What is a Customer Service Representative?
Career Description Interact with customers to provide information in response to inquiries about products and services and to handle and resolve complaints.
List of Customer Service Representative Job Duties
- Order tests that could determine the causes of product malfunctions.
- Complete contract forms, prepare change of address records, or issue service discontinuance orders, using computers.
- Confer with customers by telephone or in person to provide information about products or services, take or enter orders, cancel accounts, or obtain details of complaints.
- Check to ensure that appropriate changes were made to resolve customers’ problems.
- Review claims adjustments with dealers, examining parts claimed to be defective, and approving or disapproving dealers’ claims.
- Refer unresolved customer grievances to designated departments for further investigation.
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Qualities of a Customer Service Representative
These are the skills Customer Service Representatives say are the most useful in their careers:
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.
Critical Thinking: Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Persuasion: Persuading others to change their minds or behavior.
Related Job Titles for this Occupation:
- Return-to-Factory Clerk
- Complaint Adjuster
- Utilities Customer Service Representative
- Claim Taker
- Customer Service Consultant
Customer Service Representative Employment Estimates
In the United States, there were 2,784,500 jobs for Customer Service Representative in 2016. New jobs are being produced at a rate of 4.9% which is below the national average. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts 136,300 new jobs for Customer Service Representative by 2026. Due to new job openings and attrition, there will be an average of 373,500 job openings in this field each year.
The states with the most job growth for Customer Service Representative are Utah, Nevada, and Colorado. Watch out if you plan on working in Maine, Minnesota, or Massachusetts. These states have the worst job growth for this type of profession.
Customer Service Representative Average Salary
The average yearly salary of a Customer Service Representative ranges between $22,140 and $55,310.
Customer Service Representatives who work in District of Columbia, Massachusetts, or Connecticut, make the highest salaries.
Below is a list of the median annual salaries for Customer Service Representatives in different U.S. states.
| State | Annual Mean Salary |
|---|---|
| Alabama | $33,580 |
| Alaska | $39,300 |
| Arizona | $34,570 |
| Arkansas | $32,350 |
| California | $41,850 |
| Colorado | $37,390 |
| Connecticut | $41,160 |
| Delaware | $38,060 |
| District of Columbia | $46,880 |
| Florida | $33,730 |
| Georgia | $35,130 |
| Hawaii | $38,670 |
| Idaho | $32,390 |
| Illinois | $37,840 |
| Indiana | $36,200 |
| Iowa | $37,400 |
| Kansas | $35,330 |
| Kentucky | $32,230 |
| Louisiana | $32,440 |
| Maine | $34,950 |
| Maryland | $37,720 |
| Massachusetts | $43,620 |
| Michigan | $36,650 |
| Minnesota | $39,690 |
| Mississippi | $28,210 |
| Missouri | $35,020 |
| Montana | $34,910 |
| Nebraska | $35,730 |
| Nevada | $33,690 |
| New Hampshire | $38,930 |
| New Jersey | $40,330 |
| New Mexico | $31,380 |
| New York | $40,830 |
| North Carolina | $34,690 |
| North Dakota | $37,910 |
| Ohio | $35,980 |
| Oklahoma | $32,790 |
| Oregon | $37,570 |
| Pennsylvania | $37,000 |
| Rhode Island | $38,970 |
| South Carolina | $32,320 |
| South Dakota | $31,150 |
| Tennessee | $34,420 |
| Texas | $33,770 |
| Utah | $33,790 |
| Vermont | $37,760 |
| Virginia | $35,030 |
| Washington | $40,820 |
| West Virginia | $31,730 |
| Wisconsin | $37,850 |
| Wyoming | $36,400 |
What Tools do Customer Service Representatives Use?
Although they’re not necessarily needed for all jobs, the following technologies are used by many Customer Service Representatives:
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Word
- Microsoft Office
- Microsoft PowerPoint
- Microsoft Outlook
- Microsoft Access
- Data entry software
- SAP
- Microsoft Windows
- Adobe Systems Adobe Acrobat
- Microsoft SharePoint
- Adobe Systems Adobe Photoshop
- Microsoft Dynamics
- IBM Notes
- Microsoft Publisher
- Google Docs
- FileMaker Pro
- Adobe Systems Adobe Illustrator
- Intuit QuickBooks
How to Become a Customer Service Representative
Are there Customer Service Representatives education requirements?
What work experience do I need to become a Customer Service Representative?
Where Customer Service Representatives Are Employed
Below are examples of industries where Customer Service Representatives work:
Related Careers
Those interested in being a Customer Service Representative may also be interested in:
Are you already one of the many Customer Service Representative in the United States? If you’re thinking about changing careers, these fields are worth exploring:
References:
Image Credit: Jace Armstrong via public domain
More about our data sources and methodologies.
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