Customer service representatives work in a variety of atmospheres and act as connections between businesses and their patrons in settings that range from face-to-face interaction to telephone or e-mail communication. The financial and insurance sectors employed about 23 percent of U.S. customer service representatives in 2008. About 15 percent worked in administrative and support service fields, including third-party call centers, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. These employees have to know how to deal with customers who have questions or need help resolving problems as well as those calling to lodge complaints.
Customer Service Online Colleges
Most employers require customer service representatives to be high school graduates, although some mandate associate or bachelor's degrees. Necessary skills differ depending on the type of industry a representative works in. Training can last up to several weeks and often includes a focus on the employer and its products, frequently asked customer questions and communication systems that involve operating computers and phones. You can also find a variety of online customer service degrees that can be helpful in your training. While college level training in areas such as business, computers and English can be helpful, available online degrees include the Associate of Applied Science in Business Administration - Customer Services, a Bachelor's of Business Administration in Customer Care Management and an MBA program in Leading the Customer-Driven Organization. The skills that can be obtained in some of these advanced programs can include identifying leadership qualities and assessing future career potential of employees to analyzing the strategies used in a customer support center. Other online degrees that could be of interest to you include those in business administration, business management and human resources.
Job openings in the customer service field are expected to grow 18 percent between 2008 and 2018, according to the BLS. This could result in nearly 400,000 new opportunities during this time. Furthermore, technological advancements, such as online banking, are expected to bring in additional job opportunities as businesses operate more over the Internet. Customer service representatives earned a mean annual wage of $32,780, according 2010 BLS data. Although customer service positions are often entry-level, according to the BLS, these roles can still be a stepping stone towards a managerial position. Office and administrative support supervisors and managers, for instance, earned mean annual wages of $50,770, according to BLS. If you like working with the public, other occupations that could of interest to you include those for computer operators, emergency dispatchers, receptionists and more.