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Customer Service Representative  What They Do

Just the Facts


Interacts with customers to provide information in response to inquiries about products and services and to handle and resolve complaints.

This career is part of the Business, Management and Administration cluster Administrative Services pathway.


A person in this career:

  • Confers with customers by telephone or in person to provide information about products or services, takes or enters orders, cancels accounts, or obtains details of complaints.
  • Checks to ensure that appropriate changes were made to resolve customers' problems.
  • Keeps records of customer interactions or transactions, recording details of inquiries, complaints, or comments, as well as actions taken.
  • Resolves customers' service or billing complaints by performing activities such as exchanging merchandise, refunding money, or adjusting bills.
  • Completes contract forms, prepares change of address records, or issues service discontinuance orders, using computers.
  • Refers unresolved customer grievances to designated departments for further investigation.
  • Determines charges for services requested, collects deposits or payments, or arranges for billing.
  • Contacts customers to respond to inquiries or to notify them of claim investigation results or any planned adjustments.
  • Solicits sales of new or additional services or products.
  • Orders tests that could determine the causes of product malfunctions.

Insider Info

Dig into the details and check out what people in this job have to say about their work.

Working Conditions and Physical Demands

People who do this job report that:

  • You would sit most of the time. There's some walking and standing. You may have to lift and carry things like books, papers or tools weighing 10 lbs. or less.
  • Work in this occupation requires being inside most of the time
  • Work in this occupation involves making repetitive motions more than one-third of the time
  • Work in this occupation involves sitting more than one-third of the time

Working in this career involves (physical activities):

  • Seeing clearly up close
  • Speaking clearly enough to be able to be understood by others
  • Identifying and understanding the speech of another person

Work Hours and Travel

  • Rotating shift work

Specialty and Similar Careers

Careers that are more detailed or close to this career:

  • Automotive Service Advisor -- Explains the maintenance that a car may need, gives price estimates and makes suggestions about future work.
  • Call Center Representative -- Answers incoming calls from customers to take orders, answers inquiries and questions, handles complaints, troubleshoots problems and provides information.
  • Client Relations Specialist -- Analyzes the industry and that industry's target market in whatever industry he or she is employed, and then develops strategies for acquiring and retaining the business of that target market, while keeping the company's bottom line healthy.
  • Customer Support Manager -- Supervises the day to day operations of a customer-facing practice within a company.
  • Guest Service Agent -- Provides efficient and effective front desk service by handling hotel reservations, greeting arriving guests, providing information and offering assistance.
  • Warranty Administrator -- Facilitates all warranty related issues for an organization.
  • Account Representative --
  • Claims Service Representative --
  • Inside Sales Agent --
  • Member Services Representative --
  • Passenger Relations Representative --