mwachirake, You're already training in customer service. I don't want to prevent you from participating in courses at a learning institution, but it sounds to me like you already have some skills that can be transferred to a position in customer service. Some examples of the things that make up a customer service mentality (in what you described) are the times you went through an entire list of names and contacted them all to make sure they received something (hamper? as in laundry?? Intriguing promotion...) and also the fact that you noticed someone angry on their way of the building. Doing what it takes to regain trust is a big one.

When it comes to the working relationship with your boss, I can't say I am satisfied with what you describe. There might be more to the picture, but I would hope you weren't ignored so quickly in your conversations. Something to keep in mind is that a customer service context might involve a lot of situations where individuals are having to pick up where others left off, sometimes picking up work that stems from an issue in a different team, and sometimes within the same team, so that the flow is kept moving to completion. So when you mention that you have often had to do others' work, I see your point of view, you are disappointed that the situation has become so urgent that you're having to intervene and complete the tasks that others are meant to provide through their formal and expected expertise. I can relate to this, as sometimes it seems like I am called upon to "clean up messes." But there is a silver lining to that feeling and I know there has been one for me, but I think you need to feel recognized for it in order for the silver lining to be noticed. You seem to indicate that you are not feeling recognized.

mwachirake, if you're really serious about pursuing customer service, you should probably try to present yourself in some interviews. I use my instinct in a lot of my thinking, so I can't speak from HR experience or stats, but I think there are two ways of looking at your role as an admin asst/receptionist and how joining a customer service team might feel for you. One view is that you could feel a challenge, because (maybe) you have become accustomed to completing admin tasks for a small group of people on your own primarily, and that's a smaller world. A different view is that through your receptionist activities you are tapping into an interest in being involved in a lot of human contact, so maybe you would fit into a team of people that have to combine efforts. I have seen both of these perspectives in recent years.

At any rate, if you like getting things done for a customer and would prefer not to wait for someone else to do it, then take a look at the companies around you and see if you can contribute to their customer service organization through the background you have. (I assume you don't think there is an opportunity to move into a different role in your current company. I don't know how many opportunities exist where you live, however.) The person interviewing you will want to listen to details about how you approached a problem and the steps you took and the way you interacted with people.

Ayaree,
Thanks so much for the response, advice and the encouragement. I think the main problem where i work is communication. For example someone can go on leave and leave things pending without telling whoever he/she is hading over to so that when the customer does a follow up somebody has to start a fresh.Its smething i have seen a lot here and sometimes i feel like getting involved in other departments but i get scared of being told that am 'taking' somebody's job.
Yes you are right, am tapping into an interest in being involved in a lot of human contact. There is a customer service department where i work but this is combined with marketing. I dont have training in marketing so chances of me being transfered are very slim.I know there are companies with customer service department for example banks which deal with purely handling customers problems, complains and queries. I have applied for a job in customer service in a few companies but what is letting me down is training in the same. Thats why i would like to train in Customer service/Care.Its very hard to get a job because most companies ask for papers.
Ayaree, I would do ANYTHING to train in customer service and to work in a customer service department. I have read a few Public relation books and done a lot of research on the internet on customer relation but i cant go back to college now because that will force me to quit and cant do that because i have dependants. I know there are companies which train for a few weeks or months and that's what am looking for.I know my employer can give me up to 6 months study leave so i can use that to go for training.
Please advice.
Once again thanks for the response.I have learnt a lot from you.Hope to read from you soon.

Ayaree,
Thanks so much for the response, advice and the encouragement. I think the main problem where i work is communication. For example someone can go on leave and leave things pending without telling whoever he/she is hading over to so that when the customer does a follow up somebody has to start a fresh.Its smething i have seen a lot here and sometimes i feel like getting involved in other departments but i get scared of being told that am 'taking' somebody's job.
Yes you are right, am tapping into an interest in being involved in a lot of human contact. There is a customer service department where i work but this is combined with marketing. I dont have training in marketing so chances of me being transfered are very slim.I know there are companies with customer service department for example banks which deal with purely handling customers problems, complains and queries. I have applied for a job in customer service in a few companies but what is letting me down is training in the same. Thats why i would like to train in Customer service/Care.Its very hard to get a job because most companies ask for papers.
Ayaree, I would do ANYTHING to train in customer service and to work in a customer service department. I have read a few Public relation books and done a lot of research on the internet on customer relation but i cant go back to college now because that will force me to quit and cant do that because i have dependants. I know there are companies which train for a few weeks or months and that's what am looking for.I know my employer can give me up to 6 months study leave so i can use that to go for training.
Please advice.
Once again thanks for the response.I have learnt a lot from you.Hope to read from you soon.

mwachirake,

mwachirake, Oops, I think I posted a little in advance by accident...I wonder if you are comfortable saying where you live. I don't think I have spotted that info thus far. I'm trying to get a sense of what your opportunities are--not because I know about every place in the world, but because through process of elimination, I might understand better.

