WEBVTT

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People with strong listening

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and problem-solving skills…

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who can patiently explain

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product details and handle complaints…

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have the key qualities needed

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to be a customer service representative.

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Customer service representatives

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—or CSRs—

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work in nearly every industry

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to process orders,

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provide information about products

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and services,

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and resolve complaints… usually by phone,

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although some work with customers

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face-to-face, by email, or live chat.

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Customer service representative duties

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vary by industry:

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they may answer banking account questions,

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track utility service outage reports,

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process returns and refunds in a store,

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or help customers find a product

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they’re looking for online.

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Many CSR positions

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are in telephone call centers,

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credit and insurance agencies,

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banks, and retail stores.

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Representatives often answer calls in a large,

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shared work area,

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which can be crowded and noisy.

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Some CSRs are required to take

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a certain number of calls during their shift,

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and all CSRs deal with at least

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the occasional dissatisfied customer.

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Most representatives work full time…

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schedules may include nights, early mornings,

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weekends, or holidays.

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Customer service representatives

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typically need a high school diploma

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and are trained on the job.

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Good communication skills

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and experience using computers

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are helpful for candidates.