Customer Service Career Guide

Customer Service forms a fundamental part of almost every business. Working in these roles can be tough and demanding at times, but also highly rewarding. The Customer Service space can offer an interesting and fulfilling career, as a result, especially if you have an understanding nature, and enjoy working with people to resolve their problems. While contact centres are still commonplace, Customer Service roles are becoming increasingly flexible across many industries, thanks to technological advancements and the increasing ease of working remotely.

Potential Roles in Customer Service

Given the customer-centric focus of all roles in this field, there’s often plenty of potential for career development. Some of the most popular Customer Service jobs are as follows.

Account Managers are generally more focused on business clients than consumer customers. They normally work as part of, or alongside, a sales and marketing department and are usually responsible for handling one or more client portfolios. Account Manager jobs heavily involve customer service interactions, which can range from client product queries and payment issues, to offering new services and upgrades. This role is often a fundamental one in any company. As such, Account Manager opportunities can be found across a variety of industries.

Customer Service Managers are tasked with making sure every customer receives an exceptional experience, and that good customer service practice is promoted throughout the organisation. Working as a Customer Service Manager means being on the front line of the business, helping to resolve customer issues, queries, and complaints, while ensuring they come away with a resolution to their problem wherever possible. They will also normally manage or oversee a team to some extent.

Technical Support Advisors are more specialised forms of customer service agents. Tech Support Advisors are there to help clients or customers with specific software or hardware problems. Technical Support Advisor jobs are found in a wide range of industries, but especially common in the tech sector. They tend to handle more in-depth problems that can sometimes require extensive troubleshooting to solve, and are normally the second line of contact if customer service agents can’t resolve the problem, or need more technical assistance.

Salary and Career Progression

Account Managers in the UK typically start around at £18,000 per year for an entry level position and up to £60,000 per year for a senior level position. In the US salaries usually start from $40,000 per year for an entry level position and up to $100,000 per year for a senior level position. It is important to note that commission can, and often does, play an important part of an Account Manager’s salary. Salaries tend to be higher in larger companies and certain industries, such as technology and finance. Experience and qualifications typically lead to higher salaries.

Customer Service Managers salaries in the UK usually start around £21,000 per year for an entry level position and up to £65,000 per year for a senior level position. These salaries will depend on the size of the company and the location. Smaller workplaces and less populated areas will usually fall within the lower end while more experienced managers, large corporations, and major cities will be closer to the higher end. In the US salaries typically range from $35,000 up to $100,000 per year. Similar to the UK, entry-level positions, smaller workplaces, and less populated areas might fall within the lower end and experienced managers, leadership roles, large organizations, and major cities will be closer to the higher end. Some companies may offer comprehensive benefits packages that enhance the overall compensation package and possessing relevant certifications, experience in specific software, or fluency in additional languages can increase earning potential.

Technical Support Advisors usually start from around £18,000 per year for an entry level position and up to £45,000 per year for a senior level position. Much like the other roles in this space, Technical Support Advisors starting at entry-level, working for smaller companies, and in less populated areas may offer salaries closer to the lower end while more experienced advisors, working for larger corporations, and in major cities might see salaries towards the higher end. Salaries in the US tend to start from $35,000 per year for an entry level position and can go up to $90,000 per year for a senior level position. Similar to the UK entry-level positions, smaller workplaces, and less populated areas might fall towards the lower end while experienced advisors, advanced technical knowledge, specialized certifications, and larger organizations may offer salaries closer to the higher end. Additional factors like industry, company size and specific skills and experience will offer higher salaries and some companies may offer comprehensive benefits packages that enhance the overall compensation package.

Qualifications, Education and Experience

Account Manager roles in both the UK and the US require a combination of education, experience and skills. A bachelor’s degree is often preferred, especially in business administration, marketing, management or a related field however this is not always required. In the UK, certificates in customer service management, sales or related areas can be advantageous and certification such as Certified Customer Service Professional (CCSP) or similar can be beneficial. The UK and the US typically require 2-5 years experience and ideally, experience in the specific industry of the hiring company (e.g., retail, finance, technology). A proven track record of leading customer service teams or projects can be highly valued. Communication, problem solving, interpersonal and technical skills are often required.

