In the United Kingdom there are vocational qualifications which are based on National Occupational Standards and reflect the knowledge and skills that are needed to do a job well. These are National Vocational Qualifications (NVQ) and Scottish Vocational Qualifications (SVQ). These qualifications are designed to cover all job roles in all sectors. Currently there are four levels, i.e., Level 1, Level 2, Level 3 and Level 4 in Customer Service NVQ and SVQ. There are some planned programs of Apprenticeship training which are aimed at helping young persons from 16 to 25 years of age.
The typical qualifications of a customer care professional have been indicated as:
• 2+ years of customer service experience
• Passion for serving customers with proactive solutions that grow relationships
• Exceptional listening and relationship building skills
• Effective and accurate decision-making skills
• Strong verbal communication skills
• Proficiency in an MS Office environment
• High school diploma or equivalent required
To seek the customer service profession an individual is required to possess many personal and technical attributes. He or she should be self motivated to take up the challenging and rewarding career opportunities, be pleasant in communication through the phone, quick in identifying and solving the problem of customers, disciplined and a self starter, independent worker and strong in work ethics. He or she must have knowledge in internet downloads, file attachments, instant/text messaging and email etc., and should have the ability to fix and sort out the minor problems with computers.
Salary prospects in the customer service profession are good. The average salary of a customer service professional, taking all jobs of customer service into consideration comes to $44,000 as per data collected in June of 2009. This average salary can have great variation depending upon the industry, experience, benefits, location, and company. A person can seek career prospects in the Customer Service profession as an Administrative Assistant, Investment Assistant, Data Specialist, Customer Service Representative, Business Development, Registered Nurses Medical Center, Registered Nurse, Customer Care Associate, Customer Service Representative, Customer Service, and Credit Union Sales Consultant. Gradually gaining experience he can reach senior levels positions like Dining Services Coordinator, Assistant Customer Service Manager, and a Director of Revenue Cycle where the average salary is also higher, i.e., $60,000 annually.
The art of communication is the key to success in customer service or the customer care profession. A customer service professional is required to have some basic skills. He must be good in the art of communication. He should take a problem solving approach. He must be a good listener. His time management must be perfect and he must have computer skills. Above all he should have great patience. Job and salary prospects in customer services for a person having all these required skills, qualifications, traits, and experience are very bright.
