Which customer service skills should you put on your resume? Start with the skills the job asks for, then choose the ones you can demonstrate through your experience.
Useful customer service skills for a resume include communication, active listening, empathy, patience, problem-solving, and complaint resolution. Depending on the role, you may also need CRM software, ticket management, live chat support, order processing, or returns and refunds.
Below, you’ll find a list of skills to choose from, examples for different customer service jobs, and ways to show those skills in your resume. If you have no customer service experience, we’ll also show you how to draw on coursework, projects, volunteering, and internships.
Customer Service Skills to Put on a Resume
Customer service involves both helping people and handling practical tasks. You might explain a bill, resolve a complaint, update an account, or help someone use a product. Your resume should show the skills you use to do that work.
Use this list to identify skills that match your experience and the job you want. A retail position may call for cash handling and returns, while a remote support role may ask for email support and ticket management.
| Category | Skills to choose from |
|---|---|
| Communication | Active listening, verbal communication, written communication, clear explanations, telephone etiquette, bilingual communication |
| Handling customer concerns | Empathy, patience, problem-solving, complaint resolution, conflict resolution, de-escalation |
| Customer support tasks | Product knowledge, order processing, returns and refunds, billing support, account assistance, customer follow-up |
| Software and systems | CRM software, ticket management, Salesforce, Zendesk, Freshdesk, point-of-sale systems |
| Digital support | Email support, live chat support, social media customer support, basic troubleshooting, knowledge-base use |
| Organization and teamwork | Time management, prioritization, attention to detail, adaptability, teamwork, accurate case documentation |
| Sales and customer relationships | Relationship building, customer retention, needs assessment, upselling, cross-selling |
| Team leadership | Agent coaching, quality monitoring, escalation management, onboarding, performance reporting |
Customer Service Soft Skills
Soft skills affect how you listen, respond, and work with others. These personal skills for a resume become more convincing when you connect them to something you actually did.
Communication and Active Listening
Listen carefully, ask questions, and explain the next steps clearly. On your resume, you could describe answering product questions, explaining charges, or guiding customers through a process.
Empathy and Patience
Customers may be frustrated, confused, or unfamiliar with a product. Show how you gave someone time to explain a concern, adjusted your explanation, or helped them understand their options.
Problem-Solving
Identify what went wrong and work toward a suitable solution. Examples include tracing a missing order, correcting an account error, or troubleshooting a product issue.
Complaint Resolution and De-escalation
Handle complaints calmly, explain available solutions, and recognize when a supervisor needs to help. Your resume can show how you resolved a dispute or coordinated an appropriate escalation.
Time Management and Attention to Detail
Manage incoming requests while keeping records accurate. Describe how you prioritized urgent cases, tracked follow-ups, or checked order and billing details.
Adaptability and Teamwork
Adjust to new procedures and work with colleagues to solve customer issues. You might mention learning a new support system or coordinating with delivery, billing, or technical teams.
Customer Service Hard Skills
Hard skills are the specific tools, knowledge, and tasks you use to support customers. Our guide to hard skills for a resume explains how to present these abilities alongside your experience.
CRM Software and Ticket Management
Record customer interactions, update case notes, assign tickets, and track follow-ups. Name the system you used, such as Salesforce, Zendesk, or Freshdesk, and explain the tasks you completed with it.
Phone, Email, and Live Chat Support
List the support channels you have worked with. You can strengthen this information by describing the types of inquiries you handled and, if known, the volume of calls, emails, or chats.
Order Processing, Returns, and Billing
These skills are useful in retail, e-commerce, and account support. Describe tasks such as updating orders, processing approved refunds, checking payments, or explaining billing discrepancies.
Product Knowledge and Troubleshooting
Understand the product or service well enough to answer questions and guide customers. Show how you explained features, helped with setup, or followed troubleshooting steps before referring a case to technical support.
