Customer service jobs can be found in many industries, including retail, catering, hospitality, and travel, to name a few. Customer service is more than just a department within a larger organization. The agents who fill customer service roles are crucial to building customer loyalty.
If you want a job as a customer service representative, you must have excellent communication skills and people skills. The goal of a customer service professional is to enhance customer experience and ensure satisfaction. In this guide, you’ll learn about some of the best customer service jobs that pay well.
How Much Does a Customer Service Job Pay?
According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the average annual salary for a customer service representative is $35,830. Some people work customer service jobs because they pay hourly and do not require a college degree. Plus, customer service jobs are more flexible than salaried professions, allowing you to work a side job to earn extra cash.
Customer service agents bring in a reasonable salary. In fact, some customer service jobs are among the best jobs paying $15 an hour. However, their income can vary depending on the duties they perform and the industry they are working in. BLS states that retail sales workers earn an average of $27,320 annually while financial clerks, such as those who manage insurance claims, earn $41,520.
How to Get a High-Paying Customer Service Job
Below, is a step-by-step guide on how to get a high-paying customer service job. These steps are meant to optimize job seekers’ success in landing a high-paying customer service job.
Step 1: Choose Your Field
The first step to finding a high-paying customer service job is to determine which field you want to work in. You can narrow down your options by determining whether you enjoy greeting customers, answering customer questions, or problem-solving for dissatisfied customers. You should also decide if you want an on-site or online customer service job.
Step 2: Join Job Boards
Once you know what type of field you’re interested in, you should join job boards. Some of the most popular job boards include Indeed, Glassdoor, LinkedIn, and SimplyHired. You can filter your search based on your location, field, desired pay, and level of education.
Step 3: Build Your resume
When building your resume, you should feature any customer service representative jobs you’ve had, as well as your customer service skills. If you are bilingual, be sure to include the languages you speak and how you have used them in previous jobs. Also include specific customer support tasks you have completed, making sure to use keywords from popular job descriptions.
Step 4: Apply For Jobs
The last step is to begin applying for jobs. As customer service positions often attract many applicants, it’s important to apply for several jobs to increase your chances of landing one. Most employers will require you to submit your resume and cover letter. If you get invited for an interview, be sure to be confident and showcase your excellent communication skills.
What Customer Service Jobs Pay the Most? The Highest-Paying Customer Service Jobs You Should Consider
The best-paying customer service jobs are in finance, insurance, sales, and management. At the start of your career, you will likely gain skills in a variety of fields before choosing an area to focus on. Below are some of the highest-paid jobs in customer service.
Customer Support Specialist
- Average salary: $55,510
- Job growth: 9%
- Companies hiring: Bell Canada, Boston Children’s Hospital, Blizzard Entertainment
A customer support specialist, also referred to as a technician, provides technical support to businesses and their network users. For this job, you will need to have both computer knowledge and customer service skills.
Technicians answer customer queries, resolve technical issues, troubleshoot clients’ issues, and maintain computer systems. This position is often a stepping stone toward becoming an IT technician or network administrator. This job is usually full-time but can be done remotely.
Real Estate Manager
A real estate manager organizes real estate deals, including leasing and buying with potential clients. They handle properties ranging from homes to commercial facilities. They also oversee lease compliance, renting violations, and market research. To become a real estate manager, you should be well-spoken and comfortable with managing legal documentation.
Flight Attendant
- Average salary: $59,050
- Job growth: 30%
- Companies hiring: Frontier Airlines, Republic Airways, SkyWest Airlines
A flight attendant serves customers on airplanes, often interacting with people from all over the world. They usually have a passion for travel and must meet certain job requirements, including mandatory training and test. This customer service job comes with a flexible schedule and benefits that make the long hours worthwhile.
Insurance Sales Agent
- Average salary: $52,180
- Job growth: 7%
- Companies hiring: Assurance, Liberty Mutual Insurance, Smith Home & Auto Insurance
An insurance sales agent contacts potential clients and introduces them to their company’s insurance policies and exclusive promotions. They help customers choose the right policy by providing relevant information. Insurance companies are looking to hire sales agents with good communication and sales skills. Insurance sales agents earn commission and must also meet their employer’s sales targets.
Health Information Specialist
- Average salary: $45,240
- Job growth: 9%
- Companies hiring: Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston Children’s Hospital, CVS Health
To become a health information specialist, you must have a high school diploma and computer skills. You should also have a strong eye for detail and a positive attitude, as you will be dealing with patients who have recently received medical care. One of the perks of this customer service job is the compensation and benefits.
Health information specialists carry out scheduling and clerical work related to patients on behalf of physicians. They are involved in scheduling appointments and communicating with patients’ insurance companies. They also usually receive training on a health facility’s internal procedures and scheduling systems.
Financial Clerk
- Average salary: $41,520
- Job growth: -2%
- Companies hiring: Valley View Casino, State of Georgia, West Texas Centers
A financial clerk fulfills administrative duties related to financial accounts. They must be able to multitask to manage their customers’ financial records. A financial clerk can work in credit management at a bank, for a university or college, at a loan company, or even at a casino. For this job, you should have strong math skills and an eye for numbers.
Travel Agent
- Average salary: $42,350
- Job growth: 5%
- Companies hiring: Hopper, Kemp Travel Group, World Travel Holdings
A travel agent makes travel arrangements for their clients, including booking accommodation, transportation, and entertainment. They answer any queries related to the travel plan they have created and help clients plan the perfect trip. A travel agent must have good research and organizational skills, and must build and maintain relationships with other hospitality businesses.
Catering Coordinator
- Average salary: $56,590
- Job growth: 15%
- Companies hiring: MGM Resorts International, Four Seasons, Radisson Hotels Americas
A catering coordinator maintains catering accounts and manages food services for a venue, such as a hotel. They are responsible for carrying out and improving event catering, and for building relationships with clients.
