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Customer services assistants and
managers work in most types of organisation. They
deal directly with customers, act as a link between
customers and other departments in the organisation,
and make sure customers have a positive experience.
Customer services assistants may work with customers face to
face, on the phone or by email. The work varies from employer
to employer, but may involve answering enquiries, giving information,
helping to solve problems, and dealing with complaints. Some
customer services staff sell products, take payments and issue
refunds.
- Customer services staff may work behind
a counter or in a contact centre or showroom,
and are seen as essential in the drive to increase
sales.
- Wholesale staff work in such organisations
as builders' merchants and vehicle parts operations.
Full-time staff usually work 37
to 40 hours a week, but shift work is common, and
there is plenty of scope for part-time and flexible
working. Most people in the retail sector work
in clean, bright shops and stores in customer-facing
roles. Many also work behind the scenes in offices
and contact centres. Some jobs may involve travel
to visit different stores, suppliers and customers.
Employers include supermarket
chains, department stores, independent retailers,
car dealers and mail order companies. Employment
opportunities are available with small businesses
as well as with very large retailers. Self-employment
is common in some careers, such as market trader
or greengrocer.
People who work in customer services
need to be friendly and helpful, with the confidence
to handle complaints in a fair but firm manner.
They must usually be able to work well in a team
and enjoy working with people. IT skills and skills
with handling money and finance are often necessary.
Customer services managers manage
a team of customer services assistants, and may
be responsible for training them, setting targets,
motivating staff to meet these targets, arranging
work rotas, dealing with staffing issues and handling
difficult enquiries.
Most customer services staff
work 37 hours a week, but this may involve early
mornings, days, evenings, nights, weekends and
bank holidays depending on the employer. They usually
work in clean, well-lit buildings, and may spend
a lot of time sitting or standing in one place.
They sometimes use a telephone headset and/or a
computer, and may wear a uniform if they meet customers
face to face.
Salaries may range from £10,000
to £15,000 a year for customer services assistants
and from £15,000 to £40,000 a year
for managers.
Customer services staff should:
- have excellent communication skills
- be polite, confident and friendly
- understand the needs of customers
- enjoy working with people and be interested
in the employer's business.
Customer services staff work all
over the UK in many different sectors including
retail, manufacturing, banking, insurance, travel
and tourism, telecommunications and IT
Call us for further details on 0800 542 2848 |
