Customer Service Representative

Typical Work Tasks
People who work in this career often:

• Prepare informational or reference materials.
• Prepare research or technical reports.
• Interview employees, customers, or others to collect information.
• Refer customers to appropriate personnel.
• Maintain current knowledge related to work activities.
• Provide information to coworkers.
• Provide notifications to customers or patrons.
• Calculate costs of goods or services.
• Analyze financial information.
• Discuss goods or services information with customers or patrons.

Typical Working Conditions

• Having telephone conversations.
• The importance of being accurate or exact.
• Working indoors in environmentally controlled conditions.
• Siting.
• Meeting strict deadlines.
• Dealing with external customers.
• Frequent decision-making.

Tools & Technology used by Customer Services Representatives

Source: Minnesota CAREERwise

Most Important Skills for Customer Services Representatives

• 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.
• Helping Others—Actively looking for ways to help people.
• Reading—Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
• Thinking Critically—Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
• Being Aware of Others—Being aware of others’ reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
• Coordinating with Others—Adjusting actions in relation to others’ actions.
• Monitoring Performance—Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
• Persuading Others—Persuading others to change their minds or behavior.
• Solving Complex Problems—Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.

Most Important Knowledge Areas for Customer Services Representatives

• Customer and Personal Service—Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
• Computers and Electronics—Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
• Clerical—Knowledge of administrative and clerical procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and other offic
• e procedures and terminology.
  English Language—Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
• Mathematics—Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
• Communications and Media—Knowledge of media production, communication, and dissemination techniques and methods. This includes alternative ways to inform and entertain via written, oral, and visual media.
• Economics and Accounting—Knowledge of economic and accounting principles and practices, the financial markets, banking and the analysis and reporting of financial data.
• Sales and Marketing—Knowledge of principles and methods for showing, promoting, and selling products or services. This includes marketing strategy and tactics, product demonstration, sales techniques, and sales control systems.
• Administration and Management—Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.
• Telecommunications—Knowledge of transmission, broadcasting, switching, control, and operation of telecommunications systems.

Interests
Different careers may be a good fit for your personality or interests. This career is:

• Enterprising—Enterprising occupations frequently involve starting up and carrying out projects. These occupations can involve leading people and making many decisions. Sometimes they require risk taking and often deal with business.
• Conventional—Conventional occupations frequently involve following set procedures and routines. These occupations can include working with data and details more than with ideas. Usually there is a clear line of authority to follow.

Source: Minnesota CAREERwise

Low indicates 25% of workers earn less and 75% earn more. Median indicates 50% of workers earn less and 50% earn more. High indicates 75% of workers earn less and 25% earn more.

Demand
This career is seeing high growth compared to other careers. There will be a 5.9% growth for Customer Services Representatives to meet market demand between 2018-2028. This includes the demand due to replacement (workers leaving the occupation or retiring) as well as growth.

Source: Minnesota CAREERwise

This career requires at least at least a high school degree, but most professionals have some college. This career does not require a license, but there are certifications are helpful for growth in some industries.

View the local post-secondary education options from our partners: Central Lakes College & MSTATE.

Helpful High School Courses
Examples of helpful classes that help you prepare for this career:

• Accounting
• Business English
• Business Law
• Computer Applications
• Economics
• Entrepreneurship
• International Business
• Marketing
• Public Speaking
• Social Media

Source: Minnesota CAREERwise