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What does a Customer Service Supervisor do?
Mary McMahon
Mary McMahon
A customer service supervisor is responsible for managing customer service for the company he or she works for. Customer service is viewed as an important part of the services offered by many companies, with many customers expecting a high level of customer service. The advent of reviews of customer service on the Internet has made this position even more critical, as companies can quickly earn a reputation for providing bad service which may be hard to shake.
Customer service supervisors are usually responsible for hiring the employees who provide customer service, and training these employees. The supervisor provides employees with basic information about company policies and procedures so that customer service representatives can answer questions, process billing inquiries, and provide other forms of assistance to the public. Customer service representatives are also given training in customer service as a whole, with a focus on teaching them good habits which will promote a good reputation for the company.
The customer service supervisor may also work directly with customers. A major problem may be handled personally by the supervisor, and employees can also pass on difficult customers whom they feel require extra care. Customers may also choose to escalate a complaint, requesting attention from a supervisor rather than a customer service representative. The supervisor may monitor calls and other interactions between representatives and customers, and provide other quality control services which are designed to ensure that customers benefit from good service no matter whom they work with.
The customer service supervisor must formulate policies and develop a long term customer service philosophy for the company. Customer service needs can shift over time, and companies need to be able to be flexible to work with these changes. Customer service supervisors deal with problems such as international customers who want service during their business hours, management of promotional campaigns which involve customer service needs, and the implementation of recalls and other product-related announcements which may generate heavy demand for customer service.
The salary for a customer service supervisor varies, depending on where he or she works, the supervisor's level of experience, and the size of the company. Many hold degrees in business or related fields, with some receiving customer service training. To rise to the rank of customer service supervisor, someone generally needs experience as a customer service representative, paired with glowing recommendations from supervisors and an ample demonstration of customer service skills including the ability to keep cool under strain.
Mary McMahon
Ever since she began contributing to the site several years ago, Mary has embraced the exciting challenge of being a WiseGEEK researcher and writer. Mary has a liberal arts degree from Goddard College and spends her free time reading, cooking, and exploring the great outdoors.
Learn more...
Mary McMahon
Ever since she began contributing to the site several years ago, Mary has embraced the exciting challenge of being a WiseGEEK researcher and writer. Mary has a liberal arts degree from Goddard College and spends her free time reading, cooking, and exploring the great outdoors.
Learn more...AS FEATURED ON:
AS FEATURED ON:
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![Customer service representatives have to treat customers well, even if they're having a bad day themselves.]()
By: Syda ProductionsCustomer service representatives have to treat customers well, even if they're having a bad day themselves. -
![A customer service supervisor monitors employee interactions with customers.]()
By: nyulA customer service supervisor monitors employee interactions with customers. -
![Customer service supervisors step in when there's an unusually difficult customer concern.]()
By: Tyler OlsonCustomer service supervisors step in when there's an unusually difficult customer concern. -
![Customer service supervisors may have to deal with frustrated customers.]()
By: xalanxCustomer service supervisors may have to deal with frustrated customers. -
![Customer service is a large part of working in retail.]()
By: pressmasterCustomer service is a large part of working in retail. -
![A customer service supervisor may work directly with customers.]()
By: Adam GregorA customer service supervisor may work directly with customers.
Discussion Comments
Oasis11- Many companies offer a Myers-Brigg exam in order to determine if the candidate would be a leader or a follower.
If the majority of the responses are D, the candidate has a directive personality and they are more likely to lead a group and adhere to goals.
However, this same person may be a bit authoritative and may have some difficulty with members of his or her team.
This test provides a lot of insight into a person’s personality and likely success or failure on the job.
If the environment calls for creative thinkers in which everyone’s input is required, a person with predominately D answers would not be a good fit for this position within the organization.
The candidate in this case would not fit the corporate culture of the organization and this is yet another reason why these tests are given.
Subway11-A customer service supervisor salary average is about $50,000 a year. A customer service supervisor resume needs to detail the management experience and the number of employees the supervisor managed.
Often in an interview a typical question offered a customer service supervisor candidate would be to describe the most difficult customer service situation and how was it overcome.
In addition, an interviewer might want to know the statistics of the candidate’s former department with respect to customer service scores and sales volume.
All of this feedback allows the interviewer the opportunity to determine how much experience the candidate has as well as their temperament for stressful situations.
Crispety-A new supervisor also has to handle customer complaints in a polite and tactful fashion.
An ability to remain calm in stressful situations is required for a customer service supervisor to be successful in the job.
You have to be able to calm the customer down and make them happy as well as provide proper coaching to the employee how upset the customer.
Sometimes customers are upset because the store was out of a product and it is not the employees fault.
A good manager always gets both sides of the story before making judgments. Sometimes a supervisor in a retail environment will have to honor a former sales price of an item when an old sign remains.
Again, this confusion may upset a customer, but the supervisor is the one who could make it right. Sometimes supervisors will take expired coupons or competitor coupons in order to make the customer happy.
A customer service supervisor really has to monitor the performance of his or her team. Often in a call center, calls are monitored in order to provide quality feedback.
A customer service supervisor has to train incoming personnel and offer detailed feedback regarding how well the employee followed the script, their demeanor as well as their opening and parting greeting.
It is sometimes important to have the employee listen to the call after the fact in order for them to determine what they did well and what could be improved upon. Adhering to sales goals can also be attributed to how well the script was followed. Sometimes offering additional products and providing up sells is a necessary part of the customer service assistant manager’s job.
Most companies that sell products always have up sell and cross sell goals as well as possible credit solicitation. They are also there to motivate their staff to perform at optimum levels.
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