Life As a Customer Service Representative
Example of Customer Service Representative Job Interact with customers to provide information in response to inquiries about products and services and to handle and resolve complaints.
Life As a Customer Service Representative
- Resolve customers’ service or billing complaints by performing activities such as exchanging merchandise, refunding money, or adjusting bills.
- Recommend improvements in products, packaging, shipping, service, or billing methods and procedures to prevent future problems.
- Contact customers to respond to inquiries or to notify them of claim investigation results or any planned adjustments.
- Check to ensure that appropriate changes were made to resolve customers’ problems.
- Determine charges for services requested, collect deposits or payments, or arrange for billing.
- Complete contract forms, prepare change of address records, or issue service discontinuance orders, using computers.
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Skills Needed to be 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.
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.
Types of Customer Service Representative
- Warranty Administrator
- Customer Service Clerk
- Customer Support Executive
- Passenger Relations Representative
- Customer Relations Representative
Customer Service Representative Job Outlook
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. There will be an estimated 373,500 positions for Customer Service Representative per 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.
Do Customer Service Representatives Make A Lot Of Money?
The typical yearly salary for Customer Service Representatives is somewhere 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 |
Tools & Technologies Used by Customer Service Representatives
Below is a list of the types of tools and technologies that Customer Service Representatives may use on a daily basis:
- 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
Becoming a Customer Service Representative
Learn what Customer Service Representative education requirements there are.
What work experience do I need to become a Customer Service Representative?
Where Customer Service Representatives Are Employed
Customer Service Representatives work in the following industries:
Similar Careers
Those thinking about becoming a Customer Service Representative might also be interested in the following careers:
Those who work as a Customer Service Representative sometimes switch careers to one of these choices:
References:
Image Credit: Jace Armstrong via public domain
More about our data sources and methodologies.
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