People in customer service advisor jobs play a vital role in keeping the satisfaction levels of a company's customers high and in helping them make the most of the products or services they are paying for.

The role involves interacting with a wide variety of customers, helping to resolve problems, assisting users to get the most out of the service and handling complaints. How effectively customer service advisors deal with customers will greatly influence the public image the company projects and have a genuinely crucial impact on the number of customers who decide to stay loyal or look elsewhere. This article will provide a thorough rundown on the role of customer service advisor for those interested in this type of position.

Description of a customer service advisor job

It is much more cost-effective to retain a customer than find a new one, which is one of the many reasons why good customer service is so crucial to the success of a business. Customer service advisors are central to this and it is vital they provide a consistently high level of service each and every time they answer the phone.

During a typical day, a customer service advisor will answer hundreds of calls from customers and some may be required to provide digital correspondence, carrying out tasks that include responding to social media comments or emails.

Depending on the service the company offers, customers may call with issues regarding anything from an inability to get their home Wi-Fi to work; through to disputing bills they have received. Customer service advisers need to be adaptable, friendly and positive in their interactions, reassuring them that their problems are being given the attention they deserve and that they will be resolved.

Customer service advisor roles are very different to the telesales positions they are often associated with. Generally, customer service advisors are not required to sell to customers, leaving them free to focus on simply trying to provide assistance. Many prefer this way of working, as they do not feel the pressure frequently associated with a selling role.

Variations on the customer service role

Many companies have their own in-house customer service advisor team, while others prefer to outsource it. This means many customer service advisor roles are actually provided by companies that deal exclusively with providing services for a variety of other businesses. It is essential that workers in these roles are adaptable.            

Growth potential

In general, the potential for career growth is high for customer service workers. A clear progression pathway is available in the call centres of many organisations, with line manager positions and team manager roles, all being attainable.

In addition, many workers use their experience to move into sales roles or choose to focus on becoming account managers or account executives, where they are able to use their skills to manage relationships with specific, high-value customers.

Any customer service advisor who feels they may be stagnating in their role should consider asking for a promotion or using the services of a recruitment agency to find new positions that are relevant to their level of experience.