Customer service jobs are more and more in-demand. As businesses switch to increase their digital presence after the covid pandemic, there is an increasing need for online customer support. An online customer service rep has similar functions to an assistant at a physical store. She has to take care of all customer enquiries on the product, as well as assist with after-sales support.
The best thing about being an online customer service specialist is that all of the work can be done remotely, and the work hours tend to be flexible. Not to mention the pay rate is pretty decent as well. Let’s dive into more detail on this role.
There are certain skills that are needed to perform well in a customer service job. Mastering these skills will get you good testimonials from your hirer and customers. These are in turn important for getting good jobs with good pay rates. If you don’t have these skills at the beginning, learn to master them over time. They are not hard to learn and may be useful as you progress in your career.
The first and most important skill that you should master is patience and empathy. Yes I listed that as a skill, because this ability has to be learnt. Having empathy is the ability to put yourself in the customer’s shoes and understand what their needs are. If you can do this, and deliver back what the customer needs, you will be a very good customer service rep. Try to always rephrase what the customer says and get confirmation from the customer. This is so that you know for sure what the customer is trying to express.
The second important skill is knowledge of the product or service. When a customer wants to know something about a certain product, he or she tends to want a specific answer. Therefore, it is important to learn about the product as much as you can. For example, if the product is a coffee maker, it is recommended to learn how to use the product, as a normal user would.
Also important to learn are the extra features that the product has that differentiates it from other coffee makers. This coffee maker could have a built-in bean grinder that allows the user to put in whole beans. That saves the user time hand-grinding the beans. This coffee maker could also have an auto-shutdown feature that shuts off after 5 minutes of inactivity. It would also be important to know how to regularly clean the machine. It helps to know how to operate these features in case of an enquiry or for after-sales support.
The third important skill is familiarity with customer relationship management or ecommerce platform software. Ecommerce platforms like Shopify or woocommerce have features where you can search up certain orders by order ID or customer. You’ll have to know how to do this as some companies will ask during the interview.
Even if you have not done these tasks before, you can check out YouTube tutorials on how to do so. There are many explainer videos out there that will guide you step-by-step through the entire process. Be sure to do your research before the interview itself. Preparation is key.
READ: Remote Work for Parents: Juggling Kids and Career
The fourth ability you should have is the ability to keep your cool when working under tight timelines. Sometimes a handful of customers can act rudely when they become impatient. So it’s imperative that you are able to keep your cool and respond calmly even under high pressure situations. Bad reviews and experiences spread fast and that may damage the brand or business that you are working for.
A simple technique to calm yourself down when you experience stress is to practise the 3-4-5 breathing method. In this method, try inhaling for a duration of 3 seconds, holding your breath for 4 seconds, and then exhaling for a duration of 5 seconds. Research has shown that when you exhale for longer than you inhale, your nervous system will experience a calming effect. This will help you relax and keep a levelled head as you handle your daily tasks.
The fifth ability that you should have is problem-solving skills. For example, if a client calls you to enquire about a service delay, you’ll need to know how to troubleshoot and answer the customer. First, you’ll need to investigate what was the cause of the delay and communicate it to the client. If there are other alternatives solutions available, you may want to quickly list them down for the client. After that, recommend the best course of action for the client.
If the company has allowances for compensation, you may have to exercise judgement on whether the disruption was serious enough to warrant compensation to the client. Following that, you should list down the situation and report it to your seniors or technical team, together with a proposed solution if possible.
These problem-solving skills will set you apart from the others in the same role. It is akin to solving puzzles and adding value by improving the business experience, both for the clients and your employer.
Last but not least, time management skills are very important if you have to juggle multiple tasks at home as well as at work. For example, a single work-at-home mom would have to attend to her children as well as her work. Given the family responsibilities, her work may be affected. It is best to separate out a certain time to allocate purely to work. Waking up earlier in the morning before the children are up could help a lot.
It would also be helpful to communicate to your boss ahead of time if you need to shift your work hours within the day. Over-communicating with your boss may be the safer choice. No employer likes an employee that’s out-of-reach during the assigned work hours.
Remote customer service jobs are great for those seeking remote work. It can provide flexible hours and provide a path towards a satisfying career. It’s certainly worth a try if you have not considered this role yet and you’re looking to get into remote working.
