Becoming a Customer Service Specialist via Online Education?
At the very least, online education can help you lay a foundation and/or open up alternate career paths.
Ashford University, one of the highest ranking online
schools,
is a US school (accredited) offering communications courses to train individuals
to become top-notch
communication disorder specialists,
speech therapists,
speech language pathologists,
teacher of the speech and hearing handicappeds, etc.
Currently, according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics there are 2,195,860 people employed as
customer service representatives alone in America, and their average annual salary is
$32,410.
Colleges and universities like Ashford University that provide online education are successfully launching workers into
this
field.
Typical Work Locations for a Customer Service Specialist
- department store
- car dealership
- bank
- restaurant
- call center
- post office
- law office
- doctor's office
- pharmacy
- grocery store
Potential Advantages and Benefits of Working as a Customer Service Specialist
- work in a variety of locations
- get to deal with customers directly
- can often move up quickly in the organization
- get to work in a comfortable office atmosphere
- get to do primarily administrative responsibilities
- have the chance to make customers happy
- save your company lots of money
- get to build short-term relationships that lead to customer loyalty
- get to learn first hand knowledge of new products
- get to work indoors
Potential Drawbacks
- handling aggressive customers
- demanding customers
- customers who do not speak English well
- customers who talk too fast
- customers who are impatient
- management listening in on conversations
- not being able to say goodbye
- following a script
- low pay
- long hours
Related Professions to Consider
- Customer Service Specialist
- Consultant
- Exceptional Customer Service Specialist
- Bilingual Customer Service Specialist
- Sales Support Specialist
- AR Specialist
- Sr Customer Service Specialist
- Payroll Customer Service Specialist
- Inventory & Customer Service Specialist
- Department Specialist Customer Service Rep
Possible Interview Questions When Applying to be a Customer Service Specialist
- How long would you expect to work for us if hired?
- What would your previous supervisor say your strongest point is?
- Do you consider yourself successful?
- Are you a team player?
- Tell me about your dream job?
- Why should we hire you?
- What is your philosophy towards work?
- Why you want to leave that job?
- Do you have any experience?
- What is your greatest strength?
Common Collaborating Professions
- customer order specialist
- business transformation specialist
- functional specialist
- senior communications specialist
- sales specialist
- customer engagement specialist
- personal financial services associate
- client service officer
- supervisor customer service
- security specialist
Customer Service Specialist Training books
Customer Service Specialist (More) Popular books
Potential Companies to Work For
Common College Majors
- Telecommunications
- Public Speaking
- Mass Communication studies
- typing
- organizational communication
- public relations
- human resources
- computer networking or telecommunications
- system administration
- consumer merchandising
Customer Service Specialist Salary Information
Category: Customer service representatives
| Total # Employed in the US |
2,195,860 |
| Average Hourly Wage: |
$15.58/hr |
| Hourly Wage Range |
| PERCENTILE |
| 10% | 25% | 50% | 75% | 90% |
| $9.33 |
$11.53 |
$14.56 |
$18.5 |
$23.57 |
|
| Average Yearly Salary |
$32,410 |
| Yearly Salary Range |
| PERCENTILE |
| 10% | 25% | 50% | 75% | 90% |
| $19,410 |
$23,980 |
$30,290 |
$38,480 |
$49,020 |
|
| Employment Demographics |
| % OF WORKERS WITH |
| < High School Diploma |
High School Diploma |
Some College |
Associate Degree |
Bachelor Degree |
Master Degree |
Doctoral Degree |
| 4.5% |
30.5% |
32.5% |
10.9% |
18.4% |
2.8% |
0.4% |
|
Customer service representatives — WAGES BY STATE, SORTED BY SALARY
| STATE | Average Hourly Wage | Average Annual Salary |
|---|
| Delaware |
$18.4/hr
|
$38,260
|
| Colorado |
$18.07/hr
|
$37,580
|
| District of Columbia |
$17.87/hr
|
$37,170
|
| Missouri |
$17.82/hr
|
$37,070
|
| Florida |
$17.39/hr
|
$36,180
|
| Alaska |
$17.03/hr
|
$35,430
|
| Nebraska |
$17/hr
|
$35,360
|
| North Dakota |
$16.99/hr
|
$35,350
|
| Oklahoma |
$16.96/hr
|
$35,270
|
| Mississippi |
$16.73/hr
|
$34,790
|
| Kansas |
$16.7/hr
|
$34,740
|
| Montana |
$16.58/hr
|
$34,480
|
| North Carolina |
$16.2/hr
|
$33,690
|
| Connecticut |
$16.05/hr
|
$33,390
|
| Utah |
$16.01/hr
|
$33,300
|
| Indiana |
$15.56/hr
|
$32,360
|
| South Carolina |
$15.56/hr
|
$32,370
|
| Virginia |
$15.54/hr
|
$32,320
|
| Arkansas |
$15.45/hr
|
$32,130
|
| Idaho |
$15.39/hr
|
$32,010
|
| Tennessee |
$15.24/hr
|
$31,700
|
| New York |
$15.23/hr
|
$31,670
|
| Kentucky |
$15.2/hr
|
$31,620
|
| Oregon |
$15.11/hr
|
$31,430
|
| Puerto Rico |
$14.97/hr
|
$31,140
|
| New Jersey |
$14.85/hr
|
$30,880
|
| New Hampshire |
$14.84/hr
|
$30,870
|
| Wisconsin |
$14.45/hr
|
$30,060
|
| Michigan |
$14.41/hr
|
$29,980
|
| New Mexico |
$14.41/hr
|
$29,970
|
| Hawaii |
$14.24/hr
|
$29,620
|
| Wyoming |
$14.22/hr
|
$29,570
|
| Maine |
$14.16/hr
|
$29,450
|
| Washington |
$14.13/hr
|
$29,390
|
| Louisiana |
$13.92/hr
|
$28,960
|
| Alabama |
$13.87/hr
|
$28,840
|
| Maryland |
$13.84/hr
|
$28,780
|
| South Dakota |
$13.84/hr
|
$28,790
|
| California |
$13.7/hr
|
$28,490
|
| Ohio |
$13.52/hr
|
$28,130
|
| Pennsylvania |
$13.46/hr
|
$27,990
|
| Guam |
$13.25/hr
|
$27,570
|
| Iowa |
$13.1/hr
|
$27,240
|
| Nevada |
$13.05/hr
|
$27,150
|
| Massachusetts |
$13.04/hr
|
$27,130
|
| West Virginia |
$12.37/hr
|
$25,730
|
