Many people’s first jobs are in customer service – a field that can broaden one’s career horizon to include a variety of great opportunities. Learning to provide a great customer service experience requires mastery of numerous soft skills that are easily transferable to nearly every job imaginable!
Here are just a few of the valuable skills you can expect to gain from this awesome entry-level job.
Listening |
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When you work in customer service, strong listening skills are of the utmost importance. You need them to ensure that your customer feels heard and valued, and so that you can quickly identify what they need and provide them with an appropriate solution. In nearly any work environment, you will be presented with a lot of information, and great listening skills will ensure that you are able to process this information and get the job done right – the first time. |
Communication |
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Customer service work exposes you to many different kinds of personalities on a daily basis. No matter who you’re assisting, it’s important that you’re able to communicate information with them in a way that they are able to understand. Communicating clearly and concisely will serve you well in any work environment, whether you’re collaborating with coworkers, explaining the benefits of a new product to a client, or verifying the specifications of an upcoming project. |
Problem Solving |
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You never know exactly what question or concern your next interaction will present you with when you work in customer service. The right solution isn’t always immediately apparent, so your critical thinkings skills, along with the information you received in training, will help you figure out which steps to take so that you can resolve the issue. There will always be problems to solve in any job you take, so mastering this skill will help you excel wherever you go! |
Adaptability |
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Policies, procedures, software, staff – things are changing all the time in the world of work, and your ability to adapt to these changes is vital to your professional success in customer service as well as any other field. Being open to new ways of doing things helps you fine-tune your skills, develop more efficient methods of getting the job done, and remain level-headed when change inevitably occurs. You may even discover strengths that you didn’t know you had! |
Time Management |
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The customer service environment is fast-paced, like many other work environments, and there are many tasks that need to be completed within various timelines. Managing time requires organization, solid multitasking abilities, and an understanding of which tasks take priority. As deadlines approach and priorities shift, the ability to manage time appropriately becauses especially important in order to ensure that all tasks are completed in the required timeframe. |
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