What Does a Customer Service Representative Do?
Customer service representatives play an important role in establishing and maintaining a company's reputation. As the main point of contact for many customers, they are the voices and faces of the company, handling requests, inquiries and a host of other duties that vary depending on the type of business.
In Person:
Customer service representatives that deal face to face with customers are typically found staffing customer service desks in the retail sector, although banks, utility companies and other service-oriented businesses also often have customer service offices. They process returns and exchanges, answer questions about products and services, and may do cashiering. They're typically the first employees to handle customer complaints. They attempt to resolve service issues and refer customers to upper management as necessary. Customer service representatives must have an in-depth knowledge of company policies and procedures as well as the goods and services that are offered.
By Phone:
Customer service representatives that deal with customers over the phone work in company call centers. Some call centers are independent businesses, handling customer service duties for many companies. Many call centers record phone calls to verify that customer service standards are being met, so it's important to maintain professionalism at all times, even when dealing with angry customers. Call center employees generally have a quota of phone calls to answer during a shift, so efficiency is vital. Duties range from making payment arrangements with customers and explaining company policies to tracking lost shipments and updating customer accounts. Some companies offer 24-hour customer service, so be prepared to work the night shift if needed.
Electronic Communication:
Some call center employees don't actually answer incoming phone calls, but use electronic means to communicate with customers. Live "chat" service is the most common method, with employees "chatting," or exchanging typed messages, with customers through online services and software. While answering inquiries about products and services is a typical duty, many chat operators can also look up and make changes to customer accounts and sign up new customers. Some customer service representatives respond to email inquiries, while others interact with customers through social media accounts, such as Facebook and Twitter.
Outbound:
Outbound customer service representatives don't answer incoming calls. Instead, they contact customers either in response to a customer call or to offer new information. Outbound representatives may call customers to remind them to pay their bills or tell them of new products. For example, cable company representatives may call existing customers to offer a special deal on Internet or phone service. An element of sales is often present in the jobs, and some representatives can earn sales commissions. They also provide follow-up for problem resolution, such as verifying that shipments have arrived or that customers are satisfied with the outcome of a call to the customer service center.
