What You Need to Know About 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.
Daily Life Of a Customer Service Representative
- Determine charges for services requested, collect deposits or payments, or arrange for billing.
- Keep records of customer interactions or transactions, recording details of inquiries, complaints, or comments, as well as actions taken.
- Resolve customers' service or billing complaints by performing activities such as exchanging merchandise, refunding money, or adjusting bills.
- Check to ensure that appropriate changes were made to resolve customers' problems.
- 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.
- Review insurance policy terms to determine whether a particular loss is covered by insurance.
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What a Customer Service Representative Should Know
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.
Types of Customer Service Representative Jobs
- Policyholder Information Clerk
- Client Relations Specialist
- Customer Service Officer
- Commercial Lines Account Manager
- Account Adjuster
Is There Job Demand for Customer Service Representatives?
There were about 2,784,500 jobs for Customer Service Representative in 2016 (in the United States). 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.
Average Customer Service Representatives Salary
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.
How much do Customer Service Representatives make 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 & Technology do Customer Service Representatives Use?
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
Are there Customer Service Representatives education requirements?
How many years of work experience do I need?
Where Customer Service Representatives Are Employed
Below are examples of industries where Customer Service Representatives work:
Related Careers
Those thinking about becoming a Customer Service Representative might also be interested in the following careers:
Career changers with experience as a Customer Service Representative sometimes find work in one of the following fields:
References:
Image Credit: Jace Armstrong via public domain
More about our data sources and methodologies.
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