How to hire a lead customer service agent

How to hire a lead customer service agent, step by step

Here's a step-by-step lead customer service agent hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write a lead customer service agent job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new lead customer service agent
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   First, determine the employments status of the lead customer service agent you need to hire. Certain lead customer service agent roles might require a full-time employee, whereas others can be done by part-time workers or contractors.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   You should also consider the ideal background you'd like them a lead customer service agent to have before you start to hire. For example, what industry or field would you like them to have experience in, what level of seniority or education does the job require, and how much it'll cost to hire a lead customer service agent that fits the bill.

   Here's a comparison of lead customer service agent salaries for various roles:

   Type of Lead Customer Service Agent	Description	Hourly rate
   Lead Customer Service Agent	Customer service representatives interact with customers to handle complaints, process orders, and provide information about an organization’s products and services.	$13-20
   Customer Leader	A customer leader is responsible for providing the highest customer service by addressing customers' inquiries and concerns and resolving complaints timely and efficiently. Customer leaders handle a team of customer service staff, requiring them to monitor their performance and maximize their productivity by organizing training to improve customer service skills... Show more	$38-77
   Lead Agent	Lead agents assist with passenger-cargo acceptance and check-in and promote and sell air travel tickets to freight forwarders or the traveling public. Besides promoting safe travel and protecting the firm revenue and property, lead agents also assist distressed traveling customers... Show more	$12-40

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Reservations
   • Check-In
   • FAA
   • Safety Procedures
   • TSA
   • Customer Complaints
   • Inbound Calls
   • Customer Issues
   • Customer Satisfaction
   • Credit Card
   • Customer Inquiries
   • Outbound Calls
   • Ticket Counter
   • Customer Service

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Interact extensively with customers to achieve timely issue resolution while maintaining high standards for dock organization and cleanliness.
   • Ensure that all FAA security regulations are followed by securing all doors until the proper time to board passengers.
   • Communicate with center leadership and corporate customers any observe performance gaps; tracking and analyzing compliance to call center service standards.
   • Document any member complaints and/or concerns in accordance to Medicare compliance guidelines.

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your lead customer service agent job description is a great way to entice the best and brightest candidates. A lead customer service agent salary can vary based on several factors:

   • Location. For example, lead customer service agents' average salary in mississippi is 48% less than in massachusetts.
   • Seniority. Entry-level lead customer service agents earn 31% less than senior-level lead customer service agents.
   • Certifications. A lead customer service agent with a few certifications under their belt will likely demand a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for a prestigious company or an exciting start-up can make a huge difference in a lead customer service agent's salary.

   Average lead customer service agent salary

   $35,231yearly

   $16.94 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level lead customer service agent salary

   $29,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 16, 2025

4. Writing a lead customer service agent job description

   A lead customer service agent job description should include a summary of the role, required skills, and a list of responsibilities. It's also good to include a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager. To help get you started, here's an example of a lead customer service agent job description:

   Lead customer service agent job description example

   /
   *Lead Customer Service Agent */
   
   /United Ground Express (UGE), a subsidiary of United Airlines Inc. supports airline customers and flights at many airports across the United States. The services we provide include customer check-in, baggage handling and servicing of the aircraft on the ground in preparation for the next flight. We assist customers from the moment they arrive at an airport through departure to their next destination. UGE is growing to expand to specific airports across the continental United States./
   
   /A job with United Ground Express will provide you with an exciting, fast-paced environment, the chance to leverage existing skills and learn new skills, and an opportunity to grow a career in the airline industry./
   
   /And to top it all off, you will get travel privileges through United Airlines, giving you access to one of the world's most comprehensive global networks./
   
   *Job Summary:*
   As a Lead Customer Service Agent, you will be an important part of our customers' travel experience. In addition to the Customer Service Agent responsibilities you will primarily be responsible for leading overall station process. Most importantly, you'll create a welcoming environment for our customers.
   * *
   *Lead Customer Service Agent Responsibilities*
   * Lead and direct responsibilities related to the Customer Service Agent role
   * Ensure adherence to standard operating procedures
   * Oversee and ensure a safe work environment
   * Authorize time and attendance exceptions
   * Provide coaching and training to team members
   *Customer Service Agent Responsibilities*
   * Greet customers
   * Communicate with customers and ensure they have information about their flights
   * Assist customers with reservations and boarding passes
   * Resolve disservice situations (e.g., determine alternate flight options for delayed, cancelled or missed flights, change/rebook a reservations)
   * Open/close aircraft door before flight departure and upon flight arrival, including operating jet-way when applicable
   * Ensure compliance with UGE and Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) regulations and policies
   * Load, unload, and transfer baggage, cargo and mail from carts, conveyor belts, and containers, on and off aircraft.
   * Drive and operate motorized equipment (e.g., conveyor belt)
   * Read and interpret aircraft load sheets, checked baggage tags, and cargo labels
   * Other duties as assigned
   
