Customer Service Specialist: Your Complete Guide to Becoming One

As famously said by the founder of Walmart, Sam Walton, the goal of a company is to have customer service that is not just the best, but legendary.

Though exemplary service doesn’t happen by chance, it requires customer service specialists who know how to interact with customers, solve problems, and build relationships.

With ever-rising customer expectations, support agents need to level up their skills and thrive in the field of customer service.

In this blog post, we’ll explore everything you need to know about customer service specialists and share actionable tips to help you be a top performer.

Who is a customer service specialist?

A customer service specialist is a professional who interacts with clients on behalf of a company to provide support and assistance in resolving queries or inquiries.

They are responsible for addressing customer complaints, handling issues, and maintaining the reputation of a business. Through effective communication, problem-solving, and a deep understanding of customer needs, they foster trust and long-term loyalty.

Roles and responsibilities of a customer support specialist

Whether you’ve been in customer service for years or aspiring to be one, getting a grasp of the roles and responsibilities of customer support specialist is key to succeeding in this field.

Let’s explore some of the duties of a customer service specialist.

Interacting with customers

Customer service specialists are the frontline agents who engage clients first before providing the required services or support and ensure each touchpoint is effective and complete.

These specialists connect with customers both proactively and reactively via various communication channels.

Providing information on products and services

Customers and potential clients rely on customer support specialists for guidance on how to use a product or service, its features, and pricing plans.

They utilize their product knowledge to clear up any doubt’s customers may have and suggest complimentary or related products or services.

Conducting customer onboarding

Customer support specialists help new clients set up accounts or learn about a service or product. They provide guidance and the resources needed to achieve customer success.

A smooth customer onboarding experience helps nurture new customers and builds a strong customer foundation.

Resolving customer issues and complaints

A normal day in the office for a client support specialist also involves responding to customer inquiries and complaints that arise via all customer service channels.

They diagnose problems, propose solutions, follow up to ensure customer inquiries are solved completely, and put actionable measures in place to ensure the issue doesn’t recur.

Responding to customer feedback and reviews

Customer service specialists handle product, service, or company reviews in a way that represents the core values of the company and reassures the customer that their input is valued.

They acknowledge and respond to both positive and negative customer reviews and forward practical ideas for implementation.

Contribute towards product development

As a client service specialist, you actively advocate for customer needs and enhance their experience by recommending product modifications to the development team.

They identify patterns in customer issues and suggest areas for improvements in product and service delivery.

Updating customer information

These client support specialists maintain detailed records of customer information. They create customer profiles in customer relationship management and update these records with each interaction.

This data provides a 360-degree view of the customer, allows them to provide personalized customer service, and is crucial for tracking the resolution process.

Processing transactions

Transactions in customer service are for different purposes and operations, they include placing orders, registering accounts, payments and delivery, and upgrades and downgrades of subscriptions.

Client service specialists ensure that customer orders, payments, and refunds are processed in a more efficient, timely and secure manner.

Essential skills for every customer service specialist

As a Statista study clearly puts it, 94% of customers who have a positive customer service experience are more likely to return to a business.

So how can support representatives create these memorable experiences?

Customer support specialists require both soft and technical skills to handle customer inquiries more effectively.

Active listening: Client service specialists should listen keenly to customer needs without interrupting.

They should be aware of the customer’s tone, body language, and emotions and respond thoughtfully to their inquiries.

Clear communication: Whether written or verbal, a good client service specialist must be able to express themselves and convey information in simple and easy-to-understand language while maintaining a positive attitude throughout all their interactions.

Problem-solving: For a customer support specialist to assist effectively, they need to examine issues well, think critically, and provide workable answers.

Effective problem-solving skills help escalate resolution procedures, navigate knowledge resources, and handle issues appropriately.

Time management: Effective time management is necessary for customer support specialists to manage a large volume of interactions while maintaining the requirement to deliver prompt responses.

These specialists should, therefore, prioritize tasks well, balance urgent issues with routine tasks, ensure all tickets are resolved completely within the deadline, and be time sensitive to meet SLA stipulations.

