Nature of work
The main aim of a customer service manager is to provide excellent customer service. Although the work varies, depending on the type and size of the employing organisation, typical activities are likely to include some or all of the following. Providing help and advice to customers using the organisation's products or services which requires communicating courteously with customers by telephone, email, letter and face to face, investigating and solving customers' problems, which may be complex or long-standing problems that have been passed on by customer service assistants, handling customer complaints or any major incidents, such as a security issue or a customer being taken ill, and issuing refunds or compensation to customers.Also, this position may involve other tasks such as being involved in staff recruitment and appraisals, training staff to deliver a high standard of customer service, leading or supervising a team of customer service staff, in addition to learning about the organisation's products or services , keeping up to date with changes, and keeping ahead of developments in customer service by reading relevant journals, going to meetings and attending courses.
Environment of work
Working hours vary according to the type of organisation. For example, managers at head offices may work nine to five, while those in call centres or retail stores may need to work shifts, including evenings and weekends. However, Some organisations employ customer service managers on a part-time basis, where the nature of the organisation's work allows it. Work is usually carried out from an office, or from a customer services desk in a public area, such as a shop or a train station. Self-employment is not common in this area of work.A candidate for this position should be sociable because he might need to contact face- to- face with customers; therefore, he/she must have a smart apparence and may be required to wear a uniform. Also, a candidate needs to behave in a calm, professional and responsible manner at all times whatever the setting is, for he/she may deal with customers who are upset or angry. This means that the work is stressful sometimes.
Customer service managers usually work from a single location, but some customer service managers spend some of their time visiting customers or travelling to other sites within the organisation. Visits are usually local, so that they can return to work or home the same day.
Professional life
In some organisations, in order an employee becomes a customer service manager, he/she may first need to train and gain experience in a role such as customer services assistant. From this, he/she can progress to higher levels, such as team leader or supervisor, then to various levels of management.In other organisations, a candidate may start as a trainee customer service manager on a graduate training scheme.
A customer service manager may need to move to a larger organisation if he/she wants to gain more responsibility or opportunities for promotion.
With further experience, a person may choose to train other staff in customer service skills, or he/she might train to become an assessor of staff working towards customer service qualifications
If a candidate takes opportunities to develop and expand his/her knowledge and experience, he/she could move into a wider management career. This is particularly true if he/she has a relevant degree or have participated in a general management training scheme that covers other areas of management.
Range of typical starting salaries for trainee customer service managers: 45000 SYP, Most companies offer generous bonuses or commission and usually provide an excellent benefits package.
Getting the job
Although this area of work is open to all graduates and diplomates, the following degree may improve the chances for accessing to this career: business studies;
management studies;
consumer studies;
marketing.
Some employers may prefer students from disciplines that are relevant to their particular sector, such as retail, hospitality or financial services.
Some managers work their way up from roles such as customer services assistant, gaining relevant qualifications and experience where possible. They may then find themselves being promoted to team leader, and on into a management position.
Skills
Candidates will need to show evidence of the following: written and spoken communication skills that allow them to inform, help and advise customers clearly and liaise with other professionals;
listening skills, to understand exactly what customers require;
problem-solving skills;
confidence, patience, politeness, tact and diplomacy, when dealing with difficult situations;
motivational skills and an ability to supervise and lead a team of customer service assistants;
creative thinking, to be able to come up with new ideas to improve customer service standards;
an ability to work well under pressure;
organisational and planning skills to develop customer services policies;
good personal presentation, especially when working with customers face to face;
a commitment to improve your own customer service skills on an ongoing basis.
Sources and references
For further information a candidate can visit the following websites: www.customerservicemanager.com, The Journal & Resource for Customer Service Managers & Professionals.
www.customerserviceexcellence.uk.com, professional high-level customer services
Arab Standard Classification of Occupations, 2008, Ed. Arab Labor Organization�� -ar�ȱ�t-family:Wingdings;mso-bidi-font-family:Wingdings'> an ability to work well under pressure; organisational and planning skills to develop customer services policies;
good personal presentation, especially when working with customers face to face;
a commitment to improve your own customer service skills on an ongoing basis.