What do you need to become a customer service representative?

Question

Zippia Team · Accepted Answer

To become a customer service representative, you need a high school diploma or equivalent and good communication skills. A person seeking to become a customer service representative should ideally have a few years of prior experience in a customer service environment (such as retail).

However, typically employers provide on-the-job training for this role. This will probably vary depending on the industry but typically lasts a few weeks to a month or two.

During this training, a person learns about the employer and the products and services the company provides. The customer service representative will also learn company policies and professional methods when working with customers.

Some customer service representatives are expected to update their training regularly. This is particularly true of workers in industries such as finance and banking, in which regulations and products are continually changing.

Some customer service representatives may need college education such as an associate degree in business management or business administration, as employers increasingly demand a more skilled workforce.