Customer Support and Services – Everything You Need to Know About This Role
There is nothing more important in business than customers – in fact, no business can survive without them!
With this in mind, it’s critical customers feel well looked after, whether they have questions about a product, a late shipment or wish to lodge a complaint. The Customer Services department is all about supporting customers and ensuring their queries are addressed on time, so they have an enjoyable experience.
Working in Customer Services can be highly rewarding, helping to resolve issues for people quickly and accurately. Let’s examine what a Customer Services representative does and how to secure a role in this much-required sector.
What is a Customer Services Representative?
Customer Services oversees enquiries from people who buy products and services from a business or public service provider. People working in this department are typically known as Customer Support workers or Customer Services Representatives.
Most roles of this nature are office-based and require a computer and telephone to handle incoming customer enquiries by email or phone call. Many businesses also provide an online chat facility for their customers nowadays, so there may be enquiries coming in via this channel as well. In all instances, Customer Services Reps use technology daily in their job.
That said, currently, more people than ever are working in Customer Services roles from their homes, thanks to technological advances and the growing need for flexible working.
More than anything, this is a hugely important role which involves much care and commitment to keep customers feeling appreciated.
Learn more about working in Customer Services
Benefits of working in Customer Support
There are many things to enjoy about working in a Customer Support role, including:
- Extensive number of roles available at any time in a high-demand sector
- A varied day, every day – no two issues are ever the same!
- Financial rewards – a typical salary of between $55 and $65k per annum*
- Job satisfaction knowing you are resolving customer issues and queries
Learn more about working in Customer Services
Main Customer Service Representative Responsibilities
As mentioned, working in customer services is varied, with different responsibilities from one day to the next. These are some of the main duties as a Customer Service Representative:
- Answering inbound enquiries from customers over email or telephone
- Dealing with queries logged on an online chat portal
- Responding to questions about shipments and ETAs
- Processing customer orders and payments
- Organising shipping, returns and refunds
- Handling customer complaints and escalating them to the correct department head
- Meeting response and call-time metrics to achieve performance targets
Essential Customer Service Requirements
Becoming a Customer Service Representative does not require a formal qualification – although it will certainly help set you apart from the many job applicants who don’t have one.
Certifications aside, a number of personal qualities and skills for customer service roles will help you succeed.
Communication skills
First of all, people working in Customer Services need excellent communication skills, starting with an ability to listen when dealing with people on the phone and writing skills for when you are communicating by email.
Thinking on your feet
At times, you won’t have long to decipher what type of support a customer requires. Therefore, the ability to think and act quickly is critical in this role, helping the customer towards the correct support efficiently.
Time management
Many issues you deal with in Customer Services are time critical, particularly when a shipment is delayed, or a customer is waiting on a refund. You need to be able to prioritise your work tasks accordingly and handle each one quickly and accurately.
Thick skin!
Finally, this role can sometimes be highly demanding, no more so than when a customer feels aggrieved. They can sometimes take their agitation out on the Customer Service Rep – that’s YOU! This means not taking their anger personally, which can impact how you manage their request.
Learn more about Customer Services Requirements
Customer Service Qualifications
To excel in the field of Customer Services, it is recommended that you complete further study and Certificate III in Business is an excellent place to start.
Certificate III in Business (Customer Engagement Specialisation)
The course consists of thirteen units of competency (six core and seven electives) delivered in a classroom. The core units are identical regardless of your specialisation – which can be Customer Engagement, Administration or Medical Administration. Opting to specialise in Customer Engagement gives you access to the following elective units:
- Designing and producing business documents
- Writing simple documents
- Organising personal work priorities
- Advising on products and services
- Delivering and monitoring a service to customers
- Processing customer complaints
- Assisting with customer difficulties
There is no entry requirement for the course*. As a pathway qualification, students who complete the course successfully can later progress to Certificate IV in Business.
Learn more about Certificate III in Business
*It is advised that anyone looking to study for this qualification has achieved a High School Certificate.
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To progress in the field of Customer Services, contact our team today and ask about Certificate III in Business.
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*Information taken from Seek
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Customer Support and Services – Everything You Need to Know About This Role