We live in an era where customer satisfaction and feedback can either make or break a business. And so, companies look for employees with excellent customer service skills.
In their quest for a reliable customer service employee, recruiters turn to resumes. This makes your resume a key in showcasing your ability to meet customer needs and stand out from the competition. A strong customer service resume highlights your skills and experiences for the role, increasing your chances of passing through the applicant tracking system (ATS) and landing your dream job.
But which skills can help create an interview-winning resume?
Considering the modern trends and norms in the customer service department, we have listed some essential skills for customer service resume.
What Is Meant by Customer Service Skills?
Customer service skills are a combination of soft skills, including interpersonal, communication, and problem-solving abilities. These traits enable individuals to effectively interact with customers, address their needs, and resolve issues. These skills are crucial for creating positive customer experiences and building lasting loyalty.
Good customer service can significantly impact the growth of the business. According to a report by HubSpot, 93% of customers are likely to make purchases with companies in the future if they offer excellent customer service. On the other hand, 33% of customers say they would switch brands after just a single instance of poor service. This further highlights the importance of mentioning the right skills for customer service resume.
10 Important Customer Service Skills for Resume with Examples
Although customer service roles vary from industry to industry, certain skills can work magic in every sector. Employers prioritize employees who can effectively resolve customer complaints, are active listeners, and maintain a friendly interaction with every client.
Based on this idea, here are some qualities and skills to put on resume for customer service.
Communication
Effective communication is vital for customer service representatives. This particular skill enables a customer service employee to address customer inquiries and issues while positively representing the company. Clear verbal and written communication helps build trust and understanding with customers.
Communication skills in customer service can be helpful in several ways, such as:
- Explaining product features and benefits
- Providing instructions on product usage
- Answering customer inquiries
- Resolving complaints
- Upselling and cross-selling products
Strong communication skills are essential for conveying information and solutions. This ultimately contributes to customer satisfaction and attracts more customers.
For example, “Enthusiastic customer service representative with excellent communication skills, eager to leverage my experience in handling customer inquiries to enhance customer satisfaction at XYZ Company.”
Active Listening
Customers prefer to interact with employees who can listen and understand their concerns. Active listening improves your communication skills by ensuring you fully grasp what the customer is trying to express. When engaging with customers, it is crucial to hear their concerns, ask questions for clarification, and respond with empathy.
Active listening enables you to be fully present with the customer and care about their experience. Moreover, valuing the customer’s perspective and asking insightful questions help strengthen your relationship, allowing you to improve the quality of your service. This makes active listening skills for customer service resume even more crucial.
Here is how you can demonstrate your active listening skills on a resume:
“Enhanced customer satisfaction ratings by 20% by actively listening to feedback during calls and implementing suggested improvements to service processes.”
Interpersonal Skills
Interpersonal skills are a crucial trait for a customer service representative. This particular skill enables an employee to effectively interact with clients. Strong people skills are valuable when engaging with customers because they allow you to navigate various situations with patience.
Strong interpersonal skills also help foster positive relationships with customers. You demonstrate respect and empathy for them and show that you value their perspectives.
Moreover, these skills also increase the likelihood of repeat business and positive word-of-mouth referrals. When customers feel respected and understood, they are more inclined to share their experiences with others, ultimately benefiting the business.
For example: “Trained new staff on interpersonal communication techniques, resulting in improved team dynamics and a 15% increase in overall customer satisfaction scores.”
Problem-Solving
Customers often turn to customer service representatives when they encounter issues, making effective problem-solving skills a must-have trait for this job. The ability to think critically about customer complaints and devise creative solutions can significantly enhance the customer experience, making it a highly demanded quality in the customer service industry.
To stand out as a job candidate, consider pairing your problem-solving skills with a hard skill. It will showcase your versatility, proving you an asset for the company. Additionally, highlight your capacity to make independent decisions because hiring managers greatly value candidates who take the initiative to tackle problems directly rather than deferring them to others.
Here is an example of how to showcase problem-solving skills for customer service resume:
“Successfully resolved a major service outage by quickly coordinating with technical teams to communicate updates to affected customers, resulting in a 90% satisfaction score in follow-up surveys.”
Time Management
Customer service representatives interact with many customers, and it is vital to recognize when to transition to the next customer while maintaining a professional and respectful demeanor.
Moreover, strong time management skills enable you to track multiple tasks, meet deadlines, and address various customer requests. Therefore, recruiters look for employees who can professionally balance customer needs with time constraints.
Make sure to highlight time management as part of your customer service skills for resume, as this will likely enhance your appeal to potential employers.
For example: “Managed an average of 50 customer calls per day while maintaining an average call duration of under five minutes, ensuring timely responses without compromising service quality.”
Customer Stress Management
Customer service roles can be challenging, especially since you will also be handling angry and frustrated customers all day long! Strong stress management skills allow representatives to maintain emotional balance and tackle customer issues with a positive attitude.
And so highlighting stress management skills for customer service resume is beneficial because it demonstrates your ability to handle challenging situations calmly and effectively. Employers seek candidates who can remain composed under pressure, as this leads to better customer interactions. Showcase these skills on your resume to allow the employer to see your worth.
