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Customer Services Job Description

Written by: Evie Courtier
Published on: 28 Nov 2023

 

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A Customer Service Representative, or Customer Service Executive/Assistant, is primarily responsible for managing customer interaction for an organisation. Within this Customer Services job description, we will cover questions such as, “what is a Customer Services Representative?” and “what does a Customer Services Executive do?”, alongside the average earnings for those working in Customer Services jobs.

  • What is a Customer Services Representative?

    A Customer Service Representative is a professional who interacts with customers or clients on behalf of a company or organisation. The primary goal of a Customer Service Representative is to provide assistance, support, and information to customers regarding the products or services offered by the company. Customer Services Executives play a crucial role in maintaining positive customer relationships and ensuring customer satisfaction, resolving customer complaints, responding to all enquiries, and maintaining customer service records.

  • What Does a Customer Services Executive Do?

    An individual working in customer services, engages with an organisation's clientele, striving to fulfil their requirements and optimise their experience with the business. Typically serving as the initial point of contact between the organisation and its customers, their responsibilities involve addressing customer enquiries received through various channels such as phone calls, emails, or in-person interactions and ensuring timely resolution. Customer Service Representatives also guide customers to the appropriate resources, or point of contact if they can’t resolve the issue themselves.

    Working as a Customer Services Executive will see you collaborating with the Sales and Marketing teams, alongside content and creative persons, ensuring that a consistent tone of voice is maintained, and branding regulations and guidelines are adhered to when dealing with customers and clients.

    Working in customer services requires a certain knack for communication, alongside acute problem-solving expertise, patience and empathy. Working as a bridge between customers and the company, Customer Services Representatives hold a role of authority, building and maintaining a positive brand image.

    The role of an individual in customer services will differ by industry and sector, from those working in banking / finance, to media, and property. Whilst the niche aspects of the role may differ, common responsibilities will cover:

    • Answering enquiries: responding to customer enquiries, addressing questions, and providing information about products or services.
    • Raising support tickets to enable tracking and resolution of customer requests.
    • Escalating enquiries to the appropriate team, when required.
    • Problem resolution: assisting customers in resolving and investigating issues, addressing complaints, and finding solutions to problems.
    • Order processing: handling customer orders, processing transactions, and managing customer accounts.
    • Communication: communicating with customers through various channels, such as phone, email, chat, or social media.
    • Product knowledge: maintaining a deep understanding of the company's products or services to effectively assist customers.
    • Customer education: educating customers on product features, usage, and troubleshooting.
    • Customer feedback: gathering feedback from customers and conveying it to the relevant departments within the organisation.
    • Documentation: keeping records of customer interactions and transactions, as well as updating customer information in databases.
    • Training: providing training sessions with clientele, to ensure that they are using the product/site to its full potential.
    • Assisting customers with registration or account creation.
    • Passing customer feedback onto the product or sales team to improve the organisation’s offerings.

  • How to Become a Customer Services Advisor

    Entering the field of customer service involves a combination of education, skills development, and practical experience. For a general guide on how to pursue a career in this realm, see below:

    Educational Background:

    • Most entry-level positions in customer service require at least 5 GCSEs, with the bonus of A-Level or College education.
    • Training is available via apprenticeships or college level certifications and diplomas. These include a Level 1 Certificate in Customer Service and a Level 2 Certificate in Contact Centre Operations.

    Develop Essential Skills:

    • Communication Skills: Customer Service Advisors need strong communication and interpersonal skills to interact effectively with customers, both verbally and in writing.
    • Problem-Solving: the ability to analyse situations and provide practical solutions is crucial in resolving customer issues.
    • Multitasking skills and good organisational abilities, helping to balance multiple cases at once.
    • Empathy: being able to understand and empathise with customers' concerns is essential for providing satisfactory service.
    • Working knowledge of customer relationship management (CRM) tools is beneficial.
    • Patience: dealing with a variety of customer personalities requires patience and the ability to remain calm under pressure.

    Gain Relevant Experience:

    • Entry-Level Positions: start with entry-level customer service positions to gain practical experience, building knowledge of CRM systems and working within a professional environment.
    • Internships or Part-Time Jobs: seek part-time roles or temporary jobs that offer customer service experience. This can be valuable when applying for more specialised roles in certain sectors, such as Medical / Healthcare jobs.

    Specialised Training:

    • Customer Service Training Programs: Some organisations offer specific training programs for customer service roles. These programs often cover company policies, product knowledge, and communication skills.
    • Industry-Specific Training: Depending on the industry, you may need specialised knowledge. For example, if you're working in a technical support role, training in the relevant technology might be necessary.

    Upload your CV to the SecsintheCity Database and Sign up for Job Alerts:

    • When you sign up for personalised job alerts, you’ll receive the latest relevant customer services jobs directly to your email inbox, putting you in a dominant position to apply first to the role.
    • Equally, uploading your CV to our database, allows you to get headhunted by specialist business support recruiters, top companies and firms, and reputable employers for entry level customer services opportunities that may not be advertised online.
    • For further advice, see our ‘How to Set up a Job Alert – Optimise your Job Search with SecsintheCity’ guide.

    Prepare for Interviews:

    • Understand the company: research the company and its products/services. Diligence, professionalism and pro-activity is a key part of working in customer service. Demonstrate your keen interest in the job and why you think you’re a good fit for the company. In-depth research beyond the company’s website is crucial. Evaluate press releases, shareholder reports, social media and company reviews.
    • Role-Specific Knowledge: be prepared to discuss your understanding of the role and how your skills align with the requirements.
    • Behavioural Questions: expect questions that assess your behaviour in various situations, especially those related to customer interactions. Scenario questions, such as ‘can you give me an example of a time when you’ve gone beyond your job role to help a colleague?’, should always be answered in a concise manner. We’d recommend following the STAR technique:

    Situation - the situation you had to deal with.

    Task - the task you were given to do.

    Action - the action you took.

    Result – the result of your action and what you learned from the experience.

    Continuous Improvement:

    • Feedback: use constructive criticism and praise from customers and supervisors to continuously improve your skills.
    • Training Opportunities: take advantage of any training opportunities provided by your employer to stay updated on industry trends and best practices.

  • Customer Services Career Path

    A career path in customer services typically involves progressing through various roles, gaining experience, and acquiring additional skills. Each individual’s career path will naturally be tailored to their own career goals and wishes, however, a general outline of a potential career path would entail:

    Entry-Level Positions:

    • Customer Service Representative: starting out in customer services will see you handling customer enquiries, resolving issues, and providing information about products or services.

    Mid Level Roles:

    • Mid level to Senior Customer Service Representatives: with experience, you may take on a senior role with additional responsibilities, such as mentoring junior team members or handling more complex customer issues.

    Supervisory or Team Lead Roles:

    • Customer Service Supervisor or Team Lead: the next stage may see you move into a supervisory role, overseeing a team of customer service representatives. Holding responsibilities such as managing team performance, handling escalated issues, and ensuring service quality.

    Management Positions:

    • Customer Service Manager: as a manager, you would have a broader responsibility for the customer service department. This includes setting goals, developing strategies, and managing the overall customer service operations.

    Specialised Roles:

    • Specialised Customer Service Roles: depending on the industry, you might move into bespoke areas such as technical support, account management, or customer success, focusing on specific aspects of customer service.

    Director of Customer Experience:

    • Director of Customer Experience: at a higher level, you might move into a strategic role where you are responsible for the overall customer experience across different touchpoints with the organisation.

    Executive Positions:

    • Vice President or Chief Customer Officer: In larger organisations, you might reach executive levels, overseeing customer service, experience, and satisfaction at a strategic level.