To contact Utilities Customer Service, please call (727) 464-4000.

Mission Statement
Customer Service is proud to provide superior, centralized service to our customers. We are committed to improvement of service. We view this improvement as a journey, not a destination.

• We are accessible and responsive to our customers.
• We listen and professionally respond to customers’ needs in an efficient and timely manner.
• Our communications will be executed with courtesy, tact and respect;
• We empower our staff to fairly solve customer problems;
• We are committed to use our resources-manpower, time, space, materials, and money- in the most efficient and effective manner.
• We strive to improve service through more efficient use of resources and appropriate emerging technologies.
  

Customer Services is the central gateway for utility customers into the operating services of the County’s water, sewer, and solid waste utilities. Each employee in Customer Services is an advocate for the customer in maximizing customer service.

Financial integrity of our Utilities is ensured through nearly 2 million timely, effective, and accurate transactions. This results in billing and collection of more than $150 million dollars revenue annually.

In addition to direct customer contact through the branch offices, and telephone center, other major functions include computer system file maintenance of account data, bi-monthly meter reading, reporting equipment failure/damage, and service problems for over 104,000 water meters. This process includes recording consumption, computing bills and collections for seven water and five sewer wholesale customers, and 115,000 retail customers for water, sewer, and reclaim fees.

Through numerous inter-local agreements, processing includes billing/collection for 11 municipal and 2 private agencies (non-County revenues: sewer, refuse, storm water, reclaimed water and utility taxes).

Other public contact is achieved through customer surveys and Utilitalk/County Connection, a bi-monthly newsletter.

The Department is comprised of seven functional divisions: Administrative Services, Account Services, Branch Services, Field Services, Telephone Center, Support Services, and Integrated Service Solutions.

Administrative Services
Provide leadership and administrative support through development of strategic and short term operational plans, training, secretarial, payroll and purchasing support, fixed asset inventory control, coordinate and oversee operational changes, customer surveys, public communications, compiles statistical data for executive reports, administers water conservation enforcement and maintains wholesale and inter-local agreements.

Account Services
Performs all wholesale, and retail bill processing, mail services, account file maintenance, revenue control, internal control and audit, rate changes/updates for Pinellas County and all contractual agencies and payment reconciliation.

Branch Services
Provides all retail customers with a localized site for payment, personal customer service contact, acquisition of service, assistance with billing queries, reference letters, high bill problems, and incoming mail processing.

Field Services
Provides field service at customer accounts through completion of requested turn-on/turnoff work orders, read rechecks, flow tests, pre-termination notices, delinquent turnoff/turn-on, bi-monthly meter reading, reporting maintenance problems and coordination of customer service fleet.

Support Services
Records management, data entry, account adjustments, deposit reference letters, and collections for active, closed and bankrupt accounts, and coordination of computer system changes as they relate to file updates.

Telephone Center
Provides timely and accurate information to customers regarding utility services for the County and contractual customers. Assists customers with high bills, leak problems, turn-on/turnoff of services and payment extensions.

Integrated Service Solutions
This work unit solves high-level problems and manages customer relationships via telephone, web, or mail; resolves customer issues at the initial contact. Administers training to Customer Service employees, insuring our customers receive current and accurate information; process new service requests for the various utility services, including reclaimed water connections; provides support to the development and integration of Information Technology. Acts as a liaison between Customer Service and other utility departments to strengthen partnership for effective customer communication.

Overall Department Responsibility
Telephone service level is a primary initiative. All employees located in the department in the 14 S. Ft. Harrison locations are given the duty of providing telephone support. This allows us to maximize employee time and provide the most practical telephone service to our retail customers.