In this Knowledgebase
Who Works in Customer Service
- Overview of who you interact with regarding your customer needs
- Breakdown of what a CSR truly brings their employer
Customer service is a broad industry that employs people from all walks of life. Who is behind the support line offering phone, chat, email, and social media support?
Here’s a general overview of what you can expect when you reach a Customer Service Representative (CSR).
CSR Levels
Artificial Intelligence (AI) Agent: When you contact a company, you may not interact with an actual human; it will be an AI programmed and trained to give you essential support.
Newbie
Will have less than six months of experience
Intermediate
Has been with the company for at least 1-2 years
Subject Matter Expert (SME) or Senior Agent
They have been with the company for at least two years and have outstanding product knowledge and usually excellent customer service skills.
Trainer
This SME has demonstrated that they have all-around outstanding skills all CSRs should have, and they have the opportunity to train newcomers.
Supervisor
This individual is tasked with supervising all operations and will handle most escalations.
Manager
Very rarely takes calls but focuses on taking care of the contact center’s short-, mid-, and long-term planning.
Customer Service Skill
Natural
Some people have the skill of connecting with absolutely anyone they come across in any communication channel. These individuals will be able to demonstrate empathy, care, and support because it’s within their nature to be service-oriented.
Acquired
These individuals may be introverted, shy, or new to the customer service trade, so they have to work hard to sound caring and empathic to their customer’s needs. However, they are service-oriented because, above all, they wish to serve their company and their customers well. These individuals will have the vision to grow in or outside the organization, so they will generally work hard to achieve their personal and professional goals.
It is no natural skill, but it is still functional.
Certain CSRs try to please their customers and will serve their customers’ needs, but this does not sound natural. They may sound like they are not fully engaged, but their voice may not communicate the friendliness of the desire to help, but they do.
No natural skill and may struggle to communicate.
Some individuals may be unable to thrive in a fast-paced, evolving customer service environment. As a customer when you talk to them, they will sound lost and confused because they may not know what they need to do to begin to support their customer. These CSRs wi
Years of Experience
The average length of a CSR’s tenure is roughly 2 to 3 year
Thus, most CSRs will have less than five years of experience and usually have intermediate trade knowledge.
Location
Local – A Company’s CSR works nearby or in the same building as the company that employs them.
Remote – This is someone who is generally in the same city as their company,
Outsourced – When companies need to save money on paying North American wages, they will outsource to mainly India, the Philippines, or South America.
Language
- Native English Speaker
- Bilingual+
Age Group
- Most CSRs will be between 18 to 35 years of age
- The second most considerable age work will be 35 to 50 years of age
- Minority will be people in their 50s
- The smallest minority of CSRs consist of individuals who are near retirement or past retirement age
Proficiency with Technology
CSRs who do not work with technology will have the following range of tech knowledge:
- Most CSRs have basic proficiency with Microsoft Word, Excel and Windows
- Minority will have intermediate knowledge of Microsoft Office and other software
- The smallest minority will have expert level in Microsoft Office, Windows, and other software
Number of Customers Served Per Day
- 40 to 70 customers on average
- 70 to 120 for easy contacts
Number of Escalations Handled Per Day
- 1 to 3 on average
Company Tenure
- The average tenure of a CSR is 2 to 3 years across most industries
The Outcome of a company being Customer-Centric
When a company is fully committed to customer service, it will do its best to hire, train, and grow individuals who want to excel at serving the needs of its customers. Thus, as customers, we can look for CSRs focused on achieving the following when we interact with them over the phone, email, chat, or social media.
- Ability to establish rapport with customers
- Active Listening
- Detail-oriented
- First Contact-Minded
- Empathetic
- Teamwork to achieve company or department goals
- Solution-minded
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