What does a support representative do?
The primary job of technical support representatives is to answer incoming calls and resolve customer problems or complaints related to computer hardware and software. They typically work in team environments and report directly to the technical department manager. Aside from answering phone calls, they also maintain the solutions database and respond to online chat requests and technical support emails. A successful technical support representative should have an in-depth knowledge of diagnosing and fixing computer problems, customer service skills, and problem-solving skills.
Support representative responsibilities
Here are examples of responsibilities from real support representative resumes:
- Educate veterans and the college community on veteran's benefits and academic requirements need to accomplish academic goals.
- Follow approved patient care algorithms to ensure patients receive quality care post surgically, while abiding by HIPAA regulations.
- Maintain personal patient information while following HIPAA regulations.
- Document department procedures; some convert into PowerPoint presentations.
- Follow all current Medicare, Medicaid regulations and requirements to ensure continual compliance.
- Provide hospital patients with assistance in obtaining proper medical coverage to cover medical expenses.
- Coordinate event planning, promote educational initiatives, and create/revise marketing materials and PowerPoint presentations.
- Coordinate assistance through manufacture programs and non-profit organizations for patients with financial hardships while on therapy.
- Maintain and troubleshoot all peripherals including printers, modems, personal computers and data communications machines.
- Provide Windows/Mac OS connectivity support for dial-up/dedicate customers, and comprehensive support for internet base applications.
- Maintain an effective working knowledge of network infrastructure and utilize that knowledge to effectively troubleshoot components to resolve customer relate issues.
- Examine injure persons and administer first aid or cardiopulmonary resuscitation, if necessary, using training and medical supplies and equipment.
- Monitor and respond to daily incoming emails for customer requests for services and system issues/outages within the department SLA.
- Deal with faxes for customer suspensions, deactivations, subpoenas, and bank statements.
- Gather information through interviews with clients and use of administrative subpoenas.
Support representative skills and personality traits
We calculated that 10% of Support Representatives are proficient in Patients, Customer Service, and Troubleshoot. They’re also known for soft skills such as Communication skills, Computer skills, and Interpersonal skills.
We break down the percentage of Support Representatives that have these skills listed on their resume here:
- Patients, 10%
Educated patients on Shared Services for Physicians policies regarding charity requests, payment arrangements, and other applicable collection policies
- Customer Service, 8%
Participated in the retention and attainment of servicing account volume through the consistent delivery of excellent internal and external customer service.
- Troubleshoot, 8%
Maintained an effective working knowledge of network infrastructure and utilized that knowledge to effectively troubleshoot components to resolve customer related issues.
- Data Entry, 8%
Collected and entered information within a focused screening process utilizing data entry, excellent communication and issue resolution skills.
- Technical Support, 7%
Provide technical support to ensure Drive Wise device and mobile application is communicating properly and data is being disseminated for analyzing.
- Phone Calls, 6%
Returned customer phone calls for additional troubleshooting and investigations into new errors and issues as necessary.
Most support representatives use their skills in "patients," "customer service," and "troubleshoot" to do their jobs. You can find more detail on essential support representative responsibilities here:
Communication skills. The most essential soft skill for a support representative to carry out their responsibilities is communication skills. This skill is important for the role because "customer service representatives must be able to provide clear information in writing, by phone, or in person." Additionally, a support representative resume shows how their duties depend on communication skills: "manage quality communication, customer support and product representation for each client. "
Interpersonal skills. This is an important skill for support representatives to perform their duties. For an example of how support representative responsibilities depend on this skill, consider that "representatives should be able to create positive interactions with customers." This excerpt from a resume also shows how vital it is to everyday roles and responsibilities of a support representative: "contract) columbus, oh displayed courtesy and strong interpersonal skills with all customer interactions. ".
