What Does it Take to Be a Customer Service Representative?
Customer Service Representative Job Description Interact with customers to provide information in response to inquiries about products and services and to handle and resolve complaints.
Daily Life Of a Customer Service Representative
- Solicit sales of new or additional services or products.
- Check to ensure that appropriate changes were made to resolve customers’ problems.
- Resolve customers’ service or billing complaints by performing activities such as exchanging merchandise, refunding money, or adjusting bills.
- Contact customers to respond to inquiries or to notify them of claim investigation results or any planned adjustments.
- Recommend improvements in products, packaging, shipping, service, or billing methods and procedures to prevent future problems.
- Complete contract forms, prepare change of address records, or issue service discontinuance orders, using computers.
What Skills Do You Need to Work as a Customer Service Representative?
Below is a list of the skills most Customer Service Representatives say are important on the job.
Active Listening: Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Speaking: Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Service Orientation: Actively looking for ways to help people.
Reading Comprehension: Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
Persuasion: Persuading others to change their minds or behavior.
Related Job Titles
- Film Replacement Orderer
- Service Writer
- At Home Independent Call Center Agent
- Claim Agent
- Claim Processor
Is There Going to be Demand for Customer Service Representatives?
In 2016, there was an estimated number of 2,784,500 jobs in the United States for Customer Service Representatives.
New jobs are being produced at a rate of 4.9% which is lower than average. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts 136,300 new jobs for Customer Service Representatives by 2026. The BLS estimates 373,500 yearly job openings in this field per year.
The states with the most job growth for Customer Service Representatives are Texas, Florida, and Arizona.
Watch out if you plan on working in Maine, Wyoming, or Vermont. These states have the worst job growth for this type of profession.
Customer Service Representative Salary
The salary for Customer Service Representatives ranges between about $22,140 and $55,310 a year. A Customer Service Representative median salary is $33,750.
Below is a list of the median annual salaries for jobs of this type in different U.S. states.
| State | Annual Mean Salary |
|---|---|
|
District of Columbia |
$46,880 |
|
Massachusetts |
$43,620 |
|
California |
$41,850 |
|
Connecticut |
$41,160 |
|
New York |
$40,830 |
|
Washington |
$40,820 |
|
New Jersey |
$40,330 |
|
Minnesota |
$39,690 |
|
Alaska |
$39,300 |
|
Rhode Island |
$38,970 |
|
New Hampshire |
$38,930 |
|
Hawaii |
$38,670 |
|
Delaware |
$38,060 |
|
North Dakota |
$37,910 |
|
Wisconsin |
$37,850 |
|
Illinois |
$37,840 |
|
Vermont |
$37,760 |
|
Maryland |
$37,720 |
|
Oregon |
$37,570 |
|
Iowa |
$37,400 |
|
Colorado |
$37,390 |
|
Pennsylvania |
$37,000 |
|
Michigan |
$36,650 |
|
Wyoming |
$36,400 |
|
Indiana |
$36,200 |
|
Ohio |
$35,980 |
|
Nebraska |
$35,730 |
|
Kansas |
$35,330 |
|
Georgia |
$35,130 |
|
Virginia |
$35,030 |
|
Missouri |
$35,020 |
|
Maine |
$34,950 |
|
Montana |
$34,910 |
|
North Carolina |
$34,690 |
|
Arizona |
$34,570 |
|
Tennessee |
$34,420 |
|
Utah |
$33,790 |
|
Texas |
$33,770 |
|
Florida |
$33,730 |
|
Nevada |
$33,690 |
|
Alabama |
$33,580 |
|
Oklahoma |
$32,790 |
|
Louisiana |
$32,440 |
|
Idaho |
$32,390 |
|
Arkansas |
$32,350 |
|
South Carolina |
$32,320 |
|
Kentucky |
$32,230 |
|
West Virginia |
$31,730 |
|
New Mexico |
$31,380 |
|
South Dakota |
$31,150 |
|
Mississippi |
$28,210 |
Tools & Technologies Used by Customer Service Representatives
Although they’re not necessarily needed for all jobs, the following technologies are used by many Customer Service Representatives:
- Sage MAS 200
- Adobe Systems Adobe Creative Cloud
- Microsoft Outlook
- ADP Workforce Now
- Microsoft Dynamics GP
- IBM Cognos Impromptu
- SAP
- Microsoft PowerPoint
- Salesforce software
How to Become a Customer Service Representative
What education is needed to be a Customer Service Representative?
How many years of work experience do I need?
Where do Customer Service Representatives Work?
You May Also Be Interested In…
Those thinking about becoming Customer Service Representatives might also be interested in the following careers:
- New Accounts Clerks
- Medical Secretaries
Are you already one of the many Customer Service Representatives in the United States? If you’re thinking about changing careers, these fields are worth exploring:
- Switchboard Operators, Including Answering Service
- License Clerks
- Tellers
References
Image Credit: Via Wikimedia Commons
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