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Ultimate Customer Service Job Description

If you have always wanted to be a Customer Service Rep, here is what a job description might look like.

General Description:

Interact with customers to provide and process information in response to inquiries, concerns and requests about products and services. Take action to correct any issues.

Main Job Tasks and Responsibilities

* Deal directly with customers either by telephone, electronically or face to face. You may end up talking to over 100 people a day. How does that sound?

* Respond promptly to customer inquiries. Like they want it yesterday.

* Handle and resolve customer complaints. Good buddy, you will get them constantly.

* Perform customer verifications. It will be amusing when you are staring at their driver's license number or social security number and they claim they never gave it to the company. Yeah.

* Process orders, forms, applications and requests. Better not make any mistakes or look out.

* Direct requests and unresolved issues to the designated resource. Whew! At least this one you can punt.

* Keep records of customer interactions and transactions. Probably half of you will not do this most of the time.

* Record details of actions taken. Do it quick, write like Hemingway, edit like AP Stylebook says and get ready to do it again and again.

* Communicate and coordinate with internal departments. Don't make any enemies here.

* Follow up on customer interactions. If you say you will call them back, then CALL THEM BACK.

Education and Experience

* High school diploma, some college preferred. Just do good on the interview.

* Knowledge of customer service principles and practices. Don't worry, they will train you.

* Knowledge of computer applications. As long as you can use the internet you will pick this up.

* Product knowledge of industry. A one sentence answer will do here.

Key Competencies

* Interpersonal skills. This is being able to answer the phone and say "hello, how may I help you?"

* Communication skills, both verbal and written. Can you understand what the caller says?

* Listening skills. Being told what to do by management.

* Problem analysis and problem-solving. As companies like to claim, we do things right the first time, all the time.

* Adaptability. This really means your breaks and lunches may not be to your liking.

* Stress tolerance. Whoa, get ready for this from all points. Customers, management and co-workers.

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