In MY world, I think it is typical to find job opportunities that don't require specific "papers" or certification. It all depends on the company. Some companies are very vague and list very little information on what kinds of credentials are needed; others are more specific and ask for a certain level of education; still other companies specify that you have completed high school/secondary school; and there are also companies that hire people who have completed degrees/certificates/diplomas beyond high school, yet it doesn't necessarily matter what the degree was. I don't think people spell this out often enough, but I think the value in seeing a degree for many people is not so much what it was, but the fact someone completed a project that required dedication and focus. Because customer service can include a range of topics and industries, you can have a range of qualifications, broadly speaking.

I'm not sure why you would not have an opportunity to move into the customer service department at your present company, which is closely tied into marketing. What you have been doing by contacting recipients of awards is familiar to me, as I have had people in my teams provide this kind of work. It is seen as the administration within marketing initiatives. And these are tasks that are handled by employees with a range of experience, depending on the company. When the volume is too high for people that need to focus on bringing in business, a need for someone to focus on the "administrative" task appears. Maybe that is the way the customer service department you have was created. And maybe you were involved as the receptionist because this was not a typical thing that department would handle or had the capacity to handle.

I don't think I can do you much good on the topic of where to increase your credentials at this stage. But if you have been involved in the end stages of marketing campaigns (fulfillment), even though you are actually the receptionist, you are performing "customer service" to me, as you are a part of a process that shows what a company can do, and correct, and do better next time, and so on.

It sounds like what you are calling "customer service" is a specialized thing, with your own lens, and from inside your own company. I don't have your lens, so I might not be seeing the same thing.

Thanks for coming back to talk about this, you've made me think :)

Maybe if you describe the types of things you do again (including what you like and dislike), that will shed more light on where you stand as a candidate in customer service and where to go next. I'm not a recruiting specialist by title with the proper training, but I have hired dozens of people (or hundreds, I should make an effort to count), and this has given me some insights into knowing what people are looking for beyond what they say. So, maybe I am actually a recruiting specialist in the long run. Meanwhile, I hope that, if you are not finding answers that bring you to the next best step from me, you will find them through other people reading and posting here.

ayaree,

Thanks for getting back to me. I have learnt a lot from you.Is it possible for you to give me your email address so that i can forward you a questionaire i have prepared.I would like your opinion.

Mwa, I'm sorry it's taken me some time for me to find this. You obviously have been doing some thinking about what should be worked on and this questionnaire is a part of it. Please don't add to my egotistical nature! :) I can provide insights based on what I recognize from experiences I have had or people I have observed, and there have been pluses and minuses on me along the way, either as a worker or as a manager, and including some (pluses and minuses) while posting here.

I'm not aware of a policy against providing an email address at this forum (after skimming through the Terms of Service), so I will offer up:

ayaree4me@yahoo.com

Will be interesting to see this questionnaire. But I would like to be able to provide some exposure to what we have looked at through one-to-one communication. What I would not do is share specific company info in the forum or anything that points toward that. I think it's important for the posts/threads not to result in off-forum discourse without follow-through here, where it all started. :)

Gabbie and Mwachirake, anything new? Have you seen any changes or made any changes to your day-to-day since we last exchanged thoughts?

What is customer service?

Here's one definition, with an easy acronym for remembering:
Welcome customers in a friendly manner
Hear them, identify their needs
Accomplish their needs, meeting and exceeding expectations
Thank customers and invite them to return.

W.H.A.T. is customer service!

Kirk
www.EngagingTraining.com
customer service training videos, free resources and more!

Ayaree,
Nothing new.Trying to apply what i have learnt on the forum.Thanks for asking.

Kirk that's a good one. Brief and to the point.

Mwachirake, I look up at other interchanges between us and I see these looonnnng answers from me (compared with the one about W.H.A.T.), I hope I haven't been longwinded for naught. I don't say that based on anything you've said, I just wonder if I have been constructive.

I remember the example you provided about the fulfillment program and how you were involved in making all the necessary contacts that were lacking. I don't know what kinds of opportunities exist where you are working, but it still makes sense to me that your experience at fulfilling marketing programs would be an asset. I would imagine other such programs have taken place since the time you shared that example? I wonder if there has been an increase of in-house experience (gained by you) that would be applicable to another position that requires handling more detailed focus on customer issues?

Has there been an opportunity to discuss your aspirations at your company any further--or even outside your company (not sure of you are at the same place)?

Ayaree,
Thanks for your response.Am still with the same company,same position. Almost gave up especially after complain from colleagues that am trying to take their jobs.It reached a point where i didnt know what to do.In my position i dont have a 'voice' therefore i cant be heard and at some point i was scared of loosing my job so i withdrew but that doesnt mean that i dont give our clients the best service i still do.
In our company customer service is combined with marketing.Am not into marketing and dont have training in marketing. I dont think i will be happy there. But i have been trying to look at companys that have customer service department on its own.
Otherwise checking out other C. S websites to learn more.

Hi:
Just joined the forum today. I am most interested on how to organize and set up a separate Customer Relationship/Service Department. Our current set-up is Customer Service is part of Sales Administration. This year we wanted to focus on Customer Care.

Would appreciate your help.

Thank you.

sva