Teamwork and collaboration: Client service specialists work closely with other teams to advocate for customer needs, ensuring the feedback influences both product or service development and improvement.

Cross-team collaboration ensures all-inclusive solutions to customers, reinforcing the overall service offered with solid information on the product or service.

Empathy: Empathy in customer service entails putting yourself in the customer’s shoes, being patient with them, responding with care and understanding, and providing meaningful solutions.

Emotionally intelligent customer service specialists know how to deal with unhappy customers or emotionally charged situations and restore customer relations.

Professionalism: Customer support specialists may often face challenges dealing with angry customers. To handle various customer service scenarios well, they need to uphold high standards of professionalism.

They should adhere to company policies and follow set standard operating procedures to maintain brand reputation.

Accountability: Being accountable means taking responsibility for one’s actions and decisions and providing an explanation for them.

A good customer service specialist takes full responsibility for their actions, including success and mistakes, and accepts positive criticism and guidance from their supervisors.

Willingness to learn: The customer service industry is always constantly changing. To be able to keep up with the customer service trends, client service specialists need to be able to adapt constantly to these changes.

How to become a customer support specialist

Have you ever thought about what it takes to become the person who turns an angry customer into a happy one? Great customer service isn’t about answering questions.

It’s about putting yourself in the shoes of the customer, solving their problems, building trust, and developing long-lasting relationships with them.

Let’s walk you through what it takes to be a master in fostering customer happiness.

Learn customer service principles

To become a specialist, you need to start with the basics. Learning customer service policies gives you a strong foundation on the fundamentals such as:

• How to communicate with customers
• Ways to resolve issues
• Strategies to report to top managers or leads

It is also important to refine your understanding of company policies and procedures to help you provide excellent service.

Understand the product or service

A customer service specialist understands the product or service they are selling, including the features, functionality, updates and limitations.

This knowledge helps you to:

• Provide accurate and helpful information for new customers
• Efficiently guide customers in troubleshooting issues
• Anticipate common concerns
• Resolve issues within the first contact
• Upsell and cross-sell effectively

Go through the documentation and product updates to get a strong grasp of your offerings.

Acquire knowledge of customer service tools

A customer support specialist must be good at managing support requests, tracking inquiries, and interacting with clients using a variety of tools and platforms.

You should be conversant with the productivity tools used by your business such as ticketing software and understand how to use and troubleshoot them.

Develop your skills through continuous learning

You need to have a cocktail of essential skills in customer service to be successful in any customer-facing role.

Engage in professional development programs, attend workshops, consult with specialists, and learn from customer interactions to refine your ability to handle diverse situations.

Regular training, certifications, and mentorship programs will improve your communication, problem-solving, and emotional intelligence skills—which are key attributes for delivering exceptional service.

Gain relevant work experience

Hands-on experience in handling customer inquiries, resolving complaints, and navigating different support channels helps aspiring specialists build confidence and adaptability.

Seek internships, volunteer, apply for customer service positions across different industries, and focus on cross-team collaboration.

Exposure to different types of customers and real-world scenarios will also enhance your ability to manage difficult situations, work under pressure, and provide personalized solutions.

Keep up with industry trends

The customer service industry is a highly dynamic field. New technologies are coming up every day.

A great client support specialist needs to keep up with the most recent developments in customer service, including customer service technology and changing customer needs.

Extensively research on the current industry trends from customer service publications and blogs to stay informed.

Examples of top customer support specialists to follow

Sometimes, the best way to advance in any field is to learn from the industry gurus who have mastered the art.

There are a variety of customer support specialists; some you might have heard of, who share invaluable insights that can help refine your skills.

Well, let’s dive into the best customer service specialist you should learn from for top-notch client support and experience.

Shep Hyken

The first specialist on the list is the Chief Amazement Officer (CAO) of Shepard Presentations, Shep Hyken. He is a customer service and experience specialist and a keynote speaker.