Patience. support representative responsibilities often require "patience." The duties that rely on this skill are shown by the fact that "representatives should be patient and polite, especially when interacting with dissatisfied customers." This resume example shows what support representatives do with patience on a typical day: "supported customers having data connectivity issues while maintaining composure and patience in face of difficult customer situations. "
Customer-service skills. Another crucial skill for a support representative to carry out their responsibilities is "customer-service skills." A big part of what support representatives relies on this skill, since "representatives help companies retain customers by professionally answering questions and helping to resolve complaints." How this skill relates to support representative duties can be seen in an example from a support representative resume snippet: "participated in audits to determine the accuracy of inventory and records, provided customer support, researching invoice/billing discrepancies. "
Listening skills. Lastly, "listening skills" is an important element of what a support representative does. Support representative responsibilities require this skill because "representatives must listen carefully to ensure that they understand customers in order to assist them." This resume example highlights how support representative duties rely on this skill: "evaluated client issues and initiated immediate resolution by listening to customer needs and performing remote analysis of their computer systems. "
The three companies that hire the most support representatives are:
- GEICO84 support representatives jobs
- Regions Bank52 support representatives jobs
- Public Consulting Group51 support representatives jobs
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Compare different support representatives
Support representative vs. Associate customer service representative
An associate customer service representative is responsible for providing high customer service by assisting customers on their inquiries and concerns, as well as resolving and escalating high-level complaints to the supervisor or tenured customer service representative. Associate customer service representatives also process orders and payments from the customers, replacing defective items, and issuing refunds as needed. They must have excellent communication and organizational skills, especially on handling data processing procedures to the database for reference to customer concerns.
While similarities exist, there are also some differences between support representatives and associate customer service representative. For instance, support representative responsibilities require skills such as "data entry," "technical support," "phone calls," and "strong problem-solving." Whereas a associate customer service representative is skilled in "sales floor," "customer orders," "product knowledge," and "customer care." This is part of what separates the two careers.
Associate customer service representatives tend to make the most money working in the finance industry, where they earn an average salary of $37,473. In contrast, support representatives make the biggest average salary, $35,685, in the technology industry.The education levels that associate customer service representatives earn slightly differ from support representatives. In particular, associate customer service representatives are 1.7% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree than a support representative. Additionally, they're 0.2% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Support representative vs. Customer sales representative
The primary role of customer service representatives is to help customers with questions and complaints. It is also their duties and responsibilities to provide customers with information about services and products, take and process orders, and process returns and modifications. They also store records of customer transactions and interactions and provide feedback on customer service efficacy. Customer service representatives must also ensure that they can give customer satisfaction and offer the best professional support.
Each career also uses different skills, according to real support representative resumes. While support representative responsibilities can utilize skills like "patients," "data entry," "technical support," and "phone calls," customer sales representatives use skills like "product knowledge," "customer sales," "cleanliness," and "excellent interpersonal."
On average, customer sales representatives earn a higher salary than support representatives. Some industries support higher salaries in each profession. Interestingly enough, customer sales representatives earn the most pay in the finance industry with an average salary of $38,373. Whereas support representatives have higher pay in the technology industry, with an average salary of $35,685.In general, customer sales representatives achieve similar levels of education than support representatives. They're 1.6% less likely to obtain a Master's Degree while being 0.2% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Support representative vs. Consumer sales representative
Customer sales representatives' primary role is to present their employer's offerings to potential buyers. They may work out of an office, travel to conferences where their offerings might be suitable to attendees. It is their responsibility as customer sales representatives to get people to buy physical items, such as cars, new windows for their home, and skincare products. They perform a variety of tasks promoting their employer's offerings, sell policies for insurance companies, promote bundle deals for telecommunication industries, gym membership plans, and persuade parents to let their children join the tutoring system.
Some important key differences between the two careers include a few of the skills necessary to fulfill the responsibilities of each. Some examples from support representative resumes include skills like "patients," "customer service," "troubleshoot," and "technical support," whereas a consumer sales representative is more likely to list skills in "broadband," "brand awareness," "product knowledge," and "consumer complaints. "
Consumer sales representatives typically earn similar educational levels compared to support representatives. Specifically, they're 0.0% more likely to graduate with a Master's Degree, and 0.1% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Support representative vs. Customer service representative
Customer service representatives are the first point of contact of the customers, acting as the frontiers of the company and help in driving customer loyalty and retention by leaving a great impression and resolving all of their concerns. They accommodate customer queries by providing useful and comprehensive information about any products or services. Some would use that as an opportunity to market and promote more sales. The most challenging issues they use to handle are customer complaints and processing of refunds and returns. They also assist in basic troubleshooting or accounts and payment setup with the use of specific guidelines or step by step procedures. At most, they help and solve customer issues on their own, but sometimes they would need support from supervisors or other departments.
Types of support representative
Updated January 8, 2025
