With rising unemployment figures rocking the country and depression setting in for a large number of jobless 18-24 year olds, it seems as though the majority of job vacancies at the moment are in the customer service industry. Customer service can take a variety of forms, be it face-to-face, over the telephone, and even online.
With customer service at the heart of the majority of businesses, you may find yourself asking whether it is the correct industry for you.
Jobseeking Alerts
If you’re a current jobseeker who’s signed up to job alerts, you’ll likely find yourself bombarded with customer service vacancies. You may think customer service is just about standing behind a till all day, scanning products. That’s where you’re wrong – customer service is about going above and beyond for the customer.
A common motto you’ll often hear in this industry is that the customer is always right. Whilst this may prove frustrating on a number of occasions, you have to remember that your job is to provide the best possible service to all customers. You’ll have days where you feel exhausted from delivering such a service, but by helping others, you’ll be doing the best job possible.
Customer service jobs can relate to a number of different sectors: retail, banking, healthcare, public sector and business to business (B2B).
Are you a people person?
Taking care of customer needs in a retail environment can be one of the most challenging jobs. You’ll have to deal with endless customers from the general public on a day to day basis. Some won’t always be happy to see you; they may not say hello back to you, or wish to engage in conversation.
They may not even acknowledge your presence other than to ask how much something costs or whether they can have cash-back on their purchase. If you start each day by not smiling, barking the price at your customers, and cursing under your breath if they walk out without buying anything, the chances are, you’re in for a long one.
Stay Cheerful
Smile at everyone, engage in conversation and watch how well the customer responds. A simple, ‘ooh that scarf is a lovely colour, is it for yourself?’ shows a genuine interest in your customer. If you spot someone hovering by the make-up section for a while, don’t assume they’re about to make off with the best stuff under their jacket – go over and offer to help them.
Make personal recommendations. By engaging in conversation, you’ll easily learn exactly what your customer is looking for and be able to help them to the best of your capabilities. They’ll remember that shopping trip as a positive one, and are more likely to shop there in future.
Do you enjoy working with others?
If you enjoy helping others, a job in customer service could be ideal for you. Working in customer service will give you basic knowledge of the day-to-day running of a business, as well as hone your skills further. If you’re quite shy, working in customer service can improve your confidence and make you more comfortable talking and meeting new people. It also involves working as a team as well as taking responsibility for your own actions.
The better the service you provide, the more likely the customer is to recommend you to friends. Always have a smile on your face, and be ready to help further. Having a positive attitude, a friendly and approachable manner, and being polite will take you far in the customer service industry. If this sounds like something you’d be interested in, search for jobs relating to customer service today and start building your career.