   *Education*
   * High school diploma/GED or equivalent, or equivalent preferred
   
   *Requirements*
   * Must be 18 years of age or older.
   * High school diploma/GED or equivalent required
   * Good communication and interpersonal skills.
   * Ability to develop relationships with customers and co-workers.
   * High level of ownership and accountability.
   * Enthusiastic about aviation industry.
   * Must be able to perform well in high-pressure situations
   * Must possess and maintain a valid US state driver's license. (Suspended, expired, revoked or denied licenses are not valid.)
   * Must be legally authorized to work in the US for any employer without sponsorship.
   * Must be able to clear a United Ground Express background check and a fingerprint-based criminal history check.
   * Must be eligible to obtain and maintain credentials necessary for the position. Position-specific clearances include but are not limited to FAA, TSA, Port Authority, U.S. Customs and U.S. Postal Service clearances.
   * Must be able to pass a pre-placement physical abilities test, hearing and vision tests, and drug screen.
   * Must comply with United Ground Express' Anti-Drug and Alcohol Misuse Prevention Policy.
   * *
   *Experience*
   * Previous service related experience helpful (supervisory and airline)
   * *
   *Essential Physical Functions*
   * The ability to lift baggage up to 70 pounds, in the lobby, planeside, and in the confinement of an airplane's cargo hold is necessary.
   * Work schedules will span over a 24/7, 7 day/week operation including weekends, holidays and overtime as needed. Flexible work shifts will be assigned and can include late nights and early mornings.
   * Regular attendance and punctuality in accordance with United Ground Express' policies are required. Overtime available/required depending upon operational need.
   * *
   *Work Environment*
   * Must be willing to work outside in all weather conditions (e.g., rain, snow, cold, heat, humidity) and in baggage areas that are open to the outside weather conditions.
   * Must be willing to work in extreme weather conditions for extended periods of time.
   * Must be willing to work where there will be exposure to high noise levels.
   * Must be willing to work in a high-pressure, safety-sensitive, deadline driven environment.
   
   /United Ground Express, Inc. Is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, or protected veteran status and will not be discriminated against on the basis of disability. /
   
   **Job:** **UGE Customer Service*
   
   **Organization:** **United Ground Express*
   
   **Title:** *Lead Customer Service Agent (Internal Only) - Ontario Int. Airport (ONT) - Ontario, CA*
   
   **Location:** *CA-ONT - Ontario*
   

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5. Post your job

   To find the right lead customer service agent for your business, consider trying out a few different recruiting strategies:

   • Consider internal talent. One of the most important sources of talent for any company is its existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and current employees and ask if they know or have worked with lead customer service agents they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit lead customer service agents who meet your education requirements.
   • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter now have more than 3.5 billion users, and you can use social media to reach potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your lead customer service agent job on Zippia to find and recruit lead customer service agent candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   Recruiting lead customer service agents requires you to bring your A-game to the interview process. The first interview should introduce the company and the role to the candidate as much as they present their background experience and reasons for applying for the job. During later interviews, you can go into more detail about the technical details of the job and ask behavioral questions to gauge how they'd fit into your current company culture.

   It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match your ideal candidate profile. If you think a candidate is good enough for the next step, you can move on to the technical interview.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new lead customer service agent

   Once you've selected the best lead customer service agent candidate for the job, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, this letter should include details about the benefits and perks you offer the candidate. Ensuring that your offer is competitive is essential, as qualified candidates may be considering other job opportunities. The candidate may wish to negotiate the terms of the offer, and you should be open to discussion. After you reach an agreement, the final step is formalizing the agreement with a contract.

   It's also good etiquette to follow up with applicants who don't get the job by sending them an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

   To prepare for the new employee's start date, you can create an onboarding schedule and complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9 forms, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Human Resources should also ensure that a new employee file is created.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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