Stepping into call centers, our latest glimpse into the diverse job functions our members perform, offers a window into the evolving nature of customer service work and the vital role these professionals play.
Insights from Becky Sanders’ 22-year career helping people access water services, Leo Evangelista’s union organizing work, Melissa Suarez’s decade of experience at Consumers Energy, and Rodolfo Villafanes’ bilingual service at PSEG reveal the complex and emotionally demanding nature of call center work. While their specific roles differ, common threads emerge: the transition to remote work, the importance of thorough training, and the deep satisfaction that comes from helping people.
These stories illustrate how union membership transforms call center work from a metrics-driven environment focused on call volume to one that prioritizes quality customer service and resolution. Workers describe being able to take the time needed to properly address customer concerns, whether that means patiently explaining a water bill to an elderly customer, thoroughly investigating a high energy usage complaint, or enrolling a new member in a union.
What shines through in each account is a genuine commitment to public service. Whether they’re helping distribute water during a crisis, assisting struggling families with payment arrangements, or encouraging voting in an upcoming election, these professionals see their role as far more than just talking on the phone — they’re helping people access and maintain vital services that keep their communities running.
Becky Sanders
Local 640
Customer Service Agent
American Water
After 22 years as a Customer Service Agent at American Water, I still wake up excited to start each day. While some might find it unusual, working for a water company had always been my dream job. Following stints managing a medical practice and handling billing at a freight company, I joined American Water knowing it would provide stability — after all, water is life’s most essential service. What I couldn’t have predicted was how deeply fulfilling I’d find helping people access this vital resource.
My day begins at 7:00 AM in my Missouri home office, where I’ve worked since 2018. I was among American Water’s first group of remote workers, transitioning from the Alton, Illinois call center years before COVID made working from home the norm. After a quick five-minute review of urgent notifications about main breaks and other critical updates, I’m ready for my first call of the day.As a senior representative, I handle calls from fifteen different states, from California to Pennsylvania. Each state has unique guidelines and requirements, and after two decades on the job, I know them like the back of my hand. My experience means I often handle the more complex calls that newer representatives might find challenging.
My call volume typically ranges from seven to ten per hour, with conversations lasting anywhere from five to twenty minutes depending on complexity. While about 75% of inquiries relate to billing — from high-usage concerns to payment arrangements — each interaction is unique. I take particular pride in assisting elderly customers, patiently walking them through their statements until their anxiety transforms into understanding.
When a call comes in, I can see the customer’s account on my screen right away, but I still ask who I’m speaking with, to both verify and make a personal connection.
Despite working remotely, I maintain strong bonds with colleagues through Microsoft Teams. Our weekly video meetings keep faces familiar, and virtual “meeting rooms” offer spaces for casual conversation during breaks. I’ve also embraced the role of “Tour Guide” in the company’s mentoring program, helping new hires navigate their early days with the company.
My membership in UWUA Local 640 has profoundly shaped my professional journey. When American Water’s call center unionized in 2005, it sparked a transformation in our workplace culture. Through the union, we got the company to shift from prioritizing call quantity to emphasizing quality customer service, ensuring we can take the time needed to resolve issues properly on the first try.
My workday ends at 3:30 PM, but the satisfaction of helping people access such an essential service stays with me. After 22 years, I still love my job as much as when I started.
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Leo Evangelista
Local 112
Tele-Organizer
SEIU Call Center
I work from my home in West Virginia as part of a nine-person remote team. Unlike typical call centers where people call in, my team makes outgoing calls for various campaigns on behalf of a large education union and its local chapters.
My current shift runs from Monday through Thursday, 3:45 PM to 9 PM and Sundays 1-9 PM. This timing is intentional, as we’re mostly calling teachers and school staff and want to reach them after their workday ends. When we’re running campaigns on the West Coast, we work a bit later into the evening.
I have a dedicated workspace in my house with two computers, though not everyone on our team uses multiple machines. I’ve equipped my main computer with a condenser microphone and switch between that and a headset depending on which computer I’m using.
Our calls vary quite a bit. We tend to work on multiple campaigns at once and the topics vary within the shift. We might be organizing new union members one hour and reminding existing members about a union officer election the next. The calls come back-to-back, but their length varies depending on the campaign. When we’re working on an organizing drive, calls tend to be longer since we have specific information we need to convey.
This fall we’ve been doing a lot of political, election-related calls, including outreach for local school board races where the union is supporting specific candidates. One of my most meaningful campaigns was during the 2022 Mississippi water crisis, when we helped spread the word about drinking water distribution centers — not just to union members, but to anyone in need.
The technology we use is fairly straightforward: browser-based software that displays our script and places calls directly through the computer. While we follow scripts, we have flexibility to adapt based on how each conversation flows. I often add my own questions to build better engagement with people. Our team stays connected throughout our shifts through an app called Slack, where we share tips and experiences that might help each other.
I came to this job through an interesting path. I trained as a baker at Le Cordon Bleu in Pittsburgh, but as growing disabilities made it difficult to stand all day, I needed a different career path. Before this position, I did digitization work and earned a Google IT certificate, which has helped me handle the technical aspects of this job. I also gained relevant experience through volunteer phone banking for a nonprofit organization, which provided a strong foundation for this work.