How to Choose Customer Service Skills for Your Resume
Start with the job advertisement. The right skills for a retail position may differ from those needed for a call center or live chat role. Choose skills that match both the work being offered and what you can actually do.
- Identify the main tasks and requirements.
Look for the support channels, software, and responsibilities mentioned in the advertisement. Does the employer need someone to answer calls, process refunds, resolve complaints, or manage support tickets?
- Match those requirements to your experience.
Think of a specific task or situation that supports each skill. Experience can come from a job, internship, volunteering, or a project. If you cannot explain how you used a skill, leave it out or describe your level accurately.
- Use clear, familiar wording.
Where it accurately describes your experience, use the wording in the advertisement. For example, use “email support” rather than a vague phrase such as “digital abilities.” Our guide to resume keywords explains how to identify relevant terms without stuffing them into your resume.
- Put the most relevant skills first.
Give priority to the skills needed for the main duties. Combine relevant technical skills with interpersonal abilities, and remove repeated or unrelated items.
Example: Turn a Job Advertisement Into a Skills List
Imagine you are applying for an online retail support role with the following requirements:
Sample job advertisement: “Respond to customer emails, resolve delivery complaints, process returns, and maintain accurate customer records in Zendesk.”
| The job asks for | Your experience | Skills you can list |
|---|---|---|
| Responding to emails | You answered customer questions about orders by email. | Email support, written communication |
| Resolving delivery complaints | You checked tracking details and arranged suitable next steps with customers. | Complaint resolution, problem-solving |
| Processing returns | You checked return eligibility and processed approved requests. | Returns processing, attention to detail |
| Maintaining Zendesk records | You updated tickets and recorded customer follow-ups in Zendesk. | Zendesk, ticket management, case documentation |
Your Skills Section Could Read:
Skills: Email support, complaint resolution, returns processing, Zendesk, ticket management, written communication, problem-solving, and accurate case documentation.
This is an illustrative example. If you used a different support system, name that system. Do not add Zendesk simply because it appears in the job advertisement.
Customer Service Skills Section Examples
Give your skills a clear heading, such as “Skills” or “Customer Service Skills.” Keep the wording short and put the most relevant abilities first. Include a mix of customer-facing skills and the tools or tasks needed for the job.
Here are four examples you can adapt. Use only the skills you have, and replace any software name with the system you actually used.
Retail Customer Service
Skills: Customer assistance, product knowledge, POS systems, cash handling, returns and exchanges, complaint resolution, and teamwork.
Call Center Representative
Skills: Inbound call handling, active listening, clear verbal communication, billing inquiries, de-escalation, Salesforce, and call documentation.
Remote Customer Support
Skills: Email and live chat support, written communication, Zendesk, ticket prioritization, basic troubleshooting, and customer follow-up.
Customer Service Team Leader
Skills: Agent coaching, quality monitoring, escalation management, staff onboarding, workload allocation, performance reporting, and process improvement.
For complete resumes showing these skills alongside a summary, work history, and education, see our customer service resume examples.
How to Show Customer Service Skills in Your Work Experience
Your skills section tells employers what you can do. Your work experience shows how you have done it. Instead of writing “excellent customer service skills,” describe a customer issue, the action you took, and the result.
Start with what you did, explain the work, then add a relevant outcome or detail such as the support channel, tool, or number of customers helped.
Use clear resume action verbs such as resolved, processed, explained, or documented. The examples below show how a general duty can become a more useful resume bullet.
Phone Support and Communication
Answered customer calls.
Handled 45–55 customer calls daily about billing and account access, maintaining a 94% customer satisfaction score.
Complaint Resolution Without Metrics
Dealt with unhappy customers.
Resolved return and exchange complaints by checking receipts, explaining store policies, and arranging eligible refunds or replacements.
Ticket Management and Follow-Up
Used Zendesk to help customers.
