected veteran status.