Our customer service placement agency tells you more about this human and essential job in the supply chain.

What does a customer service agent do?

A customer service agent is responsible for responding to the needs of customers regarding the products or services they have purchased. They must resolve any problems clients encounter in order to ensure complete customer satisfaction, with the goal of maintaining the relationship between the buyer and the brand purchased.

As the true face of the company to which he belongs, the customer service agent acts as a mediator between the brand and the customer. They intervene either as a physical agent or remotely by phone or email.

The customer service duties and responsibilities are:

• Taking orders;
• Informing the customer on the status of his order;
• Managing the after-sales service, such as exchanges or returns;
• Vulgarize any information that is too complicated for the customer and communicate in person, by phone, chat or email;
• Maintain customer files and send documents upon request (e.g. invoice);
• Handle customer claims or complaints regarding their purchase and find solutions.

This position can therefore be filled only remotely and be a 100% teleworking job, an advantage for many candidates. It is important to verify on the job offer and with the recruiter during the job interview if this is what you would like.

Salary for a customer service position

Spread over the year, the average salary for a customer service agent is estimated to be around $35,000 in Quebec. It can go as low as $28,000 and as high as $41,000.

Are there any prospects for growth?

It always depends on the companies you are targeting, but it is possible to move up to customer service representative or manager, among other positions.

All types of businesses recruit in this sector: finance firms, retail businesses, online businesses, healthcare facilities, car dealerships, training schools, and many others. Depending on the choice, an agent may find themselves performing new duties related to the host institution.

What training do you need to become a customer service agent?

To become a customer service agent, you don't need any specific training other than a high school diploma. It remains an easily accessible position that is regularly in demand.

However, some companies still appreciate validation of specific training in the customer service field.

The important thing to remember is that customer service is not for everyone. You need particular skills for this job. It is advisable to meet with a guidance counselor to determine your career plans in customer service.

What skills do you need for customer service?

The agent must perform as soon as they contact the customer. Customer loyalty begins with the first exchange, and it is throughout this communication process that the customer service agent must apply the various qualities required. To develop a sense of customer service, it is necessary to master both human and personal skills.

Love human contact

The customer relationship management is not easy, especially if you are not a people person. Therefore, they must like human contact and be willing to exchange throughout the day with a variety of personalities.

To convey a true benevolence and to be pleasant, it is important to work on the posture and not hesitate to smile. The smile can be heard even on the phone, and its communicative effect is beneficial to foster the relationship with the customer.

Be diplomatic and polite

Since a customer service agent has to deal with sometimes unhappy customers and sensitive situations, they are generally expected to be diplomatic and know how to handle conflict.

What's more, the customer experience is highly dependent on the customer's social interactions with the company. If thesupply chain process works perfectly from product issuance to the customer, it only takes a rude, careless or indifferent customer service agent to doom the entire experience to the public.

Master written and spoken French at your fingertips

Since the customer service agent is constantly interacting with others, it is essential that they master the use of French. There should be no spelling mistakes in their answers, and they must be clearly understandable to the customer for the transmission of information. This is an essential customer service skill.

Proficiency in a second language, often English

Speaking English to interact with any non-French speaking customer is a real advantage, often required today in customer service job offers. Sometimes a third language may be required! However, in Quebec, companies generally require the fluency of both French and English.

Be versatile

As we have seen above, the customer service duties and responsibilities are varied and require the use of several means of communication. Versatility will be a real asset that can even be paired with organization to ensure that tasks are done on time.

Know your products and services well

In order to effectively respond to customer inquiries, a customer service agent must be knowledgeable about the products or services offered by their company. Otherwise, they will not be able to provide the necessary arguments or information, which could frustrate the customer and taint their experience.

Discover our job offers in customer service at Fed Supply

Vous cherchez une offre d’emploi en service client? Fed Supply a la solution pour vous! Nous sommes un cabinet de recrutement en supply chain et gérons également le secteur de la relation client, portion du maillon final de la chaîne d’approvisionnement.

Et si au contraire, vous souhaitez recruter en service client, n’hésitez pas à nous confier un recrutement ou à nous contacter: nous serons heureux de pouvoir vous assister tout au long du processus!