Managed email support tickets in Zendesk, recorded troubleshooting steps, and followed up with customers until their issues were resolved or referred to technical support.
How to Highlight Customer Service Skills in Your Summary
Use your summary to introduce your experience and a few skills that match the job. Give those skills some context: the customers you helped, the questions you handled, or the tools you used.
For example, “skilled in complaint resolution” becomes more useful when you explain the complaints you handled, such as missing deliveries, billing errors, or return requests.
Customer Service Resume Summary Example
Customer service representative with three years of experience handling phone and email inquiries for an online retailer. Resolves delivery complaints and return requests, explains policies clearly, and records customer interactions in Zendesk. Works with warehouse and billing teams to follow up on unresolved orders.
Keep this introduction brief. Your skills section and experience bullets can provide more detail. For examples tailored to different backgrounds, see our customer service resume summary examples.
Customer Service Skills With No Experience
If you have never worked in customer service, look for other situations where you helped people, answered questions, or solved problems. You may have useful examples from college, an internship, volunteering, or a project.
Choose skills you can explain with a real example. Here is where to look:
- Coursework: Presentations, group assignments, and business communication exercises can help you demonstrate clear explanations, listening, and teamwork.
- Projects: Gathering feedback, writing instructions, or helping someone use a website can show problem-solving and written communication.
- Internships: Answering inquiries, scheduling appointments, or updating records can demonstrate professional communication and attention to detail.
- Volunteering: Welcoming visitors, managing event registration, or answering questions can show patience, organization, and in-person assistance.
- Courses and certifications: Relevant training can introduce you to customer support practices or software. Describe the practical exercises you completed, rather than treating a certificate as job experience.
List the relevant skills in your skills section, then support them under Projects, Internships, or Volunteer Experience. These examples show how:
Volunteer Experience Example
Welcomed attendees at a college event, answered registration questions, and worked with organizers to resolve booking issues.
Skills shown: Communication, teamwork, and problem-solving.
Project Experience Example
Collected feedback from classmates testing a student website, explained how to use its features, and wrote a short guide answering common questions.
Skills shown: Listening, clear explanations, and written communication.
Adapt these examples to activities you have actually completed. You do not need to invent customer satisfaction scores or call volumes. A clear description of how you helped someone is a useful starting point.
How to Show Customer Service Skills in Your Work Experience
A skills list tells employers what you can do. Your work experience gives them an example. Instead of writing “strong communication skills,” describe what you explained, who you helped, or which problem you resolved.
A useful starting point: What did you do? How did you do it? What happened next? Add a result when you know it, or describe the task clearly when you do not have performance figures.
Start each bullet with a clear action, such as resolved, explained, processed, or coordinated. Our guide to resume action verbs can help you choose wording that fits your work.
Communication and Listening
Answered 40–50 customer calls daily, clarified billing questions, and explained payment options in plain language.
What it shows: The workload, the questions handled, and how information was communicated.
Complaint Resolution
Resolved missing-delivery complaints by checking tracking records, contacting couriers, and arranging approved replacements or refunds.
What it shows: Specific steps taken to investigate a problem and provide a suitable solution.
Support Software and Follow-Up
Managed email inquiries in Zendesk, documented troubleshooting steps, and sent progress updates while technical teams investigated unresolved issues.
What it shows: How the software was used, along with accurate documentation and customer follow-up.
Teamwork and Coaching
Trained four new representatives on return policies, customer communication, and case documentation, then reviewed their early tickets and provided feedback.
What it shows: The scope of the training and the practical support provided to new colleagues.
These examples illustrate the wording, not results you should borrow. Replace the details with your own experience. If you have reliable figures, include relevant measures such as customer satisfaction, response time, or cases resolved.
You can still write a useful bullet without numbers. The complaint resolution example above explains the work clearly without adding a percentage or claiming an outcome that cannot be verified.
