Occupation Summary

Customer Service Representatives

O*NET 43-4051.00

Description:

Interact with customers to provide basic or scripted information in response to routine inquiries about products and services. May handle and resolve general complaints. Excludes individuals whose duties are primarily installation, sales, repair, and technical support.

Annual Wages:
$38,537.00
Employment Rate:
Employment is expected to increase by 11.32%.
Education Level:
High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED). According to O*Net, the majority of people employed in this occupation have this level of education.
Endorsement:
Business and Industry

  1. Keep records of customer interactions or transactions, recording details of inquiries, complaints, or comments, as well as actions taken.
  2. Resolve customers' service or billing complaints by performing activities such as exchanging merchandise, refunding money, or adjusting bills.
  3. Check to ensure that appropriate changes were made to resolve customers' problems.
  4. Contact customers to respond to inquiries or to notify them of claim investigation results or any planned adjustments.
  5. Refer unresolved customer grievances to designated departments for further investigation.
  6. Determine charges for services requested, collect deposits or payments, or arrange for billing.
  7. Complete contract forms, prepare change of address records, or issue service discontinuance orders, using computers.
  8. Obtain and examine all relevant information to assess validity of complaints and to determine possible causes, such as extreme weather conditions that could increase utility bills.
  9. Solicit sales of new or additional services or products.
  10. Review insurance policy terms to determine whether a particular loss is covered by insurance.
  11. Review claims adjustments with dealers, examining parts claimed to be defective, and approving or disapproving dealers' claims.
  12. Compare disputed merchandise with original requisitions and information from invoices and prepare invoices for returned goods.
  13. Order tests that could determine the causes of product malfunctions.
  14. Recommend improvements in products, packaging, shipping, service, or billing methods and procedures to prevent future problems.
  15. Confer with customers by telephone or in person to provide information about products or services, take or enter orders, cancel accounts, or obtain details of complaints.


National Industry Employment Patterns


Industry % of Customer Service Representatives employed Annual Growth Rate
Business support services 10.2 0.93
Insurance carriers 7.3 -0.08
Agencies, brokerages, and other insurance related activities 5.7 0.33
Employment services 3.1 0.22
General medical and surgical hospitals 2.3 -0.25
Management, scientific, and technical consulting services 2.1 0.98
Electronic shopping and mail-order houses 2 1.57


Labor Market Information


2022 Statewide average hourly wage $18.53
2022 National average hourly wage $19.80
2020 National employment 2,923,400
2020 Texas employment 276,714
Texas projected employment by 2030 308,036
Texas projected annual employment and Turnover openings through 2030 39,868




TEXAS COUNTY MAP BY WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT AREA
* Due to confidentiality rules, not all regions may have the data displayed. The sum of all the regions may not be equal to the state total.


Top 10 Relevant Knowledge Areas Relevant Importance Levels
Customer and Personal Service
Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
94.00%
English Language
Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
78.40%
Administration and Management
Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.
70.20%
Sales and Marketing
Knowledge of principles and methods for showing, promoting, and selling products or services. This includes marketing strategy and tactics, product demonstration, sales techniques, and sales control systems.
69.00%
Mathematics
Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
66.80%
Administrative
Knowledge of administrative and office procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and workplace terminology.
65.80%
Computers and Electronics
Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
65.60%
Economics and Accounting
Knowledge of economic and accounting principles and practices, the financial markets, banking, and the analysis and reporting of financial data.
58.20%
Public Safety and Security
Knowledge of relevant equipment, policies, procedures, and strategies to promote effective local, state, or national security operations for the protection of people, data, property, and institutions.
56.40%
Education and Training
Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.
51.00%