For example, “Successfully diffused tense situations with angry customers by remaining calm, actively listening to their concerns, and providing a thoughtful resolution, which resulted in a positive feedback rating.”
Customer Relationship Management (CRM)
Customer service representatives need to effectively use customer relationship management (CRM) systems to record customer interactions and quickly access relevant information.
Highlighting CRM skills for customer service resume will increase your chances of getting hired because it shows potential employers that you can efficiently navigate systems. This skill indicates that you can manage customer data, improve service quality, and instantly respond to customers. Being proficient in CRM tools demonstrates you are tech-savvy and capable of adapting to the demands of the modern environments.
For example, “AnalyzedCRM data to identify customer trends and preferences, leading to targeted marketing strategies that increased customer engagement by 15%.”
Collaboration and Networking
Collaboration and networking are two of the skills most in demand in the customer service industry. While collaborating with people from different departments and even other companies helps achieve certain goals, networking helps build meaningful relationships with customers and colleagues.
Companies value employees who have excellent collaboration and networking skills. These skills highlight your versatile nature—someone who can adapt to changing customer needs and industry trends. They further emphasize your ability to create connections that can benefit both the company and its customers.
For example, “Coordinated with suppliers and third-party vendors to ensure smooth product delivery and address customer concerns, improving service delivery by 15%.”
Or,
“Regularly interacted with customers on social media platforms, addressing queries and sharing product updates, which increased customer engagement by 20%.”
Upselling or Cross-Selling
Upselling and cross-selling are essential customer service skills. They can drive business growth while also enhancing the customer experience. Upselling refers to encouraging a customer to purchase a premium version of a product or service, whereas cross-sellinginvolves suggesting related products along with their current purchase.
These skills are highly valuable as they not only contribute to increased revenue but also help strengthen customer experience. Listing upselling and cross-sellingas skills for resume customer service shows potential employers that you can create strategies, drive revenue, and keep customers satisfied.
Here is how you can highlight your product-selling skills in a resume
“Identified opportunities to upsell customers a higher-tier product, resulting in a 20% increase in average transaction value.”
Or
“Developed cross-selling strategies by offering product bundles, which led to a 30% increase in sales while improving customer satisfaction.”
Data Analysis
Data analysis is crucial for customer service roles because it allows you to make informed decisions based on customer behavior, feedback, and trends. Analyzing sales patterns helps you anticipate customer needs, resolve issues effectively, and improve overall satisfaction.
Employers value candidates who can use data to streamline workflows, boost efficiency, and anticipate customer needs. Incorporating data analysis as a critical skill for customer service resume will make you stand out among the crowd.
For example: “Monitored call center metrics to pinpoint inefficiencies, optimizing team response times and improving overall customer satisfaction by 25%.”
Resume Sections to Highlight Your Customer Service Skills
Now that we know which key customer service skills needs to put on a resume, it is time to identify where exactly to place them so that they catch the eye of the recruiter.
In the following sections, we will explore resume sections that are ideal for showcasing your customer service skills and how to present them effectively.
You can mention your customer service skills in:
Your Resume Summary
One of the most effective places to highlight your customer service skills is in the resume summary. The summary is an introduction to who you are, your professional identity, and your qualifications.
A well-crafted resume summary immediately conveys to the hiring manager that you possess the relevant skills and experience, encouraging them to delve deeper into your resume.
Mentioning your customer service skills in your resume summary allows you to showcase your qualifications for the job at an early stage, compelling the recruiter to review the rest of your application. You can incorporate phrases such as “effective communicator,” “problem solver,” and “dedicated team player.” These phrases will reflect your skills, positioning you as a strong candidate for the job.
In Experience Section
For example:
Customer Service Representative
XYZ Company, City, State | January 2022 – Present
- Resolved an average of 50 customer inquiries per day, achieving a 95% satisfaction rating by actively listening and addressing concerns promptly.
- Trained new team members on effective customer communication and problem-solving strategies, enhancing team performance and collaboration.
In Skills Section
The skills section is a great place to highlight your customer service skills. However, make sure to tailor your skills to the job you are applying for.
For instance, a customer support agent should emphasize skills such as effective communication and active listening, which are critical for addressing customer inquiries and concerns.
To create an impactful resume, review the job description and identify your skills that align with the role. And finally organize your skills under relevant categories such as Soft Skills and Hard Skills. This approach will make sure your resume stands out among others.
Read More :- Personal Skills For Resume
In Achievement Section
If you completed any training or received any certifications related to customer service, make sure to include them in a dedicated section of your resume. Listing relevant achievements or awards gives you an edge over other candidates.
Customer service is a competitive field; listing your awards highlights your exceptional track record. If you have multiple awards, consider creating a separate “Customer Service Awards” section. Make sure to mention the award name, the date you received it, and a brief explanation of the award you received.
Example: Customer Service Excellence Award (2022) – Recognized for consistently achieving top customer satisfaction ratings across 12 months.
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Wrapping It Up
Highlighting the right skills for resume customer service is crucial for grabbing the attention of potential employers. Companies prefer customer service representatives with strong communication, active listening, problem-solving, and time management skills. Tailor your resume to emphasize the customer service skills that are most relevant to the role you are applying for. Present yourself as a strong and qualified candidate who is ready to deliver exceptional service.