Customer service workers are the frontline of an organisation – they’re responsible for keeping clients and customers happy. To do their jobs well, they need a specific set of skills.
While we usually think of customer service skills in the context of retail and hospitality jobs, they’re also important in corporate environments like sales and advertising. In this guide, we outline good customer service skills to have, how to improve them, and how to highlight them on your resumé.
Customer service is the direct connection between a business and its customers. Companies rely on customer service employees to build positive relationships with consumers and clients, so that they keep coming back for repeat business. Good customer service qualities also improve brand reputation and build trust. If customers trust a brand, they’re likely to be loyal to it, give it good online reviews, and even refer it to their friends.
What are customer service skills? Good customer service skills are grounded in communication and empathy, but involve much more than that. Here are some qualities and abilities that are essential to good customer service:
Key skills for customer service can vary depending on your industry. However, customer service is based on a common set of skills that can be transferred into any role.
Good customer service relies on a range of communication skills, which can include verbal, non-verbal and written communication. It also includes skills like active listening and the ability to relay potentially complex information clearly to customers. To provide good customer service, you have to be able to communicate well with all different types of people.
In order to be able to solve problems efficiently, you need to have a reasonable level of technical skill and knowledge. As a customer service representative, you’ll draw on your product or service expertise to solve problems that customers face.
Problem solving involves working with the customer to identify the cause of their issue, so that you can provide a solution that works for them and your company. You might need to use both critical and creative thinking in your approach, depending on the complexity of the issue.
The ability to recognise and relate to customer emotions is important in providing good customer service. Interactions with customers aren’t always positive, but by showing empathy you can usually de-escalate situations and move on with finding an acceptable resolution. Emotional intelligence is also important in making sales, by helping to build rapport with clients.
When you work in customer service, you may encounter difficult situations or receive negative feedback. Overcoming difficult situations like this requires resilience and adaptability as you course-correct to stay on track for a positive outcome.
Customer service skills aren’t limited to customer-service based roles. They can be easily transferred to other positions and can often help to progress your career, no matter your role or industry. There are plenty of steps you can take to improve your customer service skills, whether or not you’re in a customer-facing role.
Here’s how:
As with any role, there’s always room to learn and improve your skill set. By embracing continuous learning, you can continue to grow your own skills and open yourself up to new opportunities along the way.
Whether you’ve previously worked in a customer service role or you’re applying for a new position, including customer service skills on your resumé can be a great way to show that you have good soft skills.
There are several areas on your resumé where you can incorporate your customer service skills, including:
For example: Dedicated customer-focused professional with six years of experience in providing exceptional client service in healthcare. Literate in medical terminology and adept at using CRM platforms, with consistently high CSAT.
For example:
Customer Service Representative, Ecommerce Company 2018–2022
For example:
Customer service skills: adaptability, critical problem solving, excellent written/chat communication, technical product knowledge, calm under pressure.
For example:
Good customer service is essential to the overall success of every retail and hospitality brand. As an employee, having strong customer service skills can help you across a variety of roles. Most customer service skills and qualities – like resilience, adaptability and excellent communication – will help you get ahead, regardless of the industry or role you’re in.
There are a number of steps you can take to improve your customer service skills, including:
Effective customer service encompasses a broad range of skills – but what are the top 3 skills of a customer service agent?
When tailoring your resumé for a customer service role, highlight the skills that are relevant for the position. Start by looking at the job description and identifying the skills mentioned. Then, add these skills throughout different sections of your resumé, like your summary or career history. Wondering what are the key skills for a customer service CV? You’ll want to include things like adaptability, patience, problem-solving abilities and critical-thinking skills.
While it’s important to tailor your resumé to the position you’re applying for, common customer service keywords include:
Technical skills play a big role in providing good customer service. Depending on the role, you may need to demonstrate proficiency in data entry, data analysis, specific software, technical troubleshooting and/or CRM systems.
Some companies have built a reputation for delivering high standards of customer service. Here are some examples:
Amazon (e-commerce): Amazon built its early reputation on its customer-centric approach. Their customer service team is available 24/7 and they prioritise quick issue resolution.
Apple (technology): Apple has set high standards for customer service. Their Genius Bar provides in-person technical support and their studios are built around delivering an overall ‘experience’ to customers, complete with friendly, approachable sales staff.
Ritz-Carlton (hospitality): Ritz-Carlton is synonymous with luxury and outstanding service. An oft-cited example is the Ritz-Carlton Card, which empowers any employee, even a housekeeper, to spend up to $2,000 to resolve a guest’s problem without seeking approval.
One of the best ways to demonstrate empathy on a resumé is to provide examples of times where you’ve emotionally connected with a customer to achieve a positive outcome. For example, in the career history section, you could include a point that illustrates how you used empathy in your role:
Achieved above average CSAT rating by providing empathetic solutions to customer concerns.
There are a number of certifications that can make a resumé stand out when applying for a customer service role, including:
"Hard" customer service skills refer to subject matter knowledge and specific abilities, like being able to repair a certain machine or knowing the technical specifications of a product. For customer-service roles, they might include proficiency in CRM software (to pull up customer data), technical knowledge of products or services, and data-analysis skills. Soft skills are interpersonal qualities that are more difficult to measure and quantify. Soft customer service skills include empathy, communication, patience and intuition.
If you’re applying for a customer service role but you don’t have any experience, it’s important to focus on transferable skills. Skills like effective communication, problem-solving, teamwork and time management are extremely important in customer service roles. It can also be worth including volunteer experiences or extra curricular activities that highlight your interpersonal skills.