Customer Service Manager roles require a blend of education, skills and experience. The core qualifications for customer service manager roles are similar in both the UK and US, but there can be some slight variations. In the UK, formal qualifications may be less emphasised with a strong focus on experience and on-the-job training whereas a bachelor’s degree might be more commonly expected in the US but a strong track record in customer service can compensate. While a bachelor’s degree is often preferred in both countries, professional certifications such as Certified Customer Service Professional (CCSP) or similar can be advantageous. The UK and the US typically require 5-7 years of experience in customer service with a minimum of 2-3 years in a supervisory or managerial role. Experience in the specific industry of the hiring company can be highly valued and leadership, communication, problem solving, technical, organisational and decision making, are essential skills required for this role.

Technical Support Advisor roles can vary slightly between the UK and the US. Although formal qualifications may not always be mandatory, some employers may prefer them. A relevant A-Level (UK) or Associate’s Degree (US) in IT, computer science, or a related field can be beneficial and technical certifications such as CompTIA A+, Microsoft Certified IT Professional (MCITP), Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA) or similar can be advantageous. In both the UK and US, prior customer service experience is highly desirable and employers typically require 1-3 years of experience in a technical support or help desk role. A strong understanding of computer systems, hardware, software, and troubleshooting skills are essential for this role and you will also need excellent communication, patience and the ability to handle frustrated customers. It is also essential that you have excellent analytical thinking and the ability to diagnose and resolve technical issues efficiently.

Skills

Account Managers will benefit from the following skills and traits:

• Excellent written and verbal communication
• Negotiation
• Rapport building
• Active listening
• Selling
• Self-motivation
• Goal orientated
• Able to work under pressure
• Budgeting
• Extensive product knowledge
• Client-focused

Customer Service Managers should aim to develop the majority of the following qualities and skills to be successful in their role:

• Active listening
• Emotional intelligence
• Empathy
• Creative thinking
• Problem-solving
• Written and verbal communication
• Organisation
• Self-motivated
• Patient
• Tactful
• Leadership
• Teamwork
• Customer-focused

Technical Support Advisors are certain to need a combination of the skills and qualities below:

• Detailed understanding of relevant hardware or software products
• Logical thinking
• Problem-solving
• Customer-focused
• Detail-oriented
• Methodical
• Active listening
• Written and verbal communication
• Highly organised

Working Hours

Account Managers in both the UK and the US, tend to follow a similar pattern with their working hours, but with some flexibility. Standard office hours are from 9am to 5pm, Monday – Friday, resulting in a 40-hour week. Flexible working hours are becoming more popular these days along with remote work and compressed workweeks.

Customer Service Managers typically work a 40-hour week in both the UK and US. Many work standard business hours, often 9am to 5pm, Monday – Friday to align with core customer service times; however companies with 24/7 customer support may require shift work, evenings, weekends, and public holidays. While some positions may have stricter schedules, others offer some flexibility such as flexitime, working remotely and compressed workweeks. 

Technical Support Advisors generally work a variety of schedules in both the UK and the US. Office hours are typically 9am – 5pm resulting in a 37.5 – 40-hour week. Companies offering 24/7 technical support may require advisors to work in shifts. Typical shifts include early morning, afternoon, evening, and overnight shifts, weekends, and even public holidays. Rotating shifts are common to ensure round-the-clock support. Some companies offer remote work options which can provide more flexibility in scheduling, though core hours might still be expected. 

Notable Locations

Given that almost every company has some degree of customer services , there is no one particular location that’s best for finding these roles. That said, anywhere with concentrations of business are always a good place to start. With that in mind, the following cities are a good bet if you’re considering a career in Customer Services. It is also worth noting that many newer companies are increasingly offering remote and self-employed work in this field, which makes location less of an issue. 

UK

• London
• Manchester
• Edinburgh
• Leeds
• Sheffield
• Newcastle
• Birmingham
• Belfast

US

• New York City
• Los Angeles
• Chicago
• Houston
• Phoenix
• Dallas
• Seattle
• Miami
• Atlanta
• Washington D.C.
• Austin
• Denver
• Philadelphia
• San Antonio
• San Jose

Notable Companies

Here are some companies in the UK and US known for their dedication to delivering exceptional customer experiences:

UK

• British Airways
• John Lewis Partnership
• Barclays
• BT Group
• Virgin Media
• Nationwide Building Society
• Tesco
• Sky
• O2

US

• Amazon
• Google
• Microsoft
• American Express
• Apple
• Zappos
• Delta Air Lines
• Southwest Airlines
• Nordstrom
• Costco
• Starbucks
• T-Mobile

Remember that these are just a few examples of companies known for their strong presence in their respective industries. They offer robust career opportunities, professional growth, and the chance to work with leading technologies and services.

Next Steps

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