what is a customer service representative?
Customer service representatives help customers with processing orders and handling complaints. In this position, you provide information and answer questions related to products and services sold by the company. You also process returns and forward complaints to other departments or supervisors. Some customer service representatives are responsible for managing other employees, especially when you move up to a supervisor position.
The role requires someone with a patient and calm demeanour. Customer service representatives are trained to deal with angry customers and acknowledge their distress while finding ways to resolve a problem. Keeping your composure while responding to customer complaints across multiple communication channels and remaining empathetic is important. You also provide detailed information about products or services sold by the company.
what does a customer service representative do?
The role involves keeping customer interaction records, including complaints and comments or acting as a liaison between the company and customers. You also coordinate and communicate with other department employees and prepare product or service reports. You spend a significant amount of time on computers and undergo training to work with different types of software to distribute information.
view vacanciesaverage customer service representative salary
As a customer service representative, you earn an average salary of $60,000 annually. However, the remuneration package fluctuates based on various factors. When you work in entry-level roles, you are likely to earn lower salaries than experienced customer service reps. Entry-level roles attract a remuneration package of $55,000 yearly, while senior-level positions have salaries of up to $65,000 per year.
what factors affect the remuneration package of a customer service representative?
The earnings of a customer service representative often depend on their experience and qualifications. While most customer service roles don't require educational qualifications, you can negotiate a higher salary if you have a marketing or customer service course certificate.
Where you work also determines your earnings. When you work in a call centre, your earnings may be lower compared to customer service representatives working in-house. The responsibilities you undertake in the company also determine your remuneration. If your job is to answer phone calls only, your earning will be lower than a customer service rep who performs additional administrative duties like managing customer accounts. Your work location also influences your remuneration package. Working in metro areas raises your salary expectations.
Want to know what you will earn as a customer service representative? Check out what you are worth with our salary checker.
types of customer service representatives
The types of customer service representatives depend on the mode of communication with customers. Some include:
- email customer services support: your job is to respond to emails and live chats from customers. You answer queries and assist customers with the purchase process by replying to emails. You also prepare reports on the emails received and customer complaints.
- social media customer service reps: you monitor a company's social media platforms and respond to queries or assist customers in making purchases. You also post on social media pages and chat with your audience.
working as a customer service representative
Working as a customer service representative allows you to interact with various customers. If you are interested in the role, check out the daily duties, responsibilities and work schedules.
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customer service representative job description
Some of the duties and responsibilities of a customer service representative include:
- answering questions about the company: as a customer service representative, you answer general and specific customer questions. Knowing the ins and outs of the organisation's offerings is crucial to relay accurate information. You provide comprehensive responses and reassure new customers that they are making the right purchase decision.
- processing orders and transactions: as a customer service representative, you receive and process incoming orders. You ensure customers receive the right goods on time. You also handle product returns, exchanges and order cancellations.
- resolving issues and troubleshooting problems: customer service representatives provide technical assistance to customers by troubleshooting problems. You also assist customers with installation, maintenance and upgrading products.
- sharing information on products and services: as a customer service representative, you provide additional information to customers about the company’s products and services. Most companies or call centres usually have resources with useful information on the company’s products and services.
- documenting customer service experience: as a customer service representative, you ensure the customer is satisfied and document exchanges with various clients for future reference. If you haven't responded to a customer's complaint, you keep digital support tickets to update customers on the progress of their technical problems.
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work environment
Customer service representatives work in offices and at home, depending on the company and work hours. It's very common to telecommute in this type of position. The role requires working during normal business hours or busy times when more customers contact the company with questions or complaints. When working in an office, some representatives meet with other teams to address issues that customers are experiencing to reduce further complaints. Some companies require customer service representatives to perform their jobs in call centres to ensure immediate access to supervisors.
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who are your colleagues?
Depending on your employer and the industry you work in, your colleagues might include customer service officers, sales executives, sales consultants, administration officers and liaison officers. You might also be working in close proximity to account managers and sales managers, as well as other specialists that could include, but not be limited to, administrators, office managers and technical support agents.
