Customer service personnel are often aided by sophisticated Customer Relationship Management (CRM) software systems which store massive amounts of data about customers and their purchases, which is analysed.

Skills which employers might look for include:

• Communication
• Reliability
• Problem solving
• Teamwork
• Reliability
• Empathy, sympathy, diplomacy
• Patience
• Self motivation
• Enthusiasm

Customer service representatives are the public face of a business, and any customer service employee is an ambassador for their employers. Jobs in Customer Service are best suited to those who enjoy working with people and find solving customers’ problems rewarding.

Unfortunately the majority of customer feedback which is received is negative. Happy customers rarely contact the customer service department and those who work in customer service routinely deal with complaints and have to try to placate and calm down angry members of the public. Sometimes it can be difficult to remain sympathetic and diplomatic when a customer is acting unreasonably, but customer service employees need to remember that the customer is only unsatisfied because their expectations were not met.

Customer service staff usually enjoy a high level of autonomy in the workplace. Customer service jobs mainly fall into two categories; jobs which require face-to-face contact and those who deal with customers via phone or e-mail.

Qualifications and Experience

Many employers will consider a candidates ‘people skills’ and experience above formal academic qualifications. Banks and insurance companies, who have huge customer service departments, may ask for some GCSEs (A-C) and possibly higher qualifications such as A levels or degrees. If you are lacking in certain qualifications it is still well worth applying since personal skills and experience count for a lot.

Training and Development

Most training for customer service roles will take place on the job. Some larger employers have special in-house training schemes, such as banks and insurance companies who also have a lot of legal commitments to ensure all employees are aware of.

Some employers conduct work-based assessments and award employees NVQs level 2 and 3 in Customer Service. Other employers will allow employees one day a week to attend an NVQ course at a local college or training centre.

If an employer is a member of the Institute of Customer Service (ICS), employees may be able to work towards the ICS Professional Award in Communication, Solutions and Innovations.

It is these qualifications which will allow you to progress to a customer services manager, and may even give you the chance to attain an NVQ Level 4 in Customer Services, and other beneficial management qualifications.