Although countless numbers of call center jobs have been outsourced to foreign countries over the last decade, customer service representative positions still remain plentiful here at home. Labour Market Information, the online resource sponsored by Human Resources and Skills Development Canada, shows the job outlook for customer service representatives in the financial services sector as "good" in Ontario.[1] It also rates customer services prospects as "good" under "Customer Service, Information and Related Clerks" in eight of the nine Ontario metro areas.[2]
For many high school graduates, becoming a customer service representative can be a great way to enter the business world. The experience one gets as a customer service representative can lead to jobs with increasing responsibility — and even better pay!
7 Habits of Great Customer Service Representatives
If you're currently working as a customer service representative, or are thinking about pursuing customer service as a career, here are seven ways you can help ensure career success:
1. Know your company. Before you can even begin to be an effective customer service representative, you need to have an expert knowledge of your company and the goods or services it provides. Customers are coming to you for answers, and knowing your company's offerings inside and out can help you quickly find solutions to your callers' issues.
2. Project friendliness and respect. Customers are your company's lifeblood. Treat all callers with the respect they deserve, and always project an attitude of friendliness and support. No matter how upset or aggressive a caller might be, being calm and helpful is the one and only path to resolving a situation positively.
3. Be apologetic. Don't be afraid to say "I'm sorry," even if a problem or error wasn't directly your fault. Saying "I'm sorry" is a proven way for a customer service representative to defuse a potentially explosive confrontation and allow both parties to work towards a solution.
4. Identify the actual problem. If a customer is calling a customer service representative with a complaint, chances are that caller will be emotional and perhaps even somewhat disorganized in his/her speech. Take the time to dispassionately diagnose the problem to determine what the problem really is. Never assume. Very often, the real problem isn't even what the caller first says it is.
5. Learn to listen. Effective listening is a customer service skill that needs to be consciously developed. Letting customers do most of the talking is not only a great way to have them blow off steam, but by listening carefully, you can often pick up clues that will more quickly lead you to the answer the customer's looking for.
6. Avoid jargon. Your speech should be natural and conversational, not peppered with “tech speak” and TLAs (three-letter acronyms). If you must use a technical term, be sure to explain it.
7. If you don't have an answer, find someone who does. Even the best customer service representatives don't have the answer to every problem. When stuck for a solution, talk to your supervisor or manager. Never simply abandon the caller just because you don't have an immediate answer.
Banking and Financial Services Career Education at Everest College in Thunder Bay
Customer service skills are an important part of the curriculum of the Banking and Financial Services career education program at Everest College of Business, Technology and Health Care's Thunder Bay campus. Two 40-hour units of this career education program are devoted to customer service representative training, as many Everest graduates who enter the banking and financial field begin their careers in this position. It's a skillset that can be transferred to a broad range of positions beyond the banking and financial industries.
Other courses in Everest's Banking and Financial Services program include:
- Introduction to Computers
- Windows Fundamentals
- Foreign Exchange
- Consumer and Mortgage Credit
- Investments
- Mutual Funds
- Customer Service and Professionalism
Upon completing this seven-month program, Everest graduates can take advantage of the school's Career Services department. Career Services helps graduates prepare winning resumes, practice effective interviewing techniques and identify job opportunities in their area.
For More Information
For more information about the Banking and Financial Services program or other career education programs at the Thunder Bay campus, contact Everest College today!
[1] Labour Market Information: http://www.labourmarketinformation.ca/standard.aspx?ppid=84&lcode=eng&prov=35&gaid=0&occ=1433&job=&search_key=1&search_ppid=57&search_type=1&employer_potential=&search_criteria=employer_potential_default;1;employer_potential_current;1;new_search;1;search_type;1;province_id;35;search_key;1;noc_title;Customer%20Service%20Representative;geo_area_id;0;
[2] Labor Market Information: http://www.labourmarketinformation.ca/standard.aspx?ppid=84&lcode=eng&prov=35&gaid=0&occ=1453&job=&search_key=1&search_ppid=57&search_type=1&employer_potential=&search_criteria=employer_potential_default;1;employer_potential_current;1;new_search;1;search_type;1;province_id;35;search_key;1;noc_title;Customer%20Service%20Representative;geo_area_id;0;
