What Skills Are Needed for Customer Service?

Customer service representatives and specialists work directly with a company's customers, answering questions, providing information, performing research and handling complaints. Because they are often a company's main source of continual customer contact, it's important that they have a high level of specific skills.

Communication

Customer service representatives often handle client concerns by phone. Because they are unable to see the customer face to face, it's important they be skilled communicators. Customer service representatives must be good listeners and articulate, and able to write concise and clear emails and letters.

Problem Solving

Often, customer service representatives must diagnose problems, overcome objections or answer complicated questions. This makes it very important to be skilled in quick, logical problem solving.

Computer Skills

The majority of customer service representatives use computers to retrieve client or company information. As such, they must be comfortable using computers and able to learn and implement different types of software such as databases, word processing and the Internet.

People Skills

Customers are often upset when they contact customer service. This makes it very important that representatives are able to remain calm, courteous and respectful at all times.

Grammar and Spelling

Customers service representatives should speak proper English and be able to avoid slang. When writing emails or letters, they must practice good grammar and spelling.