Bilingual Customer Advocate

30-Nov-2021

**Bilingual Customer Advocate**

32107BR

Columbus, OH

Customer Service and Call Center

Job Description

**Position Summary:**

Fields inbound/outbound calls from current and potential residential, small business and C&I customers. Facilitates mass market customers' understanding of the energy market, and provides step-by-step instructions which enable the customer to complete the online, direct mail, or phone enrollment onto AEP Energy Supply Service. Acts as liaison between Billing, Contract Management, Finance, Sales and the customer's Utility, utilizing information from various departments and utility resources to resolve problems and respond to customer inquiries by phone, e-mail, live chat and fax.

**Key Duties & Responsibilities:**

Inbound Inquires

* Handle all inbound calls, emails, and live chats for current and potential customers, offering a unique approach to customer service exuding enthusiasm and personality while remaining professional and courteous at all times

* Handle billing, contract, and enrollment-related questions or concerns

+ Provide line-by-line, simple analyses of customers bills, communicating usage and pricing information, and delivery/energy breakdowns

+ Address any concerns the customer may have

* Conduct inter-departmental research to resolve more complex customer issues and trouble shoot customer problems

+ Act as gatekeeper for customer complaints, ensuring complaint validity and monitoring the gravity of complaints, according to complaint management process, for escalation to the Team Lead and/or Care Director.

* Works with utility to resolve customer issues (reduce deposit requests, resolve billing and payment issues, request activity statements, investigate meter reading issues, drops/rescissions/cancellations, etc)

* Meet eCommerce requests and inquiries, e.g. facilitate online customer payments, enroll/un-enroll customer in auto pay, recover username and passwords, provide status updates on agreement start and end dates, etc.

* Contribute to departmental success by being accountable for team standards, goals and values in each customer interaction

* Participate in weekly reviews to listen to feedback, improve interaction skills, and enhance the customer experience.

Contract Administration

* Follow up on enrollment issues to correct information, investigate reason for cancellation, etc.

* Processes agency agreement forms with the utility to ensure access to customer information for customer service purposes

* Facilitate customer requests involving Contract Management (drops, billing changes, etc.).

Projects

* Act as the customers advocate by providing feedback on all customer facing projects, processes, designs, etc. to ensure intelligence from daily customer interaction is considered

* Ensure quality through regular exercises monitoring agent - customer interaction and identifying individual and departmental areas for improvement

* Assist in Management-led projects pertinent to New Market Entry, Customer Care and Contract Management (Utility Grouping, CRM entry, Zip Codes Research, Renewal Letter Mailers)

* Notify customers of changes to their account (bill type changes, payment method availability, etc.)

Incoming Mail

* Process all incoming mail from utilities (Notifications, Planned Outages, Disconnection Notices, New Supplier & AEP Energy Drop letters)

Job Type

Full-Time

Relocation

No

Minimum Requirements

**Knowledge & Skill Requirements**

* Fluent in speaking Spanish and English.

* Advanced Excel and/or Microsoft Access skills to support data analysis.

* Technical understanding of information systems.

* Ability to read and interpret general business and technical documents as well as deliver concise communication to the sales team, customers and other employees.

* Ability to interact with all levels of the organization.

* Solid analytical and problem-solving skills

**Education & Experience Requirements:**

* 2 or more years of customer service and/or related work experience

**Attributes:**

* Embodies AEP Energy Values

* Effective problem-solving skills: ability to identify alternatives, and develop solutions in an efficient and professional manner

* High emotional IQ-Superior interpersonal skills, diplomacy, win-win mindset, relationship-builder, mediator

* Excellent communication skills: verbal, written and listening

* High-energy, drive and ambition

**Language:**

* Spanish

* English

Work Designation

Remote

** Bilingual Customer Advocate | American Electric Power Company, Inc.**