How To Become A Retail Service Specialist: What It Is and Career Path

What is a retail service specialist and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

A retail service specialist works in the retail industry to provide exceptional customer service. They are knowledgeable about products and services and answer questions, resolve issues, and make recommendations to customers. Their duties may include greeting customers, processing transactions, restocking shelves, and maintaining a clean store. They must work well in a team environment, have excellent communication skills, and multitask. Retail service specialists ensure customer satisfaction and build long-lasting relationships with customers.

ScoreRetail Service SpecialistUS Average

Salary

2.2

Avg. Salary $27,983

Avg. Salary $59,228

Diversity

6.9

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.66%

Asian 6.31%

Black or African American 9.89%

Hispanic or Latino 22.57%

Unknown 5.38%

White 55.19%

Gender

female 30.88%

male 69.12%

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

6.2

Stress level is manageable

7.1 - high

Complexity level

4.5

Complexity level is intermediate

7 - challenging

Work life balance

8.5

Work life balance is excellent

6.4 - fair

What are the pros and cons of being a retail service specialist?

Pros

Possibility of earning commission or bonuses
Opportunity for career advancement
Possibility of flexible scheduling
Access to employee discounts
Opportunity to work in a team-oriented environment

Cons

High-stress environment during busy periods
Physical demands of standing and moving for long periods of time
Limited control over scheduling or shift times
Potential for working long or irregular hours, including weekends and holidays
Possibility of encountering theft or safety concerns

Key steps to become a retail service specialist

Explore retail service specialist education requirements

Most common retail service specialist degrees

High School Diploma

32.9 %

Bachelor's

28.6 %

Associate

25.9 %

Start to develop specific retail service specialist skills

Skills	Percentages
Retail Sales	26.05%
Cross-Selling	16.54%
Customer Service	9.11%
Inventory Management	6.97%
Retail Service	5.63%

Complete relevant retail service specialist training and internships

Accountants spend an average of 1-3 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New retail service 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 retail service specialist based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real retail service specialist resumes.

Research retail service specialist duties and responsibilities

Establish and monitor store's work schedule and staffing issues to effectively manage payroll expenses.
Manage a high volume of patient information from authorizing diagnostic procedures and scheduling patients.
Develop schedules and monitor payroll on a daily basis to ensure payroll plans are met.
Operate POS cash register/Electronic parts catalog.

Prepare your retail service specialist resume

When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your retail service specialist 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 retail service specialist resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

Choose from 10+ customizable retail service specialist resume templates

Build a professional retail service specialist 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 retail service specialist resume.