A business needs its customers to survive and with such competitive global markets in most industries, consumers can simply choose to take their business elsewhere if they feel they are not being treated like they matter.
And, thanks to social media, people can now broadcast their unpleasant or lacklustre customer service experiences to the world, with companies scrambling to mitigate the damage and try and control negative PR.
For this reason, good companies tend to invest a lot in their customer support. They want friendly, helpful, competent people to be the faces and voices of their organization. Because of this, businesses are always on the lookout for customer support superstars. If you would like to know more about job prospects in the industry, below is the ultimate guide to a career in customer support.
Get Your Customer Support Resume in Order
Regardless of the industry in which you are searching for jobs, your resume and cover letters should always be specifically tailored to industry-specific requirements and demands. In the case of customer support, it is always a good idea to consult proven customer support resume templates to make sure you start your job search off on the right foot.
Having a resume that highlights the attributes and qualifications employers and hiring managers are looking for in customer service roles–an ability to problem solve, diplomacy, a love of people, superior written and oral communication skills–is the fundamental first step to finding employment in this competitive industry.
Actively Listen in Your Interview
Active listening skills are one of the most important relationship-building soft skills you will use throughout your professional and personal life and they are especially important in the customer support industry. Think back to the last positive customer service experience you had. The person you were speaking to most likely spent the majority of your conversation listening intently to what you had to say and then responding in ways that made you feel they were taking your concerns or questions seriously.
If you feel that your active listening abilities could do with some improvement, there is ample literature out there to help you incorporate these techniques into your daily interactions with others. Actively listen during your interview and give a hiring manager important insight into how you would conduct yourself as a frontline employee.
Upskill With Relevant Certifications
Customer service certainly requires a specific type of person and, to an extent, innate interpersonal skills sets and competencies. But there are a variety of customer support designations out there that let prospective employers know you are serious about your career and bring valuable theoretical knowledge to the table as well.
There are different certifications out there for different customer support roles, including those for call coordinators, help desk personnel, support analysts, service dispatchers, and senior support professionals. Once you have secured gainful employment in the customer support industry and want to take your career to the next level, you can look into leadership training courses and certifications to help you better manage people.
Leverage Your Languages
If you are bi or multilingual, you have just increased your value in the customer care industry enormously. The economy is global and companies do business with people from all over the world. It is not uncommon for modern organizations to offer a number of different language options for customers calling or chatting online with questions, complaints or concerns.
If you are able to provide support in multiple languages, and particularly in those spoken by a significant number of your employer’s customers, you immediately become a more attractive applicant. Always emphasize your language capabilities on a resume and during an interview for instant bonus points.
Never Stop Working on Your Customer Support Etiquette
A good way to make sure that your supervisors take notice of you when working in any customer support role is to get good feedback from customers. If you are helpful, courteous and actively listen so that you may accurately respond to customer requests and demands, there is a good chance that the people you have assisted will be willing to provide positive feedback.
Think back to the last time you responded to a questionnaire at the end of a customer service call or an online chat support session for a representative that made a good impression on you. That feedback is taken extremely seriously by employers and supervisors, and support reps who accumulate regular praise and positive feedback from clients are more likely to get raises, bigger bonuses and faster promotions.
Conclusion
To succeed in customer support, you have to like people, or at the very least have a high degree of patience and tolerance. This is the bare minimum of what’s required of you.
On top of this, you should have a resume that is specifically tailored to the industry, demonstrate superb active listening skills during interviews and training, take opportunities to upskill and improve your accreditations, highlight your language capabilities if you are multilingual, and be constantly honing your customer support etiquette. Do all of this and you are well on your way to a successful career in customer support.
