Diversity of backgrounds, ideas, thoughts, and experiences is vital to our culture and the way we do business. Creating an environment where differences are embraced and where every person feels engaged and included makes us safer, stronger, and more successful.
With a history dating back to 1886, American Water is the largest and most geographically diverse U.S. publicly traded water and wastewater utility company. The company employs more than 7,000 dedicated professionals who provide regulated and market-based drinking water, wastewater and other related services to 15 million people in 46 states. American Water provides safe, clean, affordable and reliable water services to our customers to help make sure we keep their lives flowing. For more information, visit amwater.com and follow American Water on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn.
Primary Role
Serves as the primary point of contact between American Water and assigned major non-residential customers from the commercial, industrial, public authority, and sale for resale customer classifications
Build and maintain positive relationships with customers and ensure their needs are met timely
Establish and maintain relationships with Major Account customers
Serve as a goodwill ambassador for the company and appropriately balances the interests of the customer, regulatory agencies and the Company
Serve customers with a level of excellence that generates customer support and advocacy for the Company
Serves as the first point of contact by the customer regarding any questions or needs related to water and the water industry
Key Accountabilities
Establishes, builds and own relationships with major customers through ongoing, regular personal interaction, including but is not limited to personal meetings (including annual visits that provide a comprehensive customer activity report and future water demand projection)
Conduct customer site visits and facility tours, regular proactive company email /newsletter communications, email or phone communications as needed
Identify strategic opportunities to work with customers on significant water infrastructure projects such as facility expansions, coordinating company or customer-initiated main replacement projects and future alignments, water conservation opportunities, geothermal projects, etc.
Represents the company by engaging in community business and civic associations through attending meetings, providing presentations on the
company, supporting initiatives that align with the company’s goals, serving as a resource
Ensures that company operations and production leads and field teams are periodically updated on major accounts including who they are, where they are physically located, and the need to proactively work through the major account manager on operational items that may affect major customers such as main breaks, planned outages, annual or ad-hoc system flushing, changes in water chemistry, etc.
Advises major customers regarding company billing, including presentation of enhanced billing options, coordinating efforts to correctly set up collective billing, gaining access to major account billing portal, provision of electronic billing data, escalated billing inquiries and corrections / adjustments, etc.
Key Accountabilities - Continued
Provide information and understanding of company rates, tariff /regulatory requirements, appropriate advance notification of planned rate cases / timing, etc.
Provide regular report on major accounts to state company management, advising of activities / issues encountered, project updates, solutions provided, future strategic opportunities for cooperation, etc.
Work with the company (state and corporate) communications leads to tell customer success stories / outcomes
Highlight individual major customers through internal communications to make employees aware of the important work being done by our major customers
Knowledge/Skills
Strong knowledge of, or ability to quickly learn, water infrastructure and delivery systems, including production and operational practices, water quality, conservation, environmental compliance, customer metering, etc.
Strong knowledge of, or ability to quickly learn, state regulatory commission provisions, including company rate structure, and the company tariff, programs and services
Strong knowledge of, or ability to quickly learn, company billing practices, and the ability to interpret and understand customer billing anomalies in order to ensure proper follow-up to customer concerns
Skilled at developing effective solutions that often include leveraging and leading internal resources / teams, analyzing and interpreting situations, engaging in proactive customer communications, and recognizing strategic opportunities to partner with customers on matters of mutual interest and benefit
Proficiency with MS Office Suite, SAP, CRM database or similar business applications
Demonstrates the functional and technical knowledge and skills to do the job at a high level of accomplishment
Experience delivering client-focused solutions to customer needs
Proven ability to juggle multiple account management projects at a time, while maintaining sharp attention to detail
Demonstrates the ability to learn quickly when facing new problems, organizational agility, strong problem-solving skills, the ability to use his/her time effectively and efficiently, and the ability to maintain open lines of communication
Skilled at accurately setting objectives and goals, inspiring others, maneuvering through complex political situations effectively and quietly
Experience/Education
Minimum 2 years' experience working in the commercial customer service Field
2 years of experience in large utility account management and 1year of SAPCRM experience is preferred
Bachelor’s degree in Business, Marketing, Accounting, Communications, Engineering or Economics; or an Associate's degree with a minimum of 6 years of commercial customer service experience
Certifications and Licenses:
Water Utility Management Certification and/or National Rural Water Association preferred
Valid Driver's License required as you will be required to drive to various sites
Travel Requirements
As required up to 50%
Competencies
Champions safetyCustomer obsessedCultivates innovationNimble learningDrives ResultsCollaborates
Join American Water...We Keep Life Flowing™
American Water is firmly committed to Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) and prohibits employment discrimination for employees and applicants based on his or her age, race, color, pregnancy, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, religion, marital status, citizenship, or because he or she is an individual with a disability, protected veteran or other status protected by federal, state, and local laws.