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work schedule
The number of full-time and part-time customer service representative positions is roughly the same. The typical work hours of a full-time customer service rep position are 9 am to 5 pm. Depending on the industry, you might work weekends or nights. Most call centres run 24/7 services, and you work 12-hour shifts. Some customer service representatives have flexible work hours. Working from home offers you flexible work hours.
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job outlook
As a customer service representative, you have exciting opportunities for career progression. Since the position is entry-level, it is possible to progress to other business specialisms like account handling and sales. You start in the sales department as a sales representative worker before moving to sales management. You can also become a team leader and progress in the customer service department. When you have extensive experience, you can become a customer service manager.
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advantages of finding a customer service representative job through randstad
Finding your customer service representative job through Randstad provides important advantages such as:
- a wide variety of training and development opportunities
- an experienced contact person to provide help if needed
- a range of opportunities in your area
- get paid weekly or monthly, depending on the job
- temporary and permanent contracts
Want a permanent contract? A temporary job as a customer service representative is often a stepping stone to an attractive permanent job. Thousands of people earn a permanent contract every year with great employers thanks to a temporary job found through Randstad. What's more, many companies recruit their permanent employees through Randstad too.
education and skills
There are no minimum qualifications for working as a customer service representative. However, you can benefit from the following educational qualifications:
- education: undertake courses to improve your skills in administration software and communication skills. For instance, complete a course like Certificate III in business and specialise in customer engagement. The courses are available in registered training organisations. If you want a career in sales, business and administration, you can further your study with a bachelor's degree in business.
- work experience: most customer representative jobs are entry-level, and you don’t require prior experience. Employers provide on-the-job training to prepare you for the role. You also gain experience through internships and jobs in retail positions.
customer service representative skills and competencies
Some of the qualities of a customer service representative include:
- communication skills: you spend most of the day talking to clients on the phone or responding to emails. Communication skills help you respond to clients in a friendly manner. Your written and verbal communication skills ensure you communicate flawlessly.
- computer skills: it is crucial to sharpen your computer skills as a customer service skills. You rely on your computer skills to access updated customer databases, file management information, and write reports.
- flexibility: as a customer service representative, you handle diverse clients daily. Hence, it is important to be flexible and ready to answer unique questions from every customer. You should also be comfortable with communicating using various channels since some customers prefer phone conversations while others opt for live chats.
- time management: as a customer service representative, you should assist customers immediately. Time management skills help you prioritise tasks and streamline your work to offer accurate responses. For instance, you can create schedules to organise tasks and ensure every customer is served.
FAQs about working as a customer service representative
Here, you will find the answers to the most frequently asked questions about the profession of a customer service representative.
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what are the main duties of a customer service representative?
As a customer service representative, you liaise between a company and its clients or customers. You provide information about the products or services offered by the company. You also answer questions and resolve customer complaints and any problems that arise. If a customer wants to place an order, you help them complete the purchases or direct them to a sales representative.
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how much do customer service representative jobs pay in Australia?
As a customer service representative, you receive a salary ranging from $55,000 to $65,000 annually. Entry-level positions usually attract a lower salary due to the minimal tasks involved. When you have additional expertise, you have a higher remuneration package. If you provide technical support, you are likely to earn more than customer service reps in call centres.
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how do I become a customer service representative?
You don't require educational qualifications to become a customer service representative. However, completing Year 10 and pursuing customer service or sales courses improves your career prospects. For instance, you can complete a course in customer engagement and develop skills in MS Office and other customer management software.
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what are the qualities of a good customer service representative?
A customer service representative requires communication skills to speak to clients in a friendly manner and write reports. Time management skills also help you prioritise tasks and streamline your services by offering speedy assistance to customers. It is important to be flexible to adapt to the changing needs of the organisation.
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is customer service representative a good job?
Working as a customer service representative is an exciting career with great opportunities for career growth. You also earn a profitable salary and enjoy numerous perks. If you enjoy interacting with people, it is an interesting career choice for you.
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how do I apply for a customer service representative vacancy?
Applying for a customer service representative job is easy: create a Randstad profile and search our job offers for vacancies in your area. Then send us your CV and cover letter. Need help with your application? Check out all our job search tips here.
