What is a customer support specialist and how to become one

Q: How much do customer support specialists make?

Customer support specialists make between $29,500 and $41,000 annually. The nationwide average is $36,458. The amount varies based on location, industry, and background. Some support specialists go through quick training to serve the role, while others may have strong information technology (IT) backgrounds and are helping guide users through complex network systems.

Q: What are the duties of a customer support specialist?

The duties of a customer support specialist are dedicated to addressing the concerns or queries of a customer. They typically specialize in guiding users through the use of a specific product or system.

Q: What is a customer support specialist?

A customer support specialist is a professional who provides information or sells products and services to customers. Customer support specialists are experts on the features and functionality of a product and guide users through proper use. Customer service support specialists are also on call to resolve issues and handle complaints.

Q: What is the difference between a customer service representative and a customer support specialist?

The difference between customer service representatives and customer support specialists is that customer service representatives are more generalized resources that deal with administrative issues.

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

Quoted expert

Steve Hood

A customer support specialist is a person who assists customers with product or service related inquiries, complaints, and technical issues through various channels such as phone, email, chat, or social media. Customer support specialists maintain records of customer interactions and feedback to improve the quality of service and identify areas for improvement. They must possess excellent communication skills, problem-solving abilities, and patience. Customer support specialists work in various industries such as retail, healthcare, technology, and finance.

What general advice would you give to a customer support specialist?

Steve Hood

Director of Industry Services, ICHRIE

Hospitality and tourism graduates of 2020 are faced with a similar challenge as hotels in the current COVID situation. Many are having to think outside the box and reinvent themselves. It may mean looking at different chains, different locations, and different roles, but there are still opportunities.

ScoreCustomer Support SpecialistUS Average

Salary

3.1

Avg. Salary $39,470

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level

5.9

Growth rate -4%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity

9.6

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.71%

Asian 7.20%

Black or African American 11.46%

Hispanic or Latino 19.88%

Unknown 5.32%

White 55.43%

Gender

female 62.62%

male 37.38%

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

What are the pros and cons of being a customer support specialist?

Pros

Opportunities for advancement
Chance to develop problem-solving and communication skills
Ability to work from home or remotely
Flexible working hours
Competitive salary and benefits packages

Cons

Dealing with angry or upset customers can be emotionally draining
The job can be repetitive and monotonous
High stress levels due to the fast-paced and demanding nature of the job
The job can be isolating, as it is often done alone or in a small team
Limited opportunities for creativity or innovation in the role

Key steps to become a customer support specialist

Explore customer support specialist education requirements

Most common customer support specialist degrees

Bachelor's

49.2 %

Associate

22.4 %

High School Diploma

15.7 %

Start to develop specific customer support specialist skills

Skills	Percentages
Customer Support	16.45%
Phone Calls	11.24%
Compassion	6.36%
Customer Service	6.08%
Digital Marketing	3.75%

Complete relevant customer support specialist training and internships

Accountants spend an average of 6-12 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New customer support specialists 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 support specialist based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real customer support specialist resumes.

Research customer support specialist duties and responsibilities

Build emails in Luminate system using HTML for mass updates.
Design online eBay templates using HTML; list items for sale.
Assist in training new CSR's on computer and billing systems.
Work for a pet supply business dealing mostly with business to business sales.

Prepare your customer support specialist resume

When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your customer support specialist resume.

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