The Ups and Downs of Working in Customer Service

No matter what career path you take, each day will bring its own set of challenges, with both positives and negatives. With many jobs, you may find that you’ll get settled into a comfortable day-to-day routine where very little changes.

This isn’t the case with customer service.

Customer service jobs should come with a disclaimer that no two days will be exactly alike. You may have a day where there are no customer issues and each call goes smoothly, followed by a day of complaints, angry customers, and one disaster after another. You may also have days that are a mixed bag of both.

One of the best skills your agents can develop is knowing how to deal with the at-times unpredictable nature of this industry. While dealing with an irate customer can be stressful, know that there are just as many customers who are highly satisfied with the service you provided them.

Depending on your position, you can also expect to deal with certain situations that will make your job more stressful, such as an upset customer who is demanding to talk to a supervisor or, if you’re a manager, mediating issues between employees. Here are just a few of the ups and downs of customer service jobs:

Ups

• For every angry or upset customer, there will be a customer who is happy with the service, meaning the call will likely go smoothly.
• Satisfied customers will provide testimonials or may sing your organization’s praises on social media.
• If you do a good job, your employer will reward you, whether via praise or with a bonus or commission.
• Working in customer service can offer flexible hours.
• It’s also an excellent way to build your resume. Customer service jobs show employers that you have people skills and patience for dealing with the public.
• Depending on the industry you’re in, working in customer service can provide a stable job, since there’s always a demand for certain products and services.

Downs

• For every five happy, satisfied customers, you’ll have to deal with at least one angry customer, as well as the possibility of insults and other verbal abuse. One of the top customer service skills you need to have is a thick skin.
• While positive customer service reviews are nice, you’ll also have to deal with poor reviews, which can appear in the form of testimonials or social media posts.
• There may be instances where you have to deal with low morale amongst your fellow agents.
• Working in customer service can be a highly sedentary job. When possible, you should get up and walk around for a couple minutes every 30 minutes to an hour.
• Working in customer service can also be highly stressful, due to a high volume of calls or multiple complaints from customers.
• As the saying goes, “The customer is always right,” and following it can mean having to agree with the customer, even when they’re wrong.
• The duties of the job can mean overtime and/or having to work evenings and weekends.

3C Contact Services Inc. provides its clients with top-quality, best-of-class outsourced contact center services. Specializing in customer retention strategies, 3C Contact Services has a dedicated and well-trained team of customer support specialists who provide excellent service, delivered consistently in a timely and cost-effective manner. To learn more about 3C Contact Services Inc., visit the company’s web site at www.3CContactServices.com or contact 3C Contact Services at 1-888-353-2335 or via e-mail at d.reyes@3ccontactservices.com.