Customer Service Representatives

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This occupation is part of the Office and Administrative Support cluster

About the Job

Interact with customers to provide information in response to inquiries about products and services and to handle and resolve complaints.

It is also Called

  • Account Adjuster
  • Account Manager
  • Account Representative
  • Account Service Representative
  • Adjustment Clerk
  • Automotive Service Advisor
  • Automotive Service Writer
  • Bill Adjuster
  • Call Center Representative
  • Claim Adjuster

What They Do

  • Confer with customers by telephone or in person to provide information about products or services, take or enter orders, cancel accounts, or obtain details of complaints.
  • Keep records of customer interactions or transactions, recording details of inquiries, complaints, or comments, as well as actions taken.
  • Check to ensure that appropriate changes were made to resolve customers' problems.
  • Determine charges for services requested, collect deposits or payments, or arrange for billing.
  • Refer unresolved customer grievances to designated departments for further investigation.
  • Review insurance policy terms to determine whether a particular loss is covered by insurance.
  • Contact customers to respond to inquiries or to notify them of claim investigation results or any planned adjustments.
  • Resolve customers' service or billing complaints by performing activities such as exchanging merchandise, refunding money, or adjusting bills.
  • Compare disputed merchandise with original requisitions and information from invoices and prepare invoices for returned goods.
  • Obtain and examine all relevant information to assess validity of complaints and to determine possible causes, such as extreme weather conditions that could increase utility bills.

Interests

People who work in this occupation generally have the interest code: ESC.

This means people who work in this occupation generally have Enterprising interests, but also prefer Social and Conventional environments.

Work Values

People who work in this occupation generally prize Relationships, but also value Support and Independence in their jobs.

Things They Need to Know

  • Customer and Personal Service - Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
  • Clerical - Knowledge of administrative and clerical procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and other office procedures and terminology.
  • English Language - Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
  • Computers and Electronics - Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
  • Mathematics - Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.

Things They Need to Be Able to Do

  • Speaking - Talking to others to convey information effectively.
  • Active Listening - Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
  • Service Orientation - Actively looking for ways to help people.
  • Reading Comprehension - Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
  • Persuasion - Persuading others to change their minds or behavior.
  • Critical Thinking - Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
  • Writing - Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.

Additional Resources


Education Required

These occupations usually require a high school diploma.

Wages

In 2012, the average annual wage in California was $38,860.00 with most people making between $23,190.00 and $59,280.00

Outlook

1.85%
avg. annual growth

During 2010, this occupation employed approximately 197,300 people in California. It is projected that there will be 233,900 employed in 2020.

This occupation will have about 3,650 openings due to growth and about 5,610 replacement openings for approximately 9,260 total annual openings.

Common College Majors

Industries that Employ this Occupation

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