What is an Customer Service Manager?
As a Customer Service Manager, you will work across many industries and will be responsible for improving your service/product based on customer feedback and ensuring your customers are happy. You will most likely manage a team of Customer Service Advisors and will be liable for meeting targets.
Your primary responsibility as a customer service professional will be to ensure that you meet or exceed the needs and expectations of your customers. There are various positions within customer service, ranging from head office to front-of-house, but in general, your duties will include:
- Collaborating in the development and implementation of customer service policies for the organization
- Identifying methods to gauge customer satisfaction and enhance services
- Overseeing a team of customer service representatives
- Addressing in-person customer inquiries.
Responsibilities
As a customer service manager, your role involves:
- Assisting customers with your organisation’s products or services
- Communicating with customers courteously and professionally via various channels, including phone, email, letter, and in-person interactions
- Investigating and resolving complex or long-standing customer problems forwarded by customer service assistants
- Addressing customer complaints and major incidents such as security issues or health emergencies
- Issuing refunds or compensation to customers when necessary
- Maintaining accurate records of customer interactions and correspondence
- Analysing data and statistics to evaluate the quality of customer service provided by your organisation
- Producing written materials for customers using computer software and packages
- Generating reports and analyzing customer service performance
- Creating feedback and complaints procedures for customers
- Developing and implementing policies, procedures, and standards to improve customer service
Salary
A typical starting salary for a Customer Service Manager is between £20,500 and £25,000.
As an experienced Customer Service Manager, you can earn between £30,000 and £45,000. In some cases, you may be able to exceed £60,000, but this will depend on various factors. You may also be eligible for generous bonuses and perks. Retail, sales and banking tend to offer their employees an excellent benefits package. According to Glassdoor, the national annual salary for a Customer Service Manager is £31,153.
Working hours and work location
You should expect to work the typical 9am to 5pm. However, this will vary depending on the organisation and industry. For example, if you work in a call centre or a retail store your working hours may flex depending on shift work and store opening times, you may also be required to work at the weekend. You may also be able to find part-time employment as a Customer Service Manager.
What to expect
- Customer service roles are typically office-based or stationed at a customer service desk in a public area like a shop or train station.
- Opportunities for employment are available throughout the UK, with larger cities and towns offering more options.
- Some companies outsource their call centre services to other countries, and UK customer service managers may have opportunities to work abroad in temporary or permanent roles.
- If you work in a customer-facing role, you’ll be expected to dress professionally and may need to wear a uniform.
- Regardless of the setting, you’ll be expected to maintain a calm, professional, and responsible demeanour at all times.
- Dealing with upset or angry customers can be stressful.
- While most work is based in a single location, you may need to visit customers or travel to other sites within the organisation occasionally. Long-distance travel and overnight stays may be necessary but are typically infrequent.
Qualifications
You do not need any qualifications to become a Customer Service Manager. The most natural way is to work your way up. Most that make it into a managerial role will have progressed up the ladder from a Customer Service Assistant, gaining experience and qualifications where possible. However, if you are wanting to secure a Customer Service Manager role straight out of university, the following degrees may bolster your CV:
- Business studies
- Consumer studies
- Management studies
- Marketing
Some employers might prefer a degree that relates to their sector i.e retail, hospitality or financial services. A postgraduate qualification is not necessary or required.
Skills
must have skills:
- Effective communication skills to provide clear information and advice to customers, and collaborate with other professionals
- Active listening skills to understand customers’ needs and concerns accurately
- Problem-solving skills to address complex issues and find suitable solutions
- Confidence, patience, tact, and diplomacy to handle challenging situations with professionalism
- Leadership and motivational skills to supervise and guide customer service assistants
- Innovative thinking to generate new ideas for enhancing customer service standards
- Ability to work well under pressure and meet deadlines
- Organizational and planning skills to develop and implement customer service policies
- Professional appearance and demeanour, particularly during face-to-face interactions with customers
- Dedication to continuous improvement of customer service skills.
Work experience
Customer Service roles are sought after amongst graduates in addition to those who didn’t attend university therefore, having some experience or knowledge of the role and retrospective industry will help your CV stand out.
If you are able to reflect on any customer service skills that you have gleaned such as working in a shop, call centre, office or bar may give you an advantage and allow you to demonstrate your capabilities. If you do not have the experience to be able to discuss, you should consider arranging a period where you can shadow other customer service managers in different industries to help you identify what type of organisation you may be best suited to.
When it comes to career prospects, working as a Customer Service Manager for several years can provide opportunities for advancement within your current organisation or for transitioning to a larger company. By broadening your experience in different settings, you may find additional career growth and development opportunities. To advance your skills and knowledge, it is important to continue learning through ongoing education, such as taking short courses, attending conferences, and keeping up to date with industry publications. By staying informed and expanding your expertise, you can increase your potential for career advancement and success.
Employers
Customer service managers have a wide range of employment opportunities across various industries in both private and public sectors.
The nature of the work and the type of customer service provided can vary depending on the sector and the employer. For instance, customer service managers working at a supermarket customer service desk mainly interact with customers face-to-face, while those working in a call centre for an insurance company interact with customers mainly over the phone.
There are different ways to find employment opportunities in this field, including applying directly to companies or using specialist recruitment agencies such as Hays and Douglas Jackson. Some retail companies advertise their vacancies on their websites or in-store, on notice boards or in shop windows. It’s also possible to make speculative applications to employers of customer service staff. Continuing education and professional development can also improve career prospects in this field.
Related Courses
A degree is not necessary for a career in customer service. However, if you wish to go to university you may want to consider the following degrees if seeking a Customer Service Management role:
BA (Hons) International Business
If you are looking for a modern business course with an international focus, BA (Hons) International Business is a great option. This course is informed by the most cutting-edge business ideas and forward-thinking literature. Graduates of the International Business programme leave the course feeling prepared to enter the international workforce.
Other related courses
- MSc Business Management
- MSc Marketing and Communications Management
- MSc Innovation Management and Entrepreneurship
FAQ Summary
As a Customer Service Manager, you will work across many industries and will be responsible for improving your service/product based on customer feedback and ensuring your customers are happy. You will most likely manage a team of Customer Service Advisors and will be liable for meeting targets.
A typical starting salary for a Customer Service Manager is between £20,500 and £25,000. As an experienced Customer Service Manager, you can expect to earn between £30,000 to £45,000. In some cases, you may be able to exceed £60,000, but this will depend on various factors.
You do not need any qualifications to become a Customer Service Manager. The most natural way is to work your way up. Most that make it into a managerial role will have progressed up the ladder from a Customer Service Assistant, gaining experience and qualifications where possible. However, if you are wanting to secure a Customer Service Manager role straight out of university, the following degrees may bolster your CV: Business studies, Consumer studies, Management studies & Marketing