Top 10 Relevant Skill Areas Relevant Importance Levels
Active Listening
Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
80.00%
Service Orientation
Actively looking for ways to help people.
80.00%
Speaking
Talking to others to convey information effectively.
77.60%
Reading Comprehension
Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.
67.60%
Critical Thinking
Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.
65.00%
Complex Problem Solving
Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
62.40%
Time Management
Managing one's own time and the time of others.
62.40%
Persuasion
Persuading others to change their minds or behavior.
60.00%
Negotiation
Bringing others together and trying to reconcile differences.
60.00%
Monitoring
Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
60.00%


Top 10 Relevant Abilities Relevant Importance Levels
Oral Expression
The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
82.40%
Oral Comprehension
The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
82.40%
Speech Recognition
The ability to identify and understand the speech of another person.
80.00%
Speech Clarity
The ability to speak clearly so others can understand you.
80.00%
Problem Sensitivity
The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing that there is a problem.
77.60%
Written Expression
The ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.
72.40%
Near Vision
The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
72.40%
Written Comprehension
The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
67.60%
Deductive Reasoning
The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
65.00%
Inductive Reasoning
The ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).
62.40%


  • Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates
    -- Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
  • Working with Computers
    -- Using computers and computer systems (including hardware and software) to program, write software, set up functions, enter data, or process information.
  • Communicating with People Outside the Organization
    -- Communicating with people outside the organization, representing the organization to customers, the public, government, and other external sources. This information can be exchanged in person, in writing, or by telephone or e-mail.
  • Performing for or Working Directly with the Public
    -- Performing for people or dealing directly with the public. This includes serving customers in restaurants and stores, and receiving clients or guests.
  • Processing Information
    -- Compiling, coding, categorizing, calculating, tabulating, auditing, or verifying information or data.
Other Activities


  • Relationships
    - Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to provide service to others and work with co-workers in a friendly non-competitive environment. Corresponding needs are Co-workers, Moral Values and Social Service.
  • Support
    - Occupations that satisfy this work value offer supportive management that stands behind employees. Corresponding needs are Company Policies, Supervision: Human Relations and Supervision: Technical.



Tools

Autodialers: Predictive dialers; Autodialing systems;

Automated attendant systems: Voice broadcasting systems;

Automatic call distributor ACD: Automatic call distribution ACD system;

Cash registers: Cash registers;

Desktop computers: Desktop computers;

Digital telephones: Wireless telephone systems;

Global positioning system GPS receiver: Global positioning system GPS receivers;

Music or message on hold player: On hold players;

Personal digital assistant PDAs or organizers: Personal digital assistants PDA;

Phone headsets: Wireless telephone headsets;

Scanners: Scanners;

Special purpose telephones: Multi-line telephone systems;

Standalone telephone caller identification: Calling line identification equipment; Dialed number identification systems DNIS;


Technology

Access software: Citrix cloud computing software;

Accounting software: Fund accounting software; Intuit QuickBooks; Sage 50 Accounting; Tax software;

Backup or archival software: SugarSync;

Business intelligence and data analysis software: IBM Cognos Impromptu;

Cloud-based data access and sharing software: Microsoft SharePoint; Google Drive; Dropbox; Slack;

Communications server software: ShoreTel; IBM Domino;

Computer based training software: Padlet;

Contact center software: Multi-channel contact center software; Timpani Contact Center; Timpani Email;

Customer relationship management CRM software: Telemation e-CRM; Sales force automation software; Salesforce software; Salesforce.com Salesforce CRM; Parature eTicket; Hosted Support ezSupport Pro; Lynk Everest; Customer account management software; Customer complaint ticketing management software; Customer relationship management CRM software; Customer service and support software; Applied Systems Vision; Austin Logistics CallSelect; Austin Logistics CallTech; Austin Logistics Valeo; Avidian Technologies Prophet; Blackbaud The Raiser's Edge;

Data base reporting software: SAP Crystal Reports;

Data base user interface and query software: Oracle Database; Stamps.com software; Yardi software; AS/400 Database; Airtable; Customer service knowledge generation software; Data entry software; Database software; FileMaker Pro; Microsoft Access;