Shep Hyken works with companies that want to enhance customer loyalty and foster long-lasting relationships with customers.

He has published top best-selling books such as ‘The Cult of Customer’ and ‘The Amazement Revolution.’

These books help businesses create an amazing customer-focused culture that can lead to improvements in customer service.

“If we consistently exceed the expectations of employees, they will consistently exceed the expectations of our customers.” – Shep Hyken.

Blake Morgan

Meta called Blake Morgan, ‘The Queen of CX.’ She is a customer service specialist and author of three books on customer experience, including ‘8 Customer Experience Laws’ and ‘More is More.’

She is interested in the intersection of technology, communication, relationships, and people. She looks into how technology can help you enhance your customer experience.

“The only way to differentiate a business today is to compete on experience.” – Blake Morgan.

Jeanne Bliss

Jeanne Bliss is a customer experience advisor and a keynote speaker who inspires companies to earn growth and admiration through elevated business practices.

Her five-competency framework is used by over 20,000 leaders and has proven to achieve customer-driven growth. She is the inaugural Chief Customer Officer at Land’s End, Coldwell Banker, Allstate, and Microsoft corporations.

Jeanne is the author of ‘Chief Customer Officer‘ and ‘Would You Do That to Your Mother‘.

Tools and technologies client service specialists use

Customer service representatives use a range of tools that support different aspects of their role, and each tool plays a pivotal role in streamlining workflows and enabling collaboration within teams.

These sets of tools and technologies ensure that the customer service specialist role is performed effectively and efficiently.

• Help desk ticketing system enables customer service representatives to prioritize, organize, and track support tickets, ensuring no customer inquiry goes unresolved.
• Customer Relationship Management (CRM) empowers client service specialists to manage customer data and interactions. This tool provides a wider view of the customer for personalized customer service.
• Live chat software facilitates real-time communication between client support specialists and customers anywhere, anytime for quick support and assistance.
• Omnichannel inbox enables client service specialists to handle customer inquiries from various sources in a single inbox, ensuring consistent customer service.
• Knowledge management system acts as a central repository for creating, organizing, and storing information that client support specialists need to assist customers effectively.
• Integration capabilities with third party systems and applications make it easy for customer support specialists to effectively collaborate with other teams. Integration reduces the need to switch between applications.
• Reporting and analytics tools help collect and analyze insightful real-time data on customer opinions to make valid decisions on service improvements.

Key takeaways to excel as a customer service specialist

The world of customer service is very competitive, and being a customer support specialist is a rewarding career. Therefore, to achieve success and stand out, you need to be the best.

Remember, becoming the best customer service specialist is about connecting with customers and creating long-lasting relationships with them, one interaction at a time. You can only excel in this role when you use the right tools to complement your efforts.

BoldDesk® customer service software eases the work of your client’s support specialists, helping them work more efficiently and increasing their productivity. To learn more about how this tool can help you be a great customer service specialist, contact us to book a live demo or sign up for a 15-day free trial to experience its features.

Are there any skills that you’re planning to add to your expertise and delight customers? Kindly share them in the comments section below.

Related articles

• 20 Great Customer Service Skills and How to Improve Them
• Customer-Facing: Key Roles, Skills, and Technology
• 10 Effective Customer Service Techniques to Delight Your Customers

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the different types of customer service specialists?

There are six different types of customer service specialists. This includes:

• Technical support specialists
• Frontline customer service representatives
• Customer success manager
• Customer service escalation specialist
• Live chat and social media support agent
• Billing and account specialist

What does a customer service specialist do?

A client service specialist plays a pivotal role in business’ customer experience as they help to keep the customer support role smooth, and customers satisfied.

What role does empathy play in customer service?

Empathy helps in understanding customers’ feelings and establishes stronger connections with customers as they feel heard and valued. It enhances effective communication and increases customer satisfaction.

How can I measure my performance as a customer service specialist?

Performance can be measured through KPIs such as resolution time, customer satisfaction score, response times, and feedback.