Example Customer Service Representative Job Description (2022)
Free customer service job description. A customer service representative is a professional who interacts with customers to handle complaints, process orders, and provides information. Information about an organization’s products or services. A customer service representative can be contacted by telephone, email, or directly in a retail store location. They are contracted to assist customers with issues related to their purchases or future purchases.
A customer service representative (or “CSR”) can sometimes be referred to as a customer service agent. Or a customer service associate. And a customer service rep, customer care representative, and a customer service specialist.
What is a Customer Service Representative
A customer service representative answers questions and resolves problems for a business's customers or clients. When a client or customer calls the business, a representative will open the customer's file in the company's computer system. And look up recent purchase orders or client information. The representative will use this information to assist with solving problems related to the products or services the customer is calling about. A customer service representative might deal with customers in-person, by phone, by email, or through a CRM software like Zendesk, Hubspot, or Salesforce.
A customer service representative has many job title variations, including:
- Remote Customer Service Representative
- Customer Service Specialist
- Customer Service Manager
- Remote Customer Support Representative
- Customer Support Specialist
- Multilingual Customer Support Specialist
- Customer Support Engineer
- Customer Success Team Lead
- Customer Experience Manager
- Director of Customer Experience
- Voice of the Customer
- Customer Advocate
- Chief Customer Office
The job titles vary in terms of duties, responsibilities, and general accountability.
Customer Service Representative Job Description Sample
Our company, customer service team, and the customer service manager is looking for a customer support representative. A representative who is compassionate, kind, and knowledgeable about our products and services. And is able to assist customers with questions and issues related to their upcoming purchases. Or active purchases. The ideal candidate is someone who can start working right away. And has the ability to operate our customer service portal while maintaining a high-quality standard. And answer customer complaints and customer questions with a friendly and professional attitude.
Customer Service Representative Duties and Responsibilities
Below are sample job duties and sample customer service representative responsibilities:
- Acknowledge and resolve customer complaints.
- Maintain a positive, empathetic, and professional attitude toward customers at all times.
- Respond to customer inquiries and questions.
- Assist with managing a team of junior customer service representatives.
- Ensure overall customer satisfaction and high-quality customer experience.
- Mark completed customer service requests through help desk software.
- Answer incoming calls and direct customers to appropriate departments.
- Assist customers by phone with questions related to products and services.
- Work closely with other colleagues to provide high-quality care.
- Resolve service problems and create sustainable relationships with customers.
- Answer questions from potential customers regarding products.
- Identify customer needs and customer problems, then work closely with the team of specialists to identify a solution.
- Work closely with the other support team members to represent the company well.
- Mark all completed work on customer accounts.
- Be the available person for a customer to ask a question to and respond with a friendly manner.
- Field customer service requests, questions, and other inquiries through social media (Facebook, Instagram, and more).
- Keep records of customer interactions.
- Answer phone calls, take account information and answer questions via phone.
Healthcare Customer Service Representative Duties and Responsibilities
- Initiate and respond to telephone and written correspondence with members, providers, and/or other insurance carriers. Respond within established time frames utilizing current reference materials and available resources.
- Process correspondence, provide the appropriate level of updates via customer/support tracking systems and follow up with the initiating party.
Finance Customer Service Representative Duties and Responsibilities
- Providing outstanding customer service to ensure repeat business.
- Promoting our products and services to current and potential customers during regular customer inquiries.
- Ensuring all transactions are completed in compliance with federal, state, and local regulations.
- Following company policies and procedures as it relates to financial products.
- Maintaining a balanced cash drawer when completing transactions for customers.
Retail Customer Service Representative Duties and Responsibilities
- Follows instructions of supervisors and assists other team members in performing store functions.
- Assists in the training of store team members and other staff.
- Demonstrates consultative behaviors in a retail environment to understand each customer's individualized needs.
- Provides an outstanding customer service experience by using consultative skills to anticipate customer needs, suggest alternatives, and find solutions to meet customer needs. Treating each customer as a client of the business.
- Ensures all customer problems are resolved quickly and to the satisfaction of the customer who wants to return to the retail store location.
- Takes complex customer orders using order systems and provides accurate pricing information on products or services.
Typical duties of the role may change depending on where the customer service agent is working. For example, in an automotive dealership, the customer service job description should change based on those needs. In that setting, handling purchase orders and transferring incoming calls to service technicians can be a key part of the customer service job.
Customer Service Representative Requirements
Qualified candidates have the following qualifications:
- High school diploma.
- Previous experience in a retail customer service role.
- Must have previous experience in a customer service role.
- Previous experience tracking customer satisfaction and providing high-quality customer interaction when dealing with customer inquiries and complaints.
- Computer proficiency skills.
Customer Service Representative Skills
Top candidates have one or more of the following skills:
- Persuasive speaking skills.
- Empathy skills.
- Adaptability skills.
- Ability to use positive language and verbal communication.
- Clear communication skills.
- Self-control skills.
- Responsibility.
- Leadership.
- Patience.
- Effective and active-listening skills.
- Attentiveness skills.
- Time management skills.
- Willingness to improve.
- Knowledge of products and services.
- Ability to ask for help when needed.
In addition, Salesforce.com goes on to say that a key skill of a customer service agent and representative should be “thick skin.” They go on to say, “One-third of customers say they’d rather clean a toilet than speak with customer service. This is the reality that many agents unfairly face every single day. That’s why having a thick skin is on our customer service skills list. Your reps are on the front lines of your business, and they need some solid armor. Insults, anger, and frustration need to bounce off them like Nerf balls. Make sure they know you support them and foster an environment where it’s okay to take a head-clearing moment between difficult calls.”
Customer Service Representative Salary
According to Salary.com, a customer service representative or “CSR” earns roughly $36,300 per year, on average. While the median average income for top talent in this field is $46,100. And entry-level workers earning $27,920 per year, on average.
- Healthcare Customer Service Agent: $32,433 median annual salary.
- Retail Customer Service Represetnative: $26,490 median annual salary.
- Finance Customer Service Representative: $27,834 median annual salary.
- Online Customer Service Representative: $27,834 median annual salary.
Customer Service Representative Certifications
Highly qualified candidates should have one or more of the following certifications:
- CCSP Certification from the National Customer Service Association
- Customer Service Training by Alison
- Support Professional Training by Service Strategies
- HubSpot Academy
- Customer Service Advantage by Bonfire Training
Customer Service Representative Job Boards
Employers hiring customer service representatives should seek a smaller job board. Before posting the job advertisement and job opening to a national job board like Indeed or Dice.com. Smaller job boards often have a job seeker that has more passion and experience for the open position.
After vetting candidates, the company should move to a national job board if they aren’t satisfied with the level of candidates that applied.
Top customer service job boards
Customer Service Job Description Tips
When writing a customer service job description, follow these best practices.
Avoid using a unique job title
Many employers feel using a unique job title will attract a higher caliber of a job seeker. They use a job title like "Customer Service Ninja" or "Customer Service Rockstar." Avoid this common mistake. It's better to be clear with the candidate regarding the expectations of the job. And provide them with a job title that they can better align previous work history to when submitting a job application.
This helps the employer and the candidate to be clear about what the requirements are.
Related job descriptions
Download the free customer service job description PDF template. And use the sample customer service job description provided to make an efficient job posting for your company. For more information please visit the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Customer Service Job Description Template
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