Desktop communications software: Skype;

Desktop publishing software: Microsoft Publisher;

Document management software: Adobe Systems Adobe Acrobat;

Electronic mail software: Astute Solutions PowerCenter; Microsoft Outlook; Microsoft Exchange; IBM Notes;

Enterprise resource planning ERP software: Microsoft Dynamics; Microsoft Dynamics GP; Sage MAS 200 ERP; Oracle JD Edwards EnterpriseOne; Oracle PeopleSoft; NetSuite ERP; SAP software; SAP Business Objects;

Enterprise system management software: IBM Power Systems software;

Fax software: Open Text Fax Server, RightFax Edition;

Financial analysis software: Oracle E-Business Suite Financials; Delphi Technology;

Graphics or photo imaging software: Adobe Systems Adobe Creative Cloud software; Adobe Systems Adobe Illustrator; Adobe Systems Adobe Photoshop;

Helpdesk or call center software: j2 Global Communications onebox;

Human resources software: Oracle Taleo; ADP Workforce Now; Human resource management software HRMS;

Information retrieval or search software: LexisNexis;

Instant messaging software: GroupMe;

Internet browser software: Microsoft Internet Explorer;

Internet protocol IP multimedia subsystem software: Voice over internet protocol VoIP system software;

Materials requirements planning logistics and supply chain software: iShip;

Medical software: Medical condition coding software; Medical procedure coding software; MEDITECH software; Healthcare common procedure coding system HCPCS;

Mobile messaging service software: Unified messaging software;

Multi-media educational software: Nearpod;

Network conferencing software: Parature eRealtime; Timpani Chat; eStara Softphone; Active Data Online WebChat;

Network security and virtual private network VPN equipment software: Virtual private networking VPN software;

Office suite software: Microsoft Office software;

Operating system software: Microsoft Windows; Apple macOS; Handheld computer device software;

Point of sale POS software: Main Street Softworks Monetra;

Presentation software: Microsoft PowerPoint; Apple Keynote; Poll Everywhere;

Project management software: Microsoft Teams;

Spreadsheet software: Microsoft Excel;

Time accounting software: Kronos Workforce Timekeeper;

Transaction security and virus protection software: McAfee; NortonLifeLock cybersecurity software;

Video conferencing software: Zoom; LogMeIn GoToMeeting; Google Meet; FaceTime;

Video creation and editing software: YouTube;

Voice recognition software: DSC Pacer Interactive Voice Response System;

Web page creation and editing software: Facebook; Google Sites; LinkedIn; Social media sites;

Word processing software: Microsoft Word; Microsoft OneNote; Google Docs;


Related O*NET occupational titles for Customer Service Representatives include:
  • 43-3011.00 Bill and Account Collectors
  • 43-3021.00 Billing and Posting Clerks
  • 43-4011.00 Brokerage Clerks
  • 43-4041.00 Credit Authorizers, Checkers, and Clerks
  • 43-9041.00 Insurance Claims and Policy Processing Clerks
  • 43-4141.00 New Accounts Clerks
  • 43-4151.00 Order Clerks
  • 43-4171.00 Receptionists and Information Clerks
  • 41-3091.00 Sales Representatives of Services, Except Advertising, Insurance, Financial Services, and Travel
  • 41-9041.00 Telemarketers


Sources of Additional Information
  • The Handbook does not have contacts for more information for this occupation.
  • Related BLS articles
  • Career Outlook: Customer service skills: Occupational employment, outlook, and wages
  • Customer Service Representatives

  • Contact Texas Workforce Commission
    Labor Market and Career Information  |  101 E. 15th Street, Annex Room 0252  |  Austin, Texas 78778
    Official Website  |  1-800-822-PLAN (7526)  |  512.936.3200

    ** The information in this report may be derived from many sources like O*NET, BLS (Bureau of Labor Statistics), OOH (Occupational Outlook Handbook), and Career One Stop.