Customer Services Career Advice

Working in customer services, you may work in an office, retail, or other environment, serving customer needs, enquiries, and requests. You will likely make notes on a computer and use email and the telephone. You will present an optimistic and adaptable attitude, with a focus on building rapport.

Quick Links

How to Work in the Customer Services sector

Choosing your career path and learning how to become the person you aspire to be is not always straight forward; getting a job in your chosen industry will take dedication, focus and the right qualifications.

When you have chosen the career path you wish to follow, you will need to learn how to get a job in Customer Services

Should you wish to work in Customer Services you will need to evaluate what courses are required, their cost and what qualifications you need. It is important that you also assess whether you have the right credentials from a personality point of view, what the demands of the job are and whether they complement the lifestyle that you desire.

Another factor to consider, should you wish to fulfil your career aspirations, is the number of jobs you will need to have to reach your ultimate job, and the length of time it will take to reach this goal.

Common Qualifications for a Customer Services Job

  • 2 or fewer GCSEs (customer service assistant)
  • Level 1 Certificate in Customer Service (customer service assistant)
  • Level 2 Certificate in Contact Centre Operations (customer service assistant)
  • 1 or 2 A Levels (customer services manager)

Core Customer Services Skills

Core customer service skills include being an active listener and having patience and empathy. Communication skills are essential, and you should be able to resolve conflicts. You will be proficient in speaking to people face-to-face or over the telephone, possess computer skills, work under pressure, be persuasive, and be ready to help others.

If you have a passion for helping people and working to targets, a role in customer service could be for you.

Key Responsibilities for a Customer Services Job

  • Answering the phone and face-to-face enquiries
  • Responding to emails
  • Developing customer rapport and satisfaction
  • Solving customer issues and resolving problems
  • Team building activities
  • Improving customer care and experiences with idea generation
  • Mailing records of customer interactions
  • Analysing customer data (in managerial roles)
  • Monitoring staff performance (in supervisory or managerial roles)

What to expect in a Customer Services Job

Customer service professionals work face-to-face or via emails or telephone calls. You will need to develop a customer-first mindset considering satisfaction and resolving issues. You will likely be part of a team with roles and career progression covering supervisory, managerial, and executive positions. To find success in customer services, you will need to be computer proficient with excellent communication skills, adaptability, and problem-solving.

Recommended Customer Services Jobs

Loading Jobs...

How to get Customer Services Jobs

Our advice on how to get a Customer Services job is to focus on preparation and personalisation.

Preparation

This occurs before you write a CV cover letter or complete a Customer Services application. If you have not held a Customer Services position before, it will help to research the industry and review what a typical career path might look like. If you have held a Customer Services role, focus your research on the company where you are seeking employment.

Valuable resources that will help you learn about the employer include the company’s career page, social media page, blog, job ad, and job description. Helpful information will consist of the company’s mission statement, values, and vision. You could also use an employer review site to gain insights on average salaries, what current employees say about the company culture, and what it is like to work for the organisation.

Personalisation

You are now in a position to use what you have learned in your Customer Services CV, cover letter, and application. You should personalise each Customer Services application, cover letter, and CV; prioritising job skills and relevant experience and providing examples that show you have similar values and goals.

This pre-application stage is a crucial step in how to become a Customer Services in the UK. It puts you in a superbly informed state, ready for forthcoming telephone, video, or in-person interviews.

Students: How to Become a Customer Services 

As with all professions, choose your study topics carefully. Review the qualifications needed to be a Customer Services and the subjects you will need to enrol in certification courses, higher education, or online courses. 

Aligning your study subjects

The more closely you align your study subjects with your career path, the more likely you will be to have projects and modules that you can refer to and show a prospective employer that you have practical or theoretical Customer Services experience.

How to get Customer Services Experience

What does it take to be a Customer Services? The best way to find out is to get work experience, which will be invaluable when applying for Customer Services jobs. You can learn how to be a successful Customer Services through internships, apprenticeships, or volunteering for a local business.

How to be a Customer Services Part-Time 

If you are wondering how to get into Customer Services part-time, there are several possibilities. You might find a new employer looking for a part-time Customer Services or find your existing employer is amenable. Often companies recognise the value of flexible hours and having more staff at work during busy times of the day. 

Customer Services freelance work

If you have impressive Customer Services qualifications and experience, you could take on the challenges of working freelance with control over your schedule.

Making a Career Change

How to start a career in this profession if you work in another industry may require studying for qualifications online and focusing on transferable skills when writing your CV and attending job interviews.