### Bureau of Labor Statistics U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

Customer Service Representatives Summary
                        
            
                                                        
                                                                
                        
            
            
            
                            
                                                
                                                
                                                
                                                
            									
							
				                                                
                                            




            			customer service representatives imageCustomer service representatives provide information to customers about products and services.							
						Quick Facts:     Customer Service Representatives2023     Median Pay
            						$39,680     per year
										$19.08     per hourTypical Entry-Level Education
                                    High school diploma or equivalentWork Experience in a Related Occupation
                                    NoneOn-the-job Training
                                    Short-term on-the-job trainingNumber of Jobs, 2022
                                    2,982,900Job Outlook, 2022-32
                                    -5% (Decline)Employment Change, 2022-32
                                    -162,700What Customer Service Representatives Do
                                                
                        
                        
Customer service representatives interact with customers to handle complaints, process orders, and answer questions.
            
                        Work Environment
                        
Customer service representatives are employed in nearly every industry. Most work full time.
            
                                                How to Become a Customer Service Representative
                                                
                        
Customer service representatives typically need a high school diploma to enter the occupation and are trained on the job. They should be good at communicating and interacting with people.
            
                        Pay
                        																																					    														The median hourly wage for customer service representatives was $19.08 in May 2023.									                                					
						
            
                        Job Outlook
                        						
												Employment							of customer service representatives is projected to decline							 5 percent from 2022 to 2032.
						Despite declining  employment, about 373,400 openings for customer service representatives are projected each year, on average, over the decade.
            			
            			 All of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to other occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.
						State & Area Data
                       Explore resources for employment and wages by state and area for customer service representatives.
            
            
						
                        Similar Occupations
                        
                                                    Compare the job duties, education, job growth, and pay of customer service representatives with similar occupations.
            
            
                        More Information, Including Links to O*NET
                        
                                               
                        Learn more about customer service representatives by visiting additional resources, including O*NET, a source on key characteristics of workers and occupations.
 What Customer Service Representatives Do 
            

			Customer service representativesCustomer service representatives listen and respond to customers' questions.			
Customer service representatives work with customers to resolve complaints, process orders, and provide information about an organization’s products and services.
Duties
Customer service representatives typically do the following:
Listen to customers’ questions and concerns and provide answers or responses
Provide information about products and services
Take orders, calculate charges, and process billing or payments
Review customer accounts and make changes, if necessary
Handle returns or complaints
Record details of customer contacts and actions taken
Refer customers to supervisors or more experienced employeesCustomer service representatives answer questions or requests from customers or the public. They typically provide services by phone, but some also interact with customers face to face, by email or text, via live chat, and through social media.
The specific duties of customer service representatives vary by industry. For example, representatives who work in banks may answer customers’ questions about their accounts. Representatives who work for utility and telecommunications companies may help customers with service problems, such as outages. Those who work in retail stores often handle returns, process refunds, and help customers locate items. Although selling a product or service is not their main job, representatives may help generate sales while providing information.
Customer service representatives typically use a telephone, computer, and other office equipment. For example, representatives who work in call centers answer the phone and use computers to explore solutions for customers.
 Work Environment
			Customer service representativesMany customer service representatives work in call centers.			

	    
				
	
	
	
	
	
	
	    					 Customer service representatives held about 3.0 million jobs in 2022. The largest employers of customer service representatives were as follows:
        Retail trade
                18%Insurance carriers and related activities
                11Business support services
                10Wholesale trade
                6Professional, scientific, and technical services
                6Customer service representatives are employed in nearly every industry. Representatives in offices may work in a large room alongside other employees, so the area can be noisy. Working from home is also possible in some companies. Representatives may be under pressure to answer a designated number of calls while supervisors monitor them for quality assurance. In addition, the work may be stressful when representatives must interact with dissatisfied customers
In retail stores, representatives may spend hours on their feet assisting customers in person.
Work Schedules
Although most customer service representatives work full time, some work part time. Customer service representatives often need to work during busy times, which may include evenings, weekends, and holidays.
Jobs in call centers may require representatives to work shifts early in the morning or late at night because some call centers are open 24 hours a day.
 How to Become a Customer Service Representative

			Customer service representativesCustomer service representatives should be good at communicating and interacting with people and have some experience using computers.			
Customer service representatives typically need a high school diploma or equivalent to enter the occupation and receive on-the-job training to learn the specific skills needed for the job. They should be good at communicating and interacting with people.
Education
Customer service representatives typically need a high school diploma or equivalent to enter the occupation. However, some of these workers have postsecondary education that may include a bachelor's degree in fields such as business, communications, and social science.
Training
Customer service representatives usually receive short-term on-the-job training, which typically lasts 2 to 4 weeks. Those who work in finance and insurance may need several months of training to learn complicated financial regulations.
General customer-service training may focus on procedures for answering questions, information about a company’s products and services, and computer and telephone use. Trainees often receive guidance from an experienced worker for the first few weeks of employment.
In certain industries, such as finance and insurance, customer service representatives must stay current with changing regulations.
Licenses, Certifications, and Registrations
Customer service representatives who provide information about finance and insurance may need a state license. Although licensing requirements vary by state, they usually include passing an exam. Some employers and organizations provide training for these exams.
Advancement
With experience, customer service representatives may advance to supervisory roles.
Important Qualities
***Communication skills.*** Customer service representatives must be able to provide clear information in writing, by phone, or in person.
***Customer-service skills.*** Representatives help companies retain customers by professionally answering questions and helping to resolve complaints.
***Interpersonal skills.*** Representatives should be able to create positive interactions with customers.
***Listening skills.*** Representatives must listen carefully to ensure that they understand customers in order to assist them.
***Patience.*** Representatives should be patient and polite, especially when interacting with dissatisfied customers.
***Problem-solving skills.*** Representatives must determine solutions to customers’ problems. By doing so, representatives contribute to customer loyalty and retention.
 Pay

			



	
 
                                                     
            
    
                Customer Service RepresentativesMedian hourly wages, May 2023Total, all occupations$23.11   Customer service representatives$19.08   Information and record clerks$18.77Note: All Occupations includes all occupations in the U.S. Economy.Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics
 

	
	



		
	
	
	
The median hourly wage for customer service representatives was $19.08 in May 2023. 


