CUST SVC REP (Customer Service Representative - Grand Rapids)

Join a diverse and dynamic team that makes and delivers the most valuable services in the world: electricity and natural gas. At Consumers Energy, our customers are at the heart of everything we do. Our employees work around the clock to provide service to our customers in honor of our history and to fulfill our promise to Michigan - Count on Us! Consumers Energy, the principal subsidiary of CMS Energy and headquartered in Jackson, Michigan, provides natural gas and electricity to nearly 6.8 million of Michigan's 10 million residents in all 68 Lower Peninsula counties.

Location:

Training for this position will be located at the Grand Rapids Service Center.

Department Summary:

The Customer Contact Center serves as the primary method of contact for all residents within the Consumers Energy service territory for their electric and natural gas energy needs. From supporting new residents with starting energy service to assisting customers with any questions and providing support throughout storm restoration activities. The Customer Contact Center team at Consumers Energy is available to address customer needs 24 hours a day. With 5 contact centers throughout Michigan, the team is always prepared to answer more than 3 million calls each year with the utmost service and professionalism. The Customer Contact Center team provides assurance to our customers that they can Count on Us!

We have an expected start date for training to start on May 5th, 2025.

The training will be fully in person for the entire 6-month duration.The training is structured as a combination of in person Instructor Led Training, along with on-the-job training. The hours of training are Monday-Friday, between 8:00 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. Training is 38-40 hours per week, depending on the material being covered. During training, 100% attendance is mandatory.

This position is unionized under a collective bargaining agreement with the Utility Workers Union of America (UWUA) and its Michigan State Utility Workers Council.

Job Description/Responsibilities:

The Customer Service Representative (CSR) independently resolves a variety of customer inquiries that are scripted, may not be scripted, or have specific guidelines in place or policy-based calls that are interfaced with technology. By way of illustration, call types include but are not limited to:

• Credit and collection calls such as bill payment options, general account information, assistance programs and reconnections.
• Gas and electric emergencies such as gas leaks, wire down, outages and carbon monoxide.
• Appliance repair calls such as service orders, no heat, fuel lines and enrollments.
• Account correction calls such as updating identification, spelling corrections and special mailing addresses.
• Order fulfillment, billing rates, meter reading, new construction order, customer moving orders, distribution orders (investigate electric lines, stray voltage, and forestry) and meter orders (repair and exchange).

Key Responsibilities:

• Enter new /updated customer information into computer-based system in order to process orders, forms and applications.
• Research required information using available resources.
• Manage and resolve customer complaints.
• Document all call information according to standard operating procedures.
• Complete call logs and produce call reports.
• Apply investigation, counseling, and negotiation skills.
• Employ active listening skills, including during tense emergency situations.
• Must successfully complete paid training programs (typically up to six months but up to one year in some areas) and be able to perform those duties in order to complete required assessments.
  
  

Essential Functions:

The Customer Service Representatives (CSR) works in the delivery of customer assistance in a Contact Center office environment. Required to respond to customers' requests for assistance under tight time constraints, and often immediately for emergency calls, in an efficient and knowledgeable manner. They work in accordance with Company policies and routine customer problem resolution; and they resolve customer issues by applying their knowledge, experience, and judgment.

Requirements/Qualifications:

• High School Diploma or equivalent is required.
• One or more years of previous customer service / customer support experience is required.
• Experience proactively analyzing, troubleshooting, and resolving complex customer inquiries is required.
• Must meet training and attendance requirements, establish performance measurements, and demonstrate comprehension of customer service principles through customer contacts and assessments.
• Must be caring and love what you do. Be agile and take ownership of your calls with the customers.

The following skills / experience are preferred:

• Experience resolving escalated customer issues with strong business acumen.
• Ability to independently resolve a variety of customer inquiries that are scripted or have specific guidelines in place or policy-based calls that are interfaced with technology.
• Must function well in a highly structured, fast-paced service environment.
• Demonstrated experience working on a computer software, specifically MS Word, Excel, and Outlook
• Post-high school coursework

Hours and Travel:

Grand Rapids is a 24-hour Service Center. New hires could likely receive 2nd or 3rd shift hours, and either a Saturday or Sunday as part of your regular shift assignment during the first year, or more, of employment. Full service hours of operation are M-F 7am - 6:30pm. Limited Service Hours are weekdays after 6:30pm and all day Saturday and Sunday. Candidates must be able to meet travel requirements of the position, usually a few days per month and work a flexible schedule, which may include evenings, weekends, holidays, overtime, and on-call assignments.

Physical Demands:

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, Customer Service Representatives (CSR) are regularly required to sit, stand, walk, stoop, kneel or crouch. They are very frequently required to speak or hear others in person or on the phone. CSRs occasionally must lift and move up to twenty pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, color vision, depth perception and the ability to adjust focus. The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those a CSR encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.