How to Improve Your Customer Service Skills
Start with a skill the jobs you want frequently ask for. Practice it through a real task, ask for feedback, and keep a note of what you learned. Here are five practical ways to get started.
Practice Listening and Clear Explanations
Ask someone to describe a problem, then summarize it before suggesting a solution. Practice explaining a product or process in simple steps. Ask which parts were clear and where they needed more help.
Work Through Common Customer Problems
Practice responding to a missing order, an incorrect charge, or a return request. Identify what you need to check, which solutions are allowed, and when to involve a supervisor. Focus on a calm, useful response.
Learn a Relevant Support Tool
Use official tutorials or a practice environment to learn how to create tickets, write case notes, and track follow-ups. Choose a tool mentioned in your target jobs. Use fictional customer information when practicing.
Build Product and Policy Knowledge
Study the product, service, and common questions you would need to explain. If you are already employed, review your company’s guidance on returns, billing, privacy, and escalation so you can give accurate answers.
Get Practice and Feedback
Look for internships, volunteer roles, or event duties where you can answer questions and help people. If you already work in support, ask your supervisor to review a few interactions and suggest one specific improvement.
Mistakes to Avoid
A useful skills section is specific, relevant, and honest. Check your resume for these six mistakes before you apply.
Using Vague Phrases
“People person” and “great customer service” give employers little information about what you can do.
Be specific: Name abilities such as complaint resolution, email support, or product demonstrations.
Ignoring the Job Description
Sending the same skills list for every role can leave important requirements buried or missing.
Match the role: Prioritize relevant skills you have, such as returns processing for retail or written communication for live chat.
Claiming Software You Do Not Know
Adding Zendesk or Salesforce because an employer mentions it can create a claim you cannot support.
Describe your actual level: Name tools you have used. If you only completed training, identify it as training.
Copying Example Results
Borrowed satisfaction scores or call volumes make your resume inaccurate, even if the wording sounds convincing.
Use your own evidence: Include figures you can explain. Without metrics, describe the task and the steps you took.
Repeating the Same Skill
“Good communicator,” “communication skills,” and “strong communication” repeat one idea and take up space.
Keep each item useful: Choose distinct abilities, such as active listening, billing support, and accurate case documentation.
Listing Skills Without Examples
A list alone does not explain how you have used your customer service skills.
Support your strongest skills: Add relevant examples under work experience, projects, internships, or volunteering.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the best customer service skills for a resume?
Useful customer service skills include communication, active listening, empathy, patience, problem-solving, and complaint resolution. Add technical skills that fit the role, such as CRM software, ticket management, order processing, or live chat support. Choose skills that match the job advertisement and your experience.
How many customer service skills should I put on my resume?
There is no fixed number. Include a short selection of relevant skills that fits comfortably in your resume. Prioritize the employer’s requirements, combine related items where helpful, and remove repeated or unrelated skills. Each skill should be something you can explain with an example.
Is customer service a hard skill or a soft skill?
Customer service involves both. Soft skills include listening, patience, and empathy. Hard skills include using support software, processing refunds, and maintaining customer records. A customer service resume should reflect the combination needed for the position.
How do I describe customer service skills without numbers?
Describe the problem, your actions, and the outcome when known. For example: “Resolved return requests by checking purchase records, explaining store policies, and arranging eligible exchanges.” Specific tasks can demonstrate your skills even when you do not have performance figures.
What customer service skills can I list with no experience?
Look for skills you have used in coursework, projects, internships, or volunteering. These may include communication, teamwork, organization, and problem-solving. Support them with specific activities, such as answering event questions or writing instructions for a project. Describe software training accurately rather than presenting it as job experience.
Which customer service keywords should I include for ATS?
Use relevant terms from the job advertisement when they accurately describe your abilities. Examples might include complaint resolution, email support, ticket management, billing inquiries, or a named CRM system. Use them naturally in your skills and experience sections. There is no universal keyword list that guarantees selection by an applicant tracking system.
