Customer service advisors operate in a variety of fields and are paid to keep the company's customer base loyal and happy at all times.  Customer service advisors work on the front line, interacting with the customers of the business and helping to resolve any problems that they may have with the product or service that is being provided.  This article will explain what kind of salaries individuals working in these roles can expect to receive, and provide advice on how to improve a customer service salary.

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Daily tasks

Typically, customer service agents will operate the phone lines, or other digital communication channels, to assist with any enquiries or problems the company's customers may have.  These requests can include anything from helping a customer to log in to their online account, by performing security checks before providing a new password, to providing technical advice such as helping to solve a computer problem or user error. 

Customer service agents may also be tasked with some gentle selling, such as establishing whether a customer is interested in a new product and, if they are, then passing that customer onto a sales specialist.

Average salaries.

The average salary a customer service worker earns is around £21,767, with call centre managers taking home around £40,000 a year on average. The average wage customer service advisors receive is £16,622, although many people work part-time in these roles.

In London, those in customer service jobs achieve a slightly higher annual salary at around £17,000.  Roles in Manchester are paid an average of £16,622 per year, whilst in Glasgow, the average salary is £15,832.

Ways to boost your salary.

Customer service advisors have good potential for progression and can work their way up through various management positions, with the prospect of becoming manager of the contact centre at the very top.

The salaries offered by different contact centres, and companies, vary greatly.  In general, the more specialist knowledge that someone is required to have, the more likely it is that they will receive a higher salary.

For this reason, focusing on a specific area - whether in IT, finance, or even technical assistance with a musical instrument - can be incredibly beneficial when attempting to find jobs with a higher salary attached.

Training courses are available in specific areas of customer service, and individuals should constantly be looking to keep their skills topped up as their career progresses.  It is important not to stagnate, so anyone who feels that there is no potential for progression in their current position should consider using a recruitment agency to identify new roles in which they might be interested.  The company will help them to prepare an application, with a high chance of success.

Moving to an area of the country that offers higher pay to customer service advisors can be another good tactic, and to avoid jobs in contact centres that deal exclusively with outsourced accounts. These often pay workers lower rates than they would get if they were working in an in-house team.

View our customer service jobs description article to get a better understand of the role.