Customer Service Assistant flat fee recruitment
We Recruit Customer Service Assistant’s
If you’re a good communicator and enjoy helping people, this could be an ideal job for you.
As a customer service assistant or adviser, you would deal with customer enquiries and any complaints. You would often be a customer’s first point of contact with the company you work for.
You could deal with customers face-to-face, or you might help them over the phone or by e-mail
The work
Your work may include:
- answering customer enquiries or passing them on to another department
- giving information and helping to solve problems
- selling products or taking orders
- arranging services for customers, such as booking tickets or setting up insurance policies
- handling complaints and passing them on to a manager if required
- entering customer information onto a computer database
- taking payment for goods or services
- giving refunds.
Hours
In a full-time job you would usually work between 35 to 40 hours a week. Shift work including evenings and weekends is common in the retail, leisure and contact centre industries. Part-time work is very common.
Depending on your employer you could work from an office or a customer service desk. In office jobs you would spend a lot of your time on the telephone and using a computer. The working environment can be very busy.
You may need to wear a uniform, particularly if you deal with customers face-to-face.
Income
Salaries are around £18,000 a year for full-time work. Bonuses or commission may also be available in some types of business, like retail, sales or banking.
Figures are intended as a guideline only.
Entry requirements
Many employers will be more interested in your ‘people skills’ than your formal qualifications, although you should have a good general standard of education. You will find it useful if you have some experience of dealing with people face-to-face or over the telephone.
Some employers, such as banks and insurance companies, may ask for some GCSEs (A-C) or higher qualifications such as A levels or BTEC National Certificates/Diplomas.
You may be able to start this work through an Apprenticeship scheme. You will need to check which schemes are available in your area.
Training and development
You will do most of your training on the job. Larger employers often run their own training programmes.
Your training may include work-based assessment for NVQ levels 2 and 3 in Customer Service, or you may be given day release to take NVQs at a local college or training centre. NVQs for many other jobs that include dealing directly with the public also have units on customer service.
If your employer is a member of the Institute of Customer Service (ICS), you may be able to work towards the ICS Professional Awards in Communication, Solutions and Innovations.
With experience, you could progress to customer services manager. Also, you may have the chance to take NVQ Level 4 in Customer Service, and other general management qualifications. See the Customer Services Manager profile on this website for more details.
Skills and knowledge
To become a customer service assistant, you will need to have:
- a genuine interest in helping customers
- excellent communication skills
- the ability to work as part of a team
- a polite, thoughtful and friendly attitude
- patience and calmness under pressure
- the ability to handle complaints and difficult situations
- computer and administration skills
- basic maths skills.
Opportunities
Good customer service skills are important in all industries. You could work in all kinds of employment sectors, including retail, finance, travel, manufacturing telecommunications, and local authorities.
With experience, you could progress to team leader, customer services manager, or (depending on the type of employer) into sales or account handling.
Industry summary
The restaurants industry is part of the hospitality, leisure, travel and tourism sector, represented by People 1st Sector Skills Council. This sector also includes the following industries: food and service management; gambling; hotels; pubs, bars and nightclubs; self‐catering accommodation, holiday centres and youth hostels; travel and tourist services; visitor attractions; and hospitality services. It has grown over the last 20 years and, despite the current recession, is predicted to continue to grow in the medium to long term. The sector as a whole currently employs almost 2 million people.
The restaurant industry provides food and drink and includes:
- Fast food establishments – such as McDonalds, Burger King and KFC, as well as traditional outlets such as fish and chips shops, sushi bars and sandwich bars
- Cafes and coffee shops
- Mainstream Restaurants – these are high street restaurants which tend to be mid‐price and include many branded and themed chains such as Pizza Express, Garfunkel’s and Ask
- Fine Dining – these tend to be more expensive restaurants that offer unique dishes and, sometimes, more experimental cuisine.
Key facts:
- There are 614,100 people working in the restaurant industry.
- 14% of the workforce has an NVQ Level 4 or above qualification.
- The majority of the workforce has a NVQ Level 2 qualification (28%).
- 13% of the workforce has no qualifications.
