Good Customer Service Representatives are a major asset to any business.  The work may at times be stressful, but if you are a person who enjoys meeting and helping the public, this may be a suitable job for you.

There is still a high demand for skilled Customer Service Representatives.  Salaries and benefits are attractive and there are good opportunities for advancement.

Successful Customer Service Representatives must be patient, calm, friendly, diplomatic, supportive, and well organized.  They must be good listeners, good problem solvers, and able to work independently, even under pressure.  Above all they must have superior communication skills, good computer skills, and a firm knowledge of the products, policies, and services of the company in which they are employed.

If you get a job as a Customer Service Representative, you may work in the company itself, a large call center, or even at home.  Although most Representatives work an eight hour day, they may be required to work early shifts, late shifts, or split shifts.  The nature of the job demands holiday and weekend work.  Some work may be part-time.

Customer Service Representatives work in comfortable surroundings.   They may work in industry, communications, banks, retail stores, businesses, and government agencies.  The work may be noisy, stressful, demanding, and repetitious.  Customer Service Representatives spend most of their day sitting.

In their work, Customer Service Representatives use headphones, computers and the telephone.  In addition to telephone communications, they may deal with their clients by email, fax, or even by mail.  They may also meet customers face to face.

If you become a Customer Service Representative, you will have a variety of duties during the day.  You may handle simple questions regarding problems, products, services, or customer accounts.  You may access customer accounts, make adjustments to accounts, deal with returns or replacements, listen to and deal with complaints, calm irate customers, keep records, and give information or advice regarding products and services.  For more complex questions or problems you will consult a supervisor.

The work of Customer Service Representatives may be monitored.

Education

If you are still in high school take courses in English, computers, and business practices.  Make sure your spelling and grammar are perfect.  You will need at least a high school diploma to get a job as a Customer Service Representative.

After high school, you will receive on-the-job training in the company in which you are employed.  Much of this training will teach you about the company itself, its products and services, and the guidelines under which you must work.

Although there are still jobs available for those with  only a high school diploma, it is preferable to have an associate’s or bachelor’s degree.  Employers are more and more, looking for those with a higher degree of education and sophistication.  A degree will make you a candidate for better jobs with better salaries.

Customer Service Representatives with education and experience can advance to higher positions within the company, in sales, or as supervisors, or managers.