Customer Support Associate

ABOUT THE POSITION

This is an exciting, full-time position for a service-focused individual looking to develop a career in energy and customer service. The Customer Support Associate will contribute to the advancement, growth, and development of Groundswell's Customer Support Team. Leading with integrity, respect, and service, the associate is responsible for:

• providing excellent customer service for participants of a government-funded solar program
• prioritizing the customer experience through daily phone, email, and in-person interactions
• escalating customer service issues per established protocols, as necessary

Reporting to the Customer Support Manager, the Customer Support Associate will assist in implementing Groundswell's strategic goal of being our best at serving income-qualified households with clean energy by providing additional support to the customer service team, allowing Groundswell to meet its objectives and metrics.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Outbound/External

• Assist in maintaining a Net Promoter Score of at least 85 among solar participants under management by Groundswell in alignment with the strategic plan of being our best at serving our customers, by placing individual phone calls to program participants and following a provided script
• Maintain records of all correspondence with and contact information updates from customers using the call center database, Salesforce, and other tracking tools
• Appropriately engage with program participants, respond to questions, and provide additional information per established protocols
• Meet personal/team qualitative and quantitative targets
• Utilize software, databases, scripts, and tools appropriately; update and maintain procedural documentation where appropriate
• Appropriately escalate customer dissatisfaction or other reported issues needing response or resolution to the managerial team
• Ensure an excellent and dignified customer experience by providing participant support, ongoing communication via phone and email, and opportunities for participants to deepen their engagement with Groundswell

Customer Enrollment, Management, and Service

• Identify and attend events (speaking, networking, partner relations, community events, etc.) at which Groundswell should have a presence in order to grow our brand awareness and enroll subscribers
• Assist with community solar customer and enrollment records, including customer data entry, tracking, and analysis against stated metrics and goals
• Respond to inbound inquiries from leads and subscribers and conduct outbound customer service as necessary
• Enroll customers from all walks of life for community solar, including document verification, in-person enrollment, customer communication and follow-up, and survey administration
• Develop and maintain customer service process documentation
• Assist in maintaining and informing the subscriber journey that reflects Groundswell’s values and strategic goals
• Draft communication to subscribers (e.g., template emails, mailings, and text messages)
• Build sustainable relationships and engage customers by going the extra mile
• Build rapport with partners and assist in community outreach and engagement activities, presentations, and events
• Perform monthly data management tasks to enroll, unenroll, and adjust allocations for community solar subscribers.

ADDITIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES

As a member of the Groundswell team, the Customer Support Associate is expected to participate in the overall execution of Groundswell programs:

• Support the pursuit of opportunities aligned with the Groundswell mission.
• Share insights into customer behavior and needs and into customer service patterns and trends to inform future product development and service delivery innovations.

OTHER DUTIES

This position description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties, or responsibilities that are required. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change at any time with or without notice.

COMPETENCIES OR SPECIALIZED KNOWLEDGE

• Superb attention to detail
• Ability to engage respectfully and professionally with people of different backgrounds
• Self-directed follow-through, able to manage a to-do list and see items through to completion once assigned
• Strong communication skills and commitment to operating transparently
• Must be dependable, able to follow instructions, respond to management direction
• Highly reliable, willing to learn and acquire new skills
• Ability to manage multiple tasks simultaneously and set and communicate priorities
• Adapts and able to deal with frequent changes
• Excellent verbal, written, and analytical skills
• Familiarity with CRM systems
• Ability to utilize multiple software applications on one or more screens
• Ability to prioritize and plan work activities as to use time efficiently

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITY

N/A

WORK ENVIRONMENT

This position is based in Washington, D.C., and the employee is expected to work in the office four days per month, in accordance with Groundswell’s hybrid/remote work plan.

TRAVEL

Occasional US travel may be required for this position.

POSITION TYPE AND EXPECTED HOURS

This is a full-time, 40 hours per week position. Days and hours of work are flexible in order to best serve our clients. Call center hours are Monday through Friday, 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Occasional evening and weekend work may be required as job duties demand. Due to the nature of this role, candidates must be based in the Washington, D.C. area.

DESIRED EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE

• Strong communication skills, the ability to clearly articulate thoughts and ideas
• Bilingual capabilities (ability to speak English and fluent Spanish) are preferred.
• Outstanding organizational and problem-solving skills
• Background in Customer Service/Call Center environment a plus.

SUPERVISION

The Customer Support Associate will report to the Customer Support Manager.

COMPENSATION

Compensation for this position is in Groundswell's established pay band for the Associate level, with a full-time employee benefits package.

BENEFITS

• Groundswell pays 100% of the monthly premium for health, dental, vision, and long-term disability for full-time employees in accordance with Groundswell’s policy. Groundswell also covers 50% of spouses and dependents covered under the Groundswell healthcare, vision, and dental plan.
• Matching 401(k) plan contribution by Groundswell up to 4% for employees who choose to contribute to the plan with immediate vesting.
• $45 per month to reimburse cellular phone use for business purposes.
• $75 per month to reimburse home internet access for business purposes.
• Fifteen (15) paid vacation days per year; eight (8) sick days, and two (2) personal days.
• Vacation and sick leave accrue at the start of your employment, restart each year on January 1, and increase with tenure. Personal days begin after six months of employment.
• Groundswell also takes nine (9) paid federal holidays and a holiday break from December 24th to January 1st (inclusive).
• Pre-tax benefits such as Smart benefits, Flexible spending, and Dependent care are also available.