- 53% of the workforce is employed full‐time.
[N.B. Data derived from Labour Force Survey, 2009.]
Jobs in the industry range from: kitchen assistants, bar manager, general manager, chef, cleaner, conference and banqueting manager, waiter/waitress, food and beverage manager, kitchen porter, restaurant manager, wine waiter.
National and regional data
East Midlands – There are approximately 45,200 people working in the restaurant industry in this region, of which:
- 45% work full‐time
- 53% of the workforce is female
- 70% of the workforce is white
- 28% of the workforce is 16‐19 years
- 31% of the workforce has an NVQ level 2 qualification
East of England – There are approximately 47,300 people working in the restaurant industry in this region, of which:
- 50% work full‐time
- 53% of the workforce is female
- 81% of the workforce is white
- The majority of the workforce is aged 16‐24 years (44%)
- 31% of the workforce has an NVQ level 2 qualification
London – There are approximately 92,900 people working in the restaurant industry in this region, of which:
- 64% work full‐time
- 69% of the workforce is female
- 39% of the workforce is white
- 20% of the workforce is 20‐24 years
- 30% of the workforce has an NVQ level 1 and entry level qualification
North East – There are approximately 25,300 people working in the restaurant industry in this region, of which:
- 46% work full‐time
- 55% of the workforce is female
- 80% of the workforce is white
- The majority of the workforce is aged between 16‐24 years (48%)
- 26% of the workforce has an NVQ level 2 qualification
North West – There are approximately 65,500 people working in the restaurant industry in this region, of which:
- 53% work full‐time
- 46% of the workforce is female
- 79% of the workforce is white
- The majority of the workforce is aged between 16‐24 years (47%)
- 28% of the workforce has an NVQ level 2 qualification
South East – There are approximately 76,500 people working in the restaurant industry in this region, of which:
- 61% work full‐time
- 45% of the workforce is female
- 73% of the workforce is white
- 21% of the workforce is 16‐19 years
- 26% of the workforce has an NVQ level 2 qualification
South West – There are approximately 53,000 people working in the restaurant industry in this region, of which:
- 47% work full‐time
- 56% of the workforce is female
- 93% of the workforce is white
- 36% of the workforce is 16‐19 years
- 35% of the workforce has an NVQ level 2 qualification
West Midlands – There are approximately 48,300 people working in the restaurant industry in this region, of which:
- 49% work full‐time
- 42% of the workforce is female
- 64% of the workforce is white
- 22% of the workforce is 20‐24 years
- 31% of the workforce has an NVQ level 2 qualification
Yorkshire and the Humber – There are approximately 51,000 people working in the restaurant industry in this region, of which:
- 43% work full‐time
- 52% of the workforce is female
- 79% of the workforce is white
- 26% of the workforce is 16‐19 years
- 31% of the workforce has an NVQ level 2 qualification
Northern Ireland – There are approximately 43,900 people working in the hospitality, leisure, travel and tourism sector as whole in Northern Ireland, of which 20,800 work in the restaurant industry in 2,000 establishments. Details as follows:
- 55% work full‐time
- 57% of the workforce is female
- 88% of the workforce is white
- 34% of the workforce is 20‐29 years
- 26% of the workforce has an NVQ level 2 qualification
Scotland – There are approximately 183,500 people working in the hospitality, leisure, travel and tourism sector as whole in Scotland, of which 59,600 work in the restaurant industry in 6,200 establishments. Details as follows:
- 51% work full‐time
- 54% of the workforce is female
- 88% of the workforce is white
- 24% of the workforce is 24‐29 years
- 27% of the workforce has an NVQ level 3 qualification
Wales – There are approximately 86,100 people working in the hospitality, leisure, travel and tourism sector as whole in Wales, of which 28,800 work in the restaurant industry in 3,300 establishments. Details as follows:
- 49% work full‐time
- 60% of the workforce is female
- 88% of the workforce is white
- 22% of the workforce is 16‐19 years
- 29% of the workforce has an NVQ level 2 qualification
[N.B. Data derived from Labour Force Survey, 2009.]
Originally from National Careers Service
