Fresh Profile: Customer Service Jobs

Published on 2008-08-12

If good customer service is the lifeblood of a business, then customer service representatives are the veins that circulate it throughout the organization. Without quality customer service, no company can live very long. As any businessperson knows, retaining current customers requires far less outlay than soliciting new ones, which is why customer service focuses so strongly on customer satisfaction.

Customer service jobs entail answering questions, responding to complaints, assisting customers with decision-making, updating account information, following up with customers, and providing an all-around pleasant experience that encourages repeat business. These duties may be performed in person, over the phone or Internet, or via fax or email, depending on the company.

Because jobs in customer service require close contact with customers, some of whom may be frustrated, confused, or angry, good communication skills are essential. To resolve a complaint, for example, a customer service representative may have to listen to the customer's concerns, ask questions to determine the severity of the issue, review data associated with the complaint, and make an executive decision about how best to remedy the conflict - all while appearing calm, responsive, and capable. Other helpful traits include the desire to interact with and assist people, a tolerance for repetition coupled with enough flexibility to handle deviations from the script, and professionalism. Customer service manager jobs may additionally require supervisory skills and business knowledge. And as technology intertwines further with customer service representative jobs, computer literacy will only become more important.

Most people begin their customer service careers with on-the-job training. Formal education requirements vary by industry and employer. While many require only a high school diploma, some may ask for additional college-level coursework in business, computers, or English, or require an associate's degree.

Training for call center jobs, for example, may involve information about the products/services offered, how to use the phone and computer system, general troubleshooting, and company policies. In other industries, a new customer service representative might shadow an experienced rep for a few weeks. Ongoing training may be required as well, especially for insurance and banking jobs, which are subject to changing regulations.

Customer service jobs can be performed in offices, stores, or even at home. A growing number of retailers have employed customer service agents for work at home jobs. For some people, customer service provides temporary or seasonal jobs. Other people have part time jobs in customer service. As mentioned previously, almost every organization needs people to perform customer service, so work opportunities are nearly limitless. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that this occupation will experience a large 25% increase in the number of jobs through 2016. With opportunities abounding, job seekers should search the database at Fresho.com for customer service positions. Free job postings, resume postings, email and RSS updates, and career articles are also available at no charge. Get a fresh start with Fresho.com.