ADD ADVICE TO FAVCustomer service representative job profile
Customer service representatives act as the link between the customer and the business or organisation. They ensure that customers are satisfied with the product or service, and so maintain profitable customer relationships.
What customer service representatives do
- deal quickly and efficiently with customer enquiries or complaints by phone, post or email
- expedite customer orders, including keeping them informed of delays or early fulfilment
- occasionally work antisocial hours in order to meet customers’ requirements, solve their problems and thus encourage future business
- proactively foresee possible delays or complications and plan strategies to avoid or minimise them
- develop and implement new systems, procedures or working practices to improve customer service efficiency
- ensure the accuracy of financial records for billing purposes, occasionally negotiating an alteration to the stated price or terms and conditions as a compensation to customers.
Key skills for customer service representatives
- self motivation
- diplomacy and reliability
- enthusiastic and effective team member
- good communication
- investigative and problem solving skills.
Training to be a customer service representative
As customer service representatives need to have a good working knowledge of a firm’s products and services, induction and on-the-job training is almost always given. Many organisations such as Skills for Business and Customer Service Network also offer on- or off-site training courses.
National qualifications in customer service are fairly new, but vocational qualifications and modern apprenticeships are both available.
Salaries for customer service representatives
Salaries usually start at £14,500 to £15,500, but can quickly rise to around £22,000 with experience. Progression is usually to Customer Service Manager or Operations Manager, or to an executive administrative role.
