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Customer service assistant

Alternative titles for this job include Customer service adviser

Customer service assistants deal with customers' queries, purchases and complaints.

Average salary (a year)

£12,500 Starter

to

£30,000 Experienced

Typical hours (a week)

37 to 40 a week

You could work

evenings / weekends / bank holidays on shifts

How to become a Customer service assistant

You can get into this job through:

  • a college course
  • an apprenticeship
  • applying directly

College

You can take a college course before applying for a job. Courses are widely available and include:

  • Level 1 Certificate in Customer Service
  • Level 2 Certificate in Contact Centre Operations

Entry requirements

You may need:

  • 2 or fewer GCSEs at grades 3 to 1 (D to G) for a level 1 course
  • 2 or more GCSEs at grades 9 to 3 (A* to D) for a level 2 course

More information

Apprenticeship

You can do an intermediate or advanced apprenticeship in customer service.

Entry requirements

You'll usually need:

  • some GCSEs, usually including English and maths, for an intermediate apprenticeship
  • 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), usually including English and maths, for an advanced apprenticeship

More information

Direct application

You can apply for jobs if you have customer service experience, for example from working in a shop, hotel or contact centre.

Employers may expect you to have some GCSEs, or equivalent qualifications, but also good communication skills and a friendly personality.

What it takes

Skills and knowledge

You'll need:

  • customer service skills
  • to be thorough and pay attention to detail
  • the ability to work well with others
  • sensitivity and understanding
  • patience and the ability to remain calm in stressful situations
  • the ability to accept criticism and work well under pressure
  • excellent verbal communication skills
  • active listening skills
  • you will be expected to use a computer confidently as part of this job.

What you'll do

Day-to-day tasks

Your day-to-day activities may include:

  • answering customers' questions by phone, email, webchat or face-to-face
  • giving quotations and checking product availability
  • selling and taking payment
  • handling complaints or passing them to a manager
  • entering customer information onto a computer database
  • tracking orders and giving refunds

Working environment

You could work at a store, in a contact centre or in an office.

You may need to wear a uniform.

Career path and progression

With experience, you could progress to team leader or customer services manager.

You could also move into sales or account handling.

Training opportunities

Apprenticeships In England

Customer Service Apprentice

  • Wage : £138.75 Weekly
  • Location: Burton-On-Trent DE13 0BN

Witney- Customer Service Apprenticeship (Retail)

  • Wage : £162.00 Weekly
  • Location: Oxon OX28 6AP
Find apprenticeships near you

Courses In England

Customer Service - Level 1

  • Provider: BAES
  • Start date: 13 March 2019
  • Location: BIRMINGHAM

CUSTOMER SERVICE - LEVEL 2 APPRENTICESHIP

  • Provider: Lancaster & Morecambe College
  • Start date: 01 August 2019
  • Location: Lancaster
Find courses near you

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