Debby Cloninger enjoys being part of the solution instead of the problem. An Administrative Assistant III in Public Utilities, Cloninger spends the majority of her workday dealing directly with customers. Sometimes, those customers are not happy that their water service has been interrupted by an emergency water main repair or a street is torn up for water or sewer work.
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Those who nominated Cloninger for the Customer Service Award said that she is “always positive, supportive and works to lift others up.” Her colleagues said that Cloninger “is able to keep her composure and assist in a very professional and informative manner,” even when she is dealing with difficult customers. They described her as believing that it is her “duty” to provide the best customer service experience for all.
The award nomination also praised Cloninger for coordinating services with other departments and vendors and for calling customers to give them updates about repairs. She was commended for helping her coworkers with her “immense job knowledge,” especially with technology issues, and for helping others in Utilities Maintenance with their paperwork. She was described as a team player who is consistently giving without expecting anything in return.
Cloninger admitted that it can be challenging to deal with some unhappy customers, but she said that she enjoys the feeling of knowing that she has helped people. Although she said she was surprised that her coworkers had nominated her, she said that winning the award made her feel “valued” and “honored.”
