Customer Service Skills to Include on a Resume

When applying to customer service jobs, it’s important that you highlight your customer service skills on your resume. Along with including them in your work experience section, you can create a skills section where you list a handful of skills that directly relate to the job you’re applying to. Employers look for candidates with customer service skills because they show that you can work well with others. Those with experience in customer service tend to be patient and effective communicators.

Learn more: Transferable Skills For Every Career

Get to know these important customer service resume skills:

• Communication: As someone in a customer service role, you’re going to work with all kinds of people. It’s important that you can clearly communicate what you are saying to everyone you work with. This means enunciating your words and speaking loud enough. Communication skills are also helpful when explaining a solution to a customer’s problem or answering a question.
• Professionalism: Since you are essentially the face of your company, you need to have a sense of professionalism. A big part of this is treating customers in a respectful manner. Also, always use appropriate language and remember that you are in a business setting.
• Product knowledge: Make an effort to truly understand the products and services you’re selling. Get to know their key benefits and features. Become well-versed in some frequently asked questions people may have.
• Patience: Working with some customers may be challenging at times. The key to keeping your composure is learning to be patient. Give customers time to figure out what they need. Be open to answering a series of questions, no matter how redundant they may be.
• Technical knowledge: When going into a customer support role, expect to use your computer skills. You may need to have technical knowledge about support software or point-of-sale systems. Even knowing how to answer the phone and transfer calls is important.
• Active listening: This is when you show customers that you are fully immersed in what they are saying. Active listeners let someone finish their thought before speaking. To improve your active listening skills, try to focus on what the other person is saying before thinking of your response. Show that you care with nonverbal cues, such as head nodding and eye contact.
• Attentiveness: Whenever you interact with a customer, pay attention to their needs. This means greeting them as soon as they walk into the store or promptly answering their questions. By serving a customer immediately, they may feel happier with your company.
• Conflict resolution: Diffusing tense situations may be part of the job. By having strategies to resolve conflicts, you can maintain a harmonious workspace. Try to help an upset customer before a situation escalates.
• Decision-making: Customer service jobs require a lot of decision making. You need to determine what you can do to make your customers happy while also ensuring you are following your company’s guidelines. Many of the decisions you make need to be on the spot since you are working with another individual.
• Stress management: During busy seasons, you need to remain calm. This means finding ways to manage your stress as the line of customers goes out the door. By focusing on the task at hand rather than how much work you still have to do, you can learn to cope with feelings of stress.
• Time management: Clocking into your shift on time is quite important for many customer service roles. That’s because many of them operate on a shift to shift basis, meaning that when you arrive, your coworker can end their shift. By being mindful of time, you are being courteous to the rest of your team.
• Personable: Having a friendly personality is everything when interacting with customers. Show them that you are open to providing them with assistance.
• Problem-solving: A major component of this kind of career involves solving customers’ problems. Be the person who can find the right solution for a customer’s inquiry.
• Responsiveness: When a customer leaves a message or sends an email, you have the ability to get back to them promptly. This skill coincides with time management and attentiveness.
• Dependability: Customers can count on you to fulfill your promises. You make what you say a reality.
• Fast thinking: You have the ability to think on your feet. Coming up with a solution comes easily to you, even when working under pressure.
• Eager to please: Helping people is a part of your nature. You are someone who genuinely enjoys working with others and finding ways to assist them.
• Physical strength: Although not every customer service job requires this skill, it does come in handy when you work in a store setting. You need to be able to help customers put goods in their car or grab something off of a shelf for them.
• Reliability: People in these kinds of roles often work with sensitive information, such as credit cards or customer contact information. Your employer needs to ensure you are reliable about keeping these things private. Likewise, they need to trust that you can handle working with money.
• Empathy: When working with an upset customer, try to take on their perspective. A big part of empathy is reading verbal and nonverbal cues. For instance, if you notice someone walking into your store with their shoulders slumped and looking sad, try to be extra nice and helpful to them.