What I love most about this job is that I’m doing meaningful advocacy work as a career, not just as a volunteer. Connecting with people is easier when you genuinely believe in the cause, and I truly feel that unions help improve both working conditions and society as a whole. Although we occasionally experience hang-ups, the positive interactions help carry us through the negative ones. When it is rough, I remind myself of why we are doing what we are doing. It’s incredibly rewarding to contribute to causes I care deeply about while working in a role that accommodates my needs.
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Melissa Suarez
Local 129
Customer Service Representative
Consumers Energy
I’ve been with Consumers Energy for almost 11 years, working in their call center in Alma, Michigan. Every Monday through Friday, I arrive at our secure facility by 8:30 am, settling into my cubicle equipped with dual monitors, a laptop, and a headset. Before logging in to take calls, I check my schedule for any upcoming meetings. Being organized helps me serve our customers better.
Working in the call center, rather than from home, gives me a sense of community. There are about 30 of us here, with half working remotely. I love hearing my coworkers on their calls — you’d be surprised how much you can learn from listening to how others explain things to customers. The newer representatives often bring fresh perspectives from their recent training, while the veterans always have wisdom to share.
On an average day, I handle around 100 calls. Every call is different, which keeps things interesting. During college move-in season, we get lots of students setting up or disconnecting service. Other times, it might be customers concerned about high bills or struggling to make payments. As a union steward, I always tell new hires, “You are going to get yelled at.” It’s just part of the job – customers who call us are often stressed about more than just their utility bills. Maybe they can’t afford their cell phone or their kids’ TV. The stress isn’t about us, and you have to learn not to take it personally.
The training is intense — six months of alternating between classroom learning and hands-on call experience. We learn everything from handling billing questions to responding to gas emergencies. When there’s a gas leak, those calls are all about efficiency: 3-5 minutes following a strict script to get people to safety. For billing calls, I might spend more time walking customers through their usage patterns or helping them understand why their bill increased when they turned on their furnace for fall. What I love most about this job is making a difference. If I can help someone extend their bill or set up a payment plan, I’m helping them with so much more than just utilities.
I’m also part of a team focused on improving processes across the company, and I take pride in looking out for our field staff, too. When customers share details about their property or service location, I make thorough notes to help keep our technicians safe. Those field workers are like family to me — we’re all part of the same union, and we look out for each other.
Balancing this work with family life can be challenging. I have two kids at home, ages 5 and 8, plus my husband. The job can be emotionally demanding, and some calls stick with me long after they’re over. That’s why breaks and vacation time are so important. As I often tell my coworkers, you have to take care of yourself before you can help others.
Every day when I log in to take calls, I remember why I’ve stayed with this job for over a decade: I’m here to help people. Whether it’s a student setting up their first apartment or a family struggling to keep their lights on, I have the opportunity to make someone’s day a little better. That’s what keeps me coming back, day after day.
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Rodolfo Villafanes
Local 601
Customer Service Representative
PSEG
I’ve been a customer service representative at PSEG in New Jersey for about two and a half years, handling calls about our electricity and natural gas services. Before this, I worked in meter reading and construction.
I started on the afternoon shift but managed to move to days after my first year. Now, I work from 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM, which is ideal because I have a family — a wife and a son who I help get ready for school each morning. Initially, I split my time between the office and home, but as of June 2024, I’m fully remote. My workspace is set up in my basement with three monitors and a wireless headset. I find that I work more efficiently at home, although I do miss seeing my coworkers’ faces.
PSEG has two call centers: Credit and Collections and Inquiry, which is where I work. We handle everything from high-bill complaints to emergencies, like gas leaks or power outages. Since I’m bilingual, I also take Spanish-language calls.
The nature of our calls often follows the seasons. Winter brings questions about high gas bills, while summer means lots of calls about air conditioning and electric usage. We also deal with service connections, our “Worry Free” appliance repair program, and emergency situations like when cars hit power poles or customers smell gas. For emergencies, we follow strict scripts to ensure we gather all necessary information.
What I love most about this job is helping customers truly understand their issues. I believe in being thorough, even if it takes a little longer. Previously, we were expected to handle about eight calls per hour, but now the company wants us to focus on resolving issues on the first call, which makes more sense. I’m a customer, too, and I wouldn’t want to be transferred around just so a representative can meet a call-time target.
High-bill complaints are probably our most common calls. Often, people only look at their total balance and due date without understanding the details. Sometimes they’ve forgotten a previous payment, or their usage has increased due to seasonal factors like air conditioning. If a customer is experiencing financial hardship, I transfer them to our Credit and Collections center.
When I start my day, I log into a system that shows how many calls are in the queue. We all have scheduled breaks, and if I need an unscheduled break, I can put myself in “unavailable” status. On a typical day, I might handle around 80 calls if they’re straightforward.
The job comes with good opportunities for advancement. Our union contract has several progression steps in addition to our annual guaranteed wage increases. There are also opportunities to become trainers or senior representatives who earn a 10% premium for taking on these roles.
What brings me the most joy is when customers express genuine gratitude for my thoroughness in explaining things. That’s what makes this work worthwhile — knowing I’ve truly helped someone understand and resolve their issue.