People Helping People. It’s the slogan of the City of Las Cruces, but it means much more to Sergio Flores.
Flores is a field technician with the Las Cruces Utilities (LCU) who works directly with customers at their homes. For him, helping means going that extra mile. “When I ring a customer’s door, and they don’t open, I just wait,” he said. “Then you hear something from inside and I know that it’s likely someone who is elderly and who can’t move as fast. Sometimes you help them just by waiting.”
He says that the elderly and disabled customers are dear to his heart. He knows that he has the ability to meet customers’ needs by following the rules and regulations, and he knows that there are plenty of solutions for any problems that customers may face.
It’s that attitude that won him LCU’s 2017 LCU Board of Commissioners Bonus Award for his work.
“Sergio is dedicated and focused, providing professional customer service when facing very diverse situations in the field with customers,” said Lucio M. Garcia, P.E., CEM, Gas Section administrator at LCU. “He handles interaction with customers in a consistent and professional manner.”
For the last 6 years, Flores has taken to heart the responsibility of how he represents the city where he has spent most of his life, and how he can do his part educating customers about utility safety. He explained, “Some people have a lot of questions when I come out and it’s important that I am able to answer them.”
“You want the customer to feel comfortable and safe,” he said. “For example, when I go to turn on gas, I make sure to use the carbon monoxide detector to test the area and can assure them there aren’t any leaks.”
Flores puts himself in the customer’s shoes, and walks in those shoes for miles every day. “We treat customers right – with respect,” he said.
You can reach Las Cruces Utilities at 528-3500 from 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. Las Cruces Utilities provides GAS – WATER – WASTEWATER – SOLID WASTE services to approximately 100,000 Las Cruces residents and businesses.