The median wage is the wage at which half the workers in an occupation earned more than that amount and half earned less. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $14.21, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $29.45.





		
	    					 In May 2023, the median hourly wages for customer service representatives in the top industries in which they worked were as follows:	
        Wholesale trade
                $22.10Insurance carriers and related activities
                21.77Professional, scientific, and technical services
                20.35Business support services
                17.49Retail trade
                16.90Although most customer service representatives work full time, some work part time. Customer service representatives often need to work during busy times, which may include evenings, weekends, and holidays.
Jobs in call centers may require representatives to work shifts early in the morning or late at night because some call centers are open 24 hours a day.
 Job Outlook

   
        
    
          
        
    
                Customer Service RepresentativesPercent change in employment, projected 2022-32Total, all occupations3%  Information and record clerks-4%  Customer service representatives-5%Note: All Occupations includes all occupations in the U.S. Economy.Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections program
            
            
			 
	
	
	

			Employment				of customer service representatives is projected to decline				 5 percent from 2022 to 2032.
			
			Despite declining  employment, about 373,400 openings for customer service representatives are projected each year, on average, over the decade.
			
			 All of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to other occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.
			Employment
	
			
There is expected to be less demand for customer service representatives, especially in retail trade, as their tasks continue to be automated. Self-service systems, social media, and mobile applications enable customers to do simple tasks without interacting with a representative. Advancements in technology will gradually allow these automated systems to do even more tasks. Some companies will continue to use in-house service centers to differentiate themselves from competitors, particularly for complex inquiries such as refunding accounts or confirming insurance coverage.
			

                        Employment projections data for     customer service representatives, 2022-32
                Occupational Title
                        SOC Code
                        Employment, 2022
                        Projected Employment, 2032
                        Change, 2022-32
                        Employment by IndustryPercent
                        NumericSOURCE: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections program**Customer service representatives**
			43-4051
			2,982,900
			2,820,200
			-5
			-162,700
			Get data
 State & Area Data **Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)** The Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) program produces employment and wage estimates annually for over 800 occupations. These estimates are available for the nation as a whole, for individual states, and for metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas. The link(s) below go to OES data maps for employment and wages by state and area. Customer service representatives **Projections Central** Occupational employment projections are developed for all states by Labor Market Information (LMI) or individual state Employment Projections offices. All state projections data are available at www.projectionscentral.com. Information on this site allows projected employment growth for an occupation to be compared among states or to be compared within one state. In addition, states may produce projections for areas; there are links to each state’s websites where these data may be retrieved. **CareerOneStop** CareerOneStop includes hundreds of occupational profiles with data available by state and metro area. There are links in the left-hand side menu to compare occupational employment by state and occupational wages by local area or metro area. There is also a salary info tool to search for wages by zip code.
 Similar Occupations This table shows a list of occupations with job duties that are similar to those of customer service representatives. Occupation
                Job Duties
                ENTRY-LEVEL EDUCATION
                2023     MEDIAN PAY**Computer Support Specialists**
            Computer support specialists maintain computer networks and provide technical help to computer users.
            See How to Become One
            $60,810**Financial Clerks**
            Financial clerks do administrative work, help customers, and carry out transactions that involve money.
            High school diploma or equivalent
            $47,070**Information Clerks**
            Information clerks perform routine clerical duties, maintain records, collect data, and provide information to customers.
            See How to Become One
            $40,540**Insurance Sales Agents**
            Insurance sales agents contact potential customers and sell one or more types of insurance.
            High school diploma or equivalent
            $59,080**Receptionists**
            Receptionists do tasks such as answering phones, receiving visitors, and providing information about their organization to the public.
            High school diploma or equivalent
            $35,840**Retail Sales Workers**
            Retail sales workers help customers find products they want and process customers’ payments.
            No formal educational credential
            $33,900**Tellers**
            Tellers are responsible for accurately processing routine transactions at a bank.
            High school diploma or equivalent
            $37,640**Wholesale and Manufacturing Sales Representatives**
            Wholesale and manufacturing sales representatives sell goods for wholesalers or manufacturers to businesses, government agencies, and other organizations.
            See How to Become One
            $73,080**General Office Clerks**
            General office clerks perform a variety of clerical tasks, including answering telephones, typing documents, and filing records.
            High school diploma or equivalent
            $40,480
 Contacts for More Information
								
The *Handbook* does not have contacts for more information for this occupation.

                                                
                                                        
                                                                                                    O*NET
                                        Customer Service Representatives
 Suggested citation: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S.  Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, Customer Service Representatives, 
        	 at https://www.bls.gov/ooh/office-and-administrative-support/customer-service-representatives.htm (visited *May 15, 2024*).
 **Last Modified Date:**
                        Wednesday, April 17, 2024


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