UMC Customer Service & Community Relations 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A utility customer calls furious about a bill that is three times higher than normal. What is the FIRST step a customer service representative should take?
- Immediately issue a credit to calm the customer
- Listen actively and acknowledge the customer's concern before investigating (Correct answer)
- Transfer the call to a billing supervisor without explanation
- Inform the customer that high bills are rarely the utility's fault
Correct answer: Listen actively and acknowledge the customer's concern before investigating
Active listening and acknowledgment de-escalates the situation and demonstrates respect before moving to problem-solving.
Question 2: Which federal law requires utilities to provide reasonable accommodations in customer service for individuals with disabilities?
- Clean Water Act
- Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) (Correct answer)
- Safe Drinking Water Act
- Resource Conservation and Recovery Act
Correct answer: Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)
The ADA mandates that public utilities provide equal access and reasonable accommodations for customers with disabilities.
Question 3: A utility is planning a major pipeline replacement that will disrupt a neighborhood for six weeks. When should community notification ideally begin?
- The day work begins
- One week before work begins
- At least 30 days before work begins (Correct answer)
- Only when residents complain
Correct answer: At least 30 days before work begins
Advance notification of at least 30 days allows residents and businesses to prepare and builds community trust in the utility.
Question 4: What is the purpose of a Customer Satisfaction Index (CSI) survey administered by a utility?
- To determine rate increases
- To measure customer perceptions and identify service improvement opportunities (Correct answer)
- To comply with EPA reporting requirements
- To calculate employee bonuses
Correct answer: To measure customer perceptions and identify service improvement opportunities
CSI surveys provide structured feedback that helps utilities benchmark performance and prioritize customer service improvements.
Question 5: A non-English-speaking customer contacts a water utility with a service complaint. The utility's best practice response is to:
- Ask the customer to call back with an English-speaking representative
- Provide interpretation services or translated materials (Correct answer)
- Send a written notice in English only
- Refer the customer to a local community organization
Correct answer: Provide interpretation services or translated materials
Title VI of the Civil Rights Act requires federally funded entities to provide meaningful access to services for limited English proficient individuals.
Question 6: Which of the following BEST describes a utility's 'low-income assistance program'?
- A program that defers infrastructure maintenance for low-income areas
- Rate discounts or payment assistance offered to qualifying customers who cannot afford utility bills (Correct answer)
- A program that waives all environmental compliance fees
- Reduced service levels for customers in arrears
Correct answer: Rate discounts or payment assistance offered to qualifying customers who cannot afford utility bills
Low-income assistance programs make essential utility services affordable while helping utilities maintain payment collections.
Question 7: A customer disputes a final meter reading after moving out of a residence. The utility's recommended course of action is to:
- Deny the dispute since the customer has already vacated
- Send the account to collections immediately
- Offer a meter re-read or review meter data logs to verify accuracy (Correct answer)
- Waive the disputed amount automatically
Correct answer: Offer a meter re-read or review meter data logs to verify accuracy
Offering a meter re-read demonstrates good faith and ensures billing accuracy, which protects both the customer and the utility.
UMC Customer Service & Community Relations 2
A utility customer calls furious about a bill that is three times higher than normal.
What is the FIRST step a customer service representative should take?