A catering coordinator will often utilize social media and should have good marketing skills in order to reach new clients. They must also greet guests arriving at an event and ensure that the patrons have a pleasant experience.
Customer Service Representative
- Average salary: $35,830
- Job growth: -1%
- Companies hiring: Apple, Alaska Airlines, Frontline Call Center
A customer service representative, also known as a customer care associate, directly contacts customers. They must greet the customer, resolve issues, and prioritize needs in order to provide the best possible customer support. In this job, you also might need to follow up with customers to enhance relationships and build long-term trust in an effort to retain customers.
To be a successful customer support agent, you need to have problem-solving skills, a positive attitude, and the ability to implement efficient solutions. Most companies will provide specific training so you can understand what they expect from you as you communicate with clients.
Receptionist
- Average salary: $31,110
- Job growth: 4%
- Companies hiring: Marriott International, Park Hyatt New York, JPMorgan Chase Bank
Most businesses employ a receptionist to greet visitors and customers, take incoming phone calls, schedule appointments, and guide clients to meeting rooms. The receptionist must have great manners, interpersonal skills, and the ability to multitask. They also need to be computer literate, as they will need to record contact information and handle emails.
Best Customer Service Jobs: Top Companies that Hire for Customer Service Jobs
Retail companies offer some of the best customer service jobs, along with banks, colleges, and technology companies. Below, you will find the top companies hiring customer service employees, including full-time, part-time, and remote customer service jobs.
- Amazon: Amazon is a top company in terms of customer service jobs, with more than 500 jobs currently available worldwide. The company has job opportunities in multiple departments, including Amazon Devices, Amazon Books, Amazon Web Services, and retail.
- Macy’s: This department store chain is hiring customer service agents, call center agents, and sales and customer service managers at multiple locations. Macy’s is a good place to learn on the job while working within a flexible schedule. Employees also get discounts and benefits.
- New York Life: This insurance company is hiring customer service representatives, specialists, and advocates. According to its website, the company offers equal employment opportunities for all candidates.
- TTEC: TTEC offers work-from-home customer service positions and will give you an opportunity to grow by providing in-house training and support. The global tech solutions company hires Spanish, English, Italian, French, and German-speaking candidates.
- Walmart: Walmart is hiring customer service representatives to work in person and in call centers. Employees resolve customer complaints and meet any other needs. At Walmart, you will get health care and insurance benefits, along with training opportunities.
Where to Find a Customer Service Job
There are a wide variety of jobs in customer service, from retail to food services. To build a career in customer service, you should find a customer service job that suits your experience level and interests. Below are some sites you can turn to as you begin your search for a customer service job.
Indeed
Indeed is one of the most popular job boards available, with thousands of job listings in customer service. You can narrow down your job search by including your experience level and location, as well as by choosing whether you want a part-time, full-time, contract, or temporary position. This will save you time and allow you to explore your best opportunities in detail.
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This platform is more than a traditional job board as it allows you to network and display your skills to potential employers. Adding industry-specific skills and carefully curating your LinkedIn profile can help you stand out and land your dream job in customer service. Employers will get the opportunity to learn about you through the accomplishments and endorsements on your page.
Upwork
This freelancing website lists more than a thousand customer service jobs. By using Upwork, you can develop a portfolio that will help you land more jobs and build relationships with employers. On the website, you’ll find hiring managers seeking freelance customer service representatives of all experience levels.
Skills Required to Land Your First Customer Service Job
To get a customer service job, you should be aware of the essential customer service skills that most employers seek in candidates. Below, you’ll see a list of skills that will help you land your first customer service job.
Communication
To work in customer service, you should have both oral and written communication skills so that you can effectively deal with customers. In some situations, you may need to use public speaking skills, and in others, you’ll need to focus on active listening.
Patience
Patience is an important attribute when it comes to customer service. Customer support representatives will often interact with anxious or angry customers when dealing with complaints. As a professional customer service agent, you must be patient and understanding as you troubleshoot an issue.
Persuasion
If your customer service role involves selling a product or service, you will also need to be persuasive. First, you must convince the customer that they are the priority. Then, demonstrate how your product or service meets their needs.
Languages
Companies often favor a bilingual customer service representative over a monolingual candidate. If you are familiar with or an expert in a language other than your first language, you will be more likely to land a customer service job.
Interpersonal Skills
Most customer support jobs involve greeting and interacting with customers on a daily basis. So before you apply, you should work on your interpersonal skills and clearly depict them in your resume.
Can a Coding Bootcamp Help Me Get a Customer Service Job?
If you want to get a job in customer service, a coding bootcamp shouldn’t be your first stop. The skills taught in coding bootcamps would be useful for customer service jobs that require high-level technical skills, but most entry-level positions do not.
Is a Customer Service Job For Me?
If you want a flexible work schedule and have good people skills, then a customer service job is for you. A customer service role is also a good choice if you haven’t pursued higher education. You will be a good match for a customer service role if you have a positive attitude and are friendly and helpful.
Customer Service Jobs that Pay Well FAQ
The customer service jobs that pay the most include tech sales representative, computer support specialist, food service manager, customer service representative, insurance sales agent, desk analyst, service advisor, and patient coordinator.
You will succeed in a customer service role if you find joy in helping others. Customer service teams must put customers first at all times. If you empathize with your customers, you will be able to help meet their needs.
Customer service can be a lucrative career path because it offers many opportunities to grow. You can carve out a career for yourself by gaining experience and focusing on your interests. If you specialize in a particular kind of service or product, you can eventually advance to management positions.
According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, the top customer service representatives make about $27.80 per hour, while the median wage for customer service jobs is $17.23 per hour.
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