Post job

What is a customer care agent and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
Quoted expert
Sally Hiott B.S. MBA, DBA
introduction image

Customer care agents are responsible for serving customers by providing detailed information about a product or service. They respond to incoming calls via the telephone or digital channels. They provide a resolution to inquiries, concerns, and technical issues. Also, they serve as spokesperson for new promotions and product introductions. Aside from that, they identify sales and retention opportunities using the needs of the customer and implement research strategies as directed. Also, they maintain financial accounts by processing customer adjustments.

When applying for this job, candidates must possess a high school diploma or its equivalent. You must have a minimum of two years of previous related work experience. Skills required for this position include multitasking, computer, interpersonal, problem-solving, technical, and communication skills. You must be able to market and promote the company's product and services to consumers. Customer care agents make an average annual salary of $33,881. The range varies between $25,000 and $46,000.

What general advice would you give to a customer care agent?

Sally Hiott B.S. MBA, DBA

Assistant Professor of Marketing, Charleston Southern University

Show employers how you would not only fill an open position regarding the work at hand, but show them how you would be an asset to their team. We are in very team driven work environments currently, and hiring managers want to know what you can bring to the table. Filling a void is great for the workload, but enhancing a team culture makes them not want to work without you!
ScoreCustomer Care AgentUS Average
Salary
2.5

Avg. Salary $31,774

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level
5.9

Growth rate -4%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity
9.7
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.72%

Asian 6.36%

Black or African American 12.82%

Hispanic or Latino 19.53%

Unknown 5.36%

White 55.21%

Gender

female 65.31%

male 34.69%

Age - 39
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 39
Stress level
5.9

Stress level is manageable

7.1 - high

Complexity level
6.6

Complexity level is challenging

7 - challenging

Work life balance
6.5

Work life balance is good

6.4 - fair

Customer care agent career paths

Key steps to become a customer care agent

  1. Explore customer care agent education requirements

    Most common customer care agent degrees

    Bachelor's

    34.6 %

    High School Diploma

    27.1 %

    Associate

    23.6 %
  2. Start to develop specific customer care agent skills

    SkillsPercentages
    Customer Care21.94%
    Customer Service11.60%
    Work Ethic8.64%
    Excellent Interpersonal5.82%
    Customer Interaction5.28%
  3. Complete relevant customer care agent training and internships

    Accountants spend an average of 6-12 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New customer care agents learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a customer care agent based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real customer care agent resumes.
  4. Research customer care agent duties and responsibilities

    • Manage and plan escalations; assure HIPPA guidelines are followed for confidentially and privacy.
    • Apply excellent upselling techniques to increase company profits.
    • Answer all inquiries and concerns relate to a participant's account with the upselling of products and services.
    • Demonstrate superb organizational and multitasking abilities
  5. Prepare your customer care agent resume

    When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your customer care agent resume.

    You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a customer care agent resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

    Choose from 10+ customizable customer care agent resume templates

    Build a professional customer care agent resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your customer care agent resume.
    Customer Care Agent Resume
    Customer Care Agent Resume
    Customer Care Agent Resume
    Customer Care Agent Resume
    Customer Care Agent Resume
    Customer Care Agent Resume
    Customer Care Agent Resume
    Customer Care Agent Resume
    Customer Care Agent Resume
    Customer Care Agent Resume
    Customer Care Agent Resume
    Customer Care Agent Resume
    Customer Care Agent Resume
    Customer Care Agent Resume
    Customer Care Agent Resume
    Customer Care Agent Resume
  6. Apply for customer care agent jobs

    Now it's time to start searching for a customer care agent job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

    1. Browse job boards for relevant postings
    2. Consult your professional network
    3. Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
    4. Watch out for job scams

How did you land your first customer care agent job

Zippi

Are you a customer care agent?

Share your story for a free salary report.

Average customer care agent salary

The average customer care agent salary in the United States is $31,774 per year or $15 per hour. Customer care agent salaries range between $26,000 and $38,000 per year.

Average customer care agent salary
$31,774 Yearly
$15.28 hourly

What am I worth?

salary-calculator

How do customer care agents rate their job?

-/5

5 stars

4 stars

3 stars

2 stars

1 star

Customer care agent reviews

profile
A zippia user wrote a review on Mar 2022
Pros

Getting to know the people and the you work.with

Cons

Being required to answer a minimum number of calls a day. This pushes the idea that the caller is a number and as such, it is more difficult to personalize the call the the person calling in


profile
A zippia user wrote a review on Apr 2020
Pros

Caring to the customer issues is what I do like first and the other thing it is a job that show determination level on the duty.


profile
A zippia user wrote a review on Apr 2020
Pros

I enjoy helping to be the glue to hold people together as friends. I enjoy talking on the phone . I enjoy learning new things about people.


Working as a customer care agent? Share your experience anonymously.
Overall rating*
Career growth
Work/Life balance
Pay/Salary

Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

Browse office and administrative jobs