Representative, Consumer Relations

SouthStar Energy Services is owned by Southern Company Gas, a wholly owned subsidiary of Southern Company (NYSE: SO). Headquartered in Atlanta, SouthStar is proud to serve more than half a million of residential, business, large commercial and industrial (LCI), and CNG customers in numerous retail energy markets across the United States. Depending upon your location, you may know us by one of our trade names: Georgia Natural Gas ® , Illinois Energy SM , Illinois Energy Solutions SM , Ohio Natural Gas ® , Grand Rapids Energy ® , Maryland Energy ® , Florida Natural Gas ® , New York Natural Gas SM , New Jersey Energy SM , or Virginia Retail Energy SM . For more information, visit www.southstarenergy.com at http://www.southstarenergy.com/

The purpose of this position is to receive, investigate, respond to and analyze escalated customer inquiries received from regulatory agencies, advocacy organizations, and company executives and subsidiaries across all current and future markets. The incumbent will work in an extremely fast paced and multi-tasked environment, and take ownership of commercial and residential escalated customer requests received via telephone, fax, correspondence, emails and LDC/Agency databases. The incumbent will manage the complaint processes across multiple markets, investigating and identifying root cause and completing tracking processes. The incumbent will use judgement to offer alternative solutions where appropriate with the objective of retaining customer’s business while ensuring compliance with federal, state and local laws, regulations and ordinances. The incumbent will also maintain regulatory and industry relationships and trend key performance indicators for both internal and regulatory service levels. In addition, the incumbent will serve as a backup for back office support of all current and future markets.

J ob Responsibilities & Accountabilities by Competency

Functional Expertise:

Criticality:

• Serve as liaison to resolve escalated complaints (e.g., via call center, media, BBB,
• Governmental Affairs, Consumers Utility Council, Attorney General’s Office, LDCs, andcomplaints escalated to senior officers)
• Handle and respond to regulatory complaints for eight (8) jurisdictions within SouthStar
• Conduct research, identify a solution and respond to customers within the outlined service level agreements
• Conduct research and process fraud alerts and affidavits.
• Respond to subpoenas for data requests and refer to Legal when appropriate.
• Investigate and responds to media related issues received from Corporate Communications.
• Prepare weekly reports to send to Customer Operations for trending and streamlining complaints, policies and procedures.
• Maintain and cultivate positive relationships with regulatory agencies.
• Maintain, track, and trend data for monthly reporting.
• Document VOC findings through monitoring activities and implement actions to engage business partners to effect process change or enhancements
• Manage the annual escheatment process with the Accounting Department.
• Maintain regulatory compliance
• Manage all complaints related to disconnection in error

Business Acumen:

• Analyze and identify process gaps and redundancies; make appropriate recommendations
• Handle special projects for various business units/markets within SouthStar.
• Analyze and recommend process improvements to reduce complaints and improve
• customer service throughout the organization
• Maintain working knowledge of all company products, services and promotions.
• Assist in training and coaching new employees

Engagement:

• Participate in activities designed to improve customer satisfaction and business performance.
• Participate in morale building activities
• Manage peer relationships

Driving Results:

• Accountable for meeting individual performance objectives
• Manage assigned workload, setting goals, prioritizing work, evaluating results and taking corrective action as needed.
• Must meet KPI targets on a consistent basis
• Identify root cause analysis across various complaint channels and report monthly on discovery

Qualifications

Education, Certifications/Licenses:

Required :

• Associates Degree or equivalent experience

Preferred :

• BA/BS degree

Related Work Experience:

Required :

• 5-7 years of experience resolving escalated customer concerns
• 5-7 years of experience resolving and responding to complaints received from regulatory or governmental agencies and senior level executives
• 5-7 years of conducting root cause analysis on escalated, compliance, and senior level complaints

Preferred :

• 3-5 years of experience in utility or call center environment
• 3-5 years of experience with back office transaction processing

Specific Skills & Knowledge:

Required:

• Intermediate proficiency in MS Excel
• Basic proficiency in MS Word
• Basic proficiency in MS Outlook
• SSE CIS Applications (Banner, Istalnet, Prime, SSECIS)
• Exception customer service skills
• Analytical abilities that allow for root cause analysis of customer complaints
• Ability to effectively compile and report the results of root cause analysis
• Ability to manage multiple tasks with different priorities
• Must be able to manage time to ensure deadlines are met and commitments are kept
• Ability to effectively communicate inside and outside of the organization with exceptions verbal and written skills

Working Conditions/Physical Requirements:

• 95% keyboarding

About Southern

With 4.4 million customers and more than 46,000 megawatts of generating capacity, Atlanta-based Southern Company is the premier energy company serving the Southeast through its subsidiaries. A leading U.S. producer of clean, safe, reliable and affordable electricity, Southern Company owns electric utilities in four states and a growing competitive generation company, as well as fiber optics and wireless communications. Southern Company brands are known for energy innovation, excellent customer service, high reliability and retail electric prices that are below the national average. Southern Company and its subsidiaries are leading the nation’s nuclear renaissance through the construction of the first new nuclear units to be built in a generation of Americans and are demonstrating their commitment to energy innovation through the development of a state-of-the-art coal gasification plant. Southern Company has been recognized by the U.S. Department of Defense and G.I. Jobs magazine as a top military employer and listed by DiversityInc as a top company for Blacks. The company received the 2012 Edison Award from the Edison Electric Institute for its leadership in new nuclear development, was named Electric Light & Power magazine’s Utility of the Year for 2012 and is continually ranked among the top utilities in Fortune’s annual World’s Most Admired Electric and Gas Utility rankings. Visit our website at www.southerncompany.com. at http://www.southerncompany.com/

Southern Company is an Equal Opportunity Employer (EOE) of minorities, women, individuals with disabilities, veterans and strongly supports diversity in the workplace.

Job Type: Standard

Primary Location: Georgia-Metro Atlanta-Atlanta

Operating Company: SouthStar Energy Services

Job Type: Standard

Travel (Up to…): No

Union Covered: No

Work Location(s):

SouthStar Energy Services – 817 W. Peachtree St., NW (817AtlantaCODE)

817 W. Peachtree St., NW

Atlanta 30318

Req ID: GAS2001214