What Are Specific Job Qualifications For A Customer Service Representative

By Jeff Gillis

I thought putting out this customer service task description in the eye of our battle with both the corona virus and this awful downturn in the job market was timely for a couple reasons.

For ane matter, client service jobs span a huge range of industries, so even though job openings in i field may go down, they may go upwards in another. A fact that is important right at present considering it means there are notwithstanding a lot of chore openings popping upward.

Secondly, information technology's i of the top jobs that tin can be done remotely. Very frequently companies volition let you lot to work from home or from another location while doing your customer service work.

So let's see what information technology takes to exist a peak notch client service representative and if it's a path you would like to pursue.

NOTE: Our client service resume objective commodity might be of help as well!

What Is A Customer Service Representative?

In a nutshell, customer service representatives answer questions or requests from customers or the public. They are in that location to assistance resolve any problems the client may have through various channels depending on the visitor. These can include answering phone calls, interacting face to face, past email, alive chat or on social media.

They usually demand to have a broad understanding of all of the company's products and services. (Unless y'all are specifically tasked with treatment customer service for a specific production or set of products.)

You will be one of the "faces" of the company. That's why a loftier level of professionalism is critical in order to present the arrangement or company in the all-time light possible.

NOTE: In that location are quite a few different names you'll see when it comes to client service positions. Here are some examples:

- - Customer Service Representative
  - Senior Client Service Representative
  - Call Centre Associate
  - Customer Service Associate (Part-Fourth dimension)
  - Customer Service Specialist
  - Customer care specialist
  - Customer intendance representative

Client Service Duties and Responsibilities

As I mentioned in the introduction, client service representatives span a wide range of industries, and then information technology's disquisitional you go over your specific task description in gild to find out what is called on for that particular customer service task.

Having said that, I do desire to give you a list of the common duties and responsibilities you volition discover on a lot of customer service representative job descriptions. This way you can meet if this career/job is correct for y'all:

- - Interact with customers via phone, email, online conversation, in person, social media
  - Resolve customer problems and complaints
  - Answer any questions a customer has
  - Take payments
  - Setup and resolve issues with customer accounts
  - Provide price data
  - Handle inquiries nearly deliveries
  - Verify customers
  - Proceed records of client interactions and transactions
  - Engage with customers
  - Direct unresolved issues to a different department if needed
  - Communicate and coordinate finer with internal departments
  - Provide customers with information on any open orders and invoices
  - Maintain customer database
  - Follow visitor process accurately and efficiently

Good Customer Service Skills To Have

At that place are certainly specific skills and qualities that great customer service representatives usually have. You'll see these on nearly task descriptions and they tin can really give yous a sense of whether this job is a proficient fit for yous:

- - Interpersonal skills
  - High level of professionalism (you lot are 1 of the faces of the company!)
  - Positive mental attitude (tin can be tough to maintain for some people in the face up of an irate customer ;-0)
  - Calm nether pressure
  - Ability to handle stress
  - Friendliness
  - Excellent verbal and advice skills
  - Organized
  - Efficient
  - Good problem solving skills
  - Good computer skills
  - Multi tasking
  - Power to learn other software systems relatively easily
  - Analytical skills
  - Expert writing skills (email etiquette)
  - Squad player
  - Empathy
  - Ability to explain the technical or complex simply to customers
  - Confidentiality
  - Data entry proficiency

JEFF'S TIP: Since in that location are so many varied customer service jobs. It's smart to practice some digging into the visitor you're applying for. Head over to Glassdoor and blazon in the visitor you are interested in or already have an interview for and see if you can find "company reviews" from people who have already worked at the position you're applying for. You tin gain valuable insight into the visitor work environs and civilization. You tin can too sometimes save yourself from a possible nightmare position. Be conscientious though, because companies often have offices/departments all over the country/world. So try and find info on your specific part/section or the closest analogue.

Customer Service Representative Bacon

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the mean hourly wage for customer service jobs is $17.53 and the mean yearly salary is $36,470.

Depending on what state yous get hired in there are definitely some wage fluctuations. This map gives you a good idea on the differences:

Education and Training

One of the great things about condign a client service representative is that you lot usually only need a high school diploma to authorize.

In terms of preparation, you will unremarkably be trained on the job. You will accept to learn near the various products and services that are offered by the company you will exist working for.

Later on all, you have to exist able to respond whatever questions customers have for yous related to those products and services.

Task Outlook

Similar to my previous cashier job description, while we will see increased demand for client service representatives in the brusque term because of Covid-nineteen, in the long run the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics actually forecasts a small decline in job growth of -2 percent.

Why?

Mainly because of farther advancements in technology that will allow for automated customer service systems:

Internet cocky-service or interactive vox-response systems, social media, and mobile applications are increasingly popular considering they enable customers to perform simple tasks without speaking to a representative. Improvements in applied science volition gradually permit these automated systems to perform fifty-fifty more advanced tasks.
Source: BLS.gov

How To Use Your Job Description For Your Interview

Before you head into your client service interview, hither'due south something important to think:

The job clarification volition list the skills and qualities that the company doing the hiring is looking for in their perfect candidate. It's your task to brand certain that y'all are demonstrating that you have those skills in the job interview!

As I have outlined in this article, the skills and qualities that companies are frequently looking for in a customer service representative are most likely going to include (simply are not limited to) customer service (duh), organization, interpersonal skills, a positive attitude and the ability to stay calm nether pressure. So you need to get into your interview having prepared answers that conspicuously show you demonstrating these qualities (If you lot have them).

How do you do that?

Past weaving the skills and qualities that you find in your specific customer service job clarification (that you possess) into your interview answers!

Putting Information technology All Together

I hope this customer service career breakup has helped you determine whether this could be a proficient career choice for y'all. For a temporary position or for the long term.

I think the fact that customer service work can be washed remotely and with little experience makes it a good selection during this pandemic. Just remember that a lot of other people might take the same idea, so be sure to go through the rest of our site to brand sure you lot stand out in your interview.

Skillful luck!

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Check out our other "job description articles" if you're exploring career options:

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Co-founder and CTO of TheInterviewGuys.com. Jeff is a featured contributor delivering advice on task search, job interviews and career advancement, having published more than l pieces of unique content on the site, with his work being featured in top publications such as INC, ZDnet, MSN and more than.

Learn more about The Interview Guys on our About Us folio.