By Kristina Michel
Anyone who has worked in customer service knows what a challenging job it can be. It can especially be challenging when it involves students’ finances. For Consuella Mosley and her team at the University of Houston’s Office of Student Business Services, it’s a challenge they gladly take on all day, every day.
Mosley manages the customer services team in Student Business Services. If a student has ever had an issue or a question about a bill from the University, about filing tax forms or about tuition and fee exemptions and waivers, chances are he or she has dealt with Mosley or a member of her team. Mosley assists her team with general customer service responsibilities. However, she usually does not directly interact with students unless a customer service issue has escalated.
“My job is to figure out what we can do to resolve the issue,” said Mosley. “Every situation is different. A student may not have the money, or they thought they already paid. It can sometimes challenge your customer service ability because you have to enforce federal, state and University policy, and sometimes, that’s not what they want to hear. But I do everything in my power to make sure every person’s experience has a positive outcome.”
Mosley has been working at UH since 1988, and most of that time has been with Student Business Services. Over the years, she has witnessed the department grow along with her career. She became a manager in 2007 the same year she and her team moved to the then recently-opened Welcome Center.
“I’ve seen so many positive changes, and it keeps growing. I am really proud to be an employee of the University of Houston,” said Mosley. “We’ve grown leaps and bounds. I can tell you firsthand being in the customer service area, they’re very concerned about their students and the service we provide to them.”
Though it has its challenges, Mosley said, overall, she loves working in customer service because she gets to interact with students and help them succeed, and because she gets to work with great people. She attributes her own success to the many mentors she’s had over the years and to her excellent staff.
“I work with some excellent people,” said Mosley. “My staff is amazing, and I’ve had some wonderful mentors over the years, such as my supervisor Andy Startz. He believes in me. He brings out the best in me, and I try to be that way with my staff.”
When she’s not working, Mosley spends her time going to church and meditating. She is also a big fan of arts and theatre in Houston, and she attends shows and plays whenever she can.