What are good customer service skills?
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.
Why are customer service skills important?
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 makes good customer service?
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:
- Empathy: when it comes to providing good customer service, it’s important to put yourself in the customer's shoes. Showing genuine concern for a customer’s issues shows them that the business cares about keeping them happy.
- Communication: good communication is an important part of customer service. First, you need to be an attentive, active listener, so you can understand the customer’s needs. You also need to be able to speak or write clearly and concisely, using a friendly and respectful tone.
- Problem solving: at the core of customer service is problem solving. You need to be able to critically evaluate a customer need or problem and come up with solutions that work for the customer and the business.
- Professionalism: when providing customer service, it’s important to remain polite and focused on the business objectives, whether that’s making a sale or fixing a problem. This means having a helpful attitude and respectful demeanour when interacting with customers.
- Proactivity: taking a proactive approach means you anticipate problems and address them before they become issues. It also involves identifying problems that are already happening and working on solutions so they don’t continue.
Good customer service skills you need in the workplace
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.
Communication skills
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.
Technical knowledge
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 skills
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.
Empathy and emotional intelligence
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.
Adaptability and resilience
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.
How to improve your customer service skills
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:
- Work on your communication skills, including active listening.
- Seek feedback and learn how to give constructive feedback
- Participate in training and development programs
- Role-play customer interactions with colleagues
- Observe and learn from experienced customer service professionals
- Read customer feedback reports
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.
Customer service skills examples for a resumé
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:
- Resumé summary: your summary is a brief statement that captures your overall experience and career goals. You can use this section to show customer service resumé skills that are relevant to the position you’re applying for.
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.
- Career history or experience: this section details your relevant work experiences, accomplishments and responsibilities. Use action verbs when discussing your customer service skills for a resumé to help quantify your achievements.
For example:
Customer Service Representative, Ecommerce Company 2018–2022
- Achieved consistently above average CSAT scores
- 90% one-touch resolution rate
- More than 10 tickets/hour
- Key skills section: in this section, emphasise the specific technical and soft skills you possess that are relevant to the target job description.
For example:
Customer service skills: adaptability, critical problem solving, excellent written/chat communication, technical product knowledge, calm under pressure.
- Certifications: if you’ve completed additional training, be sure to include it in a dedicated certifications or qualifications section on your resumé.
For example:
- Graduate Certificate in Customer Success Management
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.
FAQs
How can I improve my customer service skills?
There are a number of steps you can take to improve your customer service skills, including:
- practise active listening,
- develop empathy and make an effort to understand other people’s perspectives,
- listen to and learn from customer feedback, and
- seek mentorship from a colleague with strong customer service skills.
What are the 3 important qualities of customer service?
Effective customer service encompasses a broad range of skills – but what are the top 3 skills of a customer service agent?
- Empathy
- Communication
- Problem-solving skills
How do I tailor my resumé for a customer service job?
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.
What keywords should I include in my customer service resumé?
While it’s important to tailor your resumé to the position you’re applying for, common customer service keywords include:
- Customer support
- Customer relationship management (CRM) systems
- Detail oriented
- Proactive
- Communication skills
- Troubleshooting
Are technical skills important in customer service?
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.
What are some real-life examples of excellent customer service?
Some companies have built a reputation for delivering high standards of customer service. Here are some examples:
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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.
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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.
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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.
How can I demonstrate empathy in my resumé?
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.
What certifications enhance my customer service resumé?
There are a number of certifications that can make a resumé stand out when applying for a customer service role, including:
- Certificate III in Business (Customer Engagement)
- Customer Experience Strategy and Design
- Graduate Certificate in Customer Success Management
What is the difference between hard and soft customer service skills?
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.
