Are you interested in an online career?
Now, more than ever, companies are providing remote work opportunities. If you’ve been considering a new job or career switch, now is the time to make the change! 16% of companies worldwide are entirely remote, so make sure you take advantage of these exciting job opportunities.
A popular online career is remote customer support. This modern position allows employees to work from the comfort of their home or while on the move. No matter how you want to live your life, an online customer support job is flexible and can fit your lifestyle needs.
Ready to make a change? We’ve compiled all the information you need to get started in customer support. From skills to experience, keep reading to find out the top tips you need to make the most out of remote work.
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What Is Customer Support?
Before we jump into the essential skills and experience you need, we’ll quickly look at what a customer support job entails.
Traditionally, customer support involves multiple services that are designed to help customers use a product or make cost-effective decisions. Essentially, a customer support job is there to guide and inform any confused customers. Typically, customer support involves technical assistance and resolving issues. Customer service is a different role that includes collaborating with the customer.
A customer support job includes troubleshooting, maintenance, upgrading, and general assistance. For example, you might have to take calls from customers who want the next model or a phone. Or you might be tasked with helping customers when their product breaks or is faulty.
The role of an online customer support worker is the same as an offline role – helping and informing the customer. However, as a remote worker, you’ll be answering calls from home and not in a call center. Some customer support teams may also work face-to-face with clients, but this isn’t needed in a remote customer support role.
What Are The Skill Requirements?
If you’re interested in a customer support job, you’ll need to ensure you have the skills necessary to offer satisfactory help and advice.
Common skills needed for customer support jobs include:
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Clear communication
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Technical ability
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Patience
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Leadership
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Empathy
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Adaptability
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Organization
This online career involves a lot of communication and talking to others. Even though you’re working from home, you’ll still spend most of your day connecting with others and working with clients. Make sure you’re comfortable with communication. If you prefer working alone, this might not be your career!
Also, it’s helpful for customer support workers to understand the product before applying for the role. For example, if you’re a big fan of mobile phones, you might suit customer support for a mobile-based company. On the other hand, if you’re into cosmetics, you could thrive in remote customer support for a makeup brand.
What Are The Experience Requirements?
Online customer support is a rewarding job, but what experience do you need to land this position?
Many customer support employers will look for candidates with prior experience in a customer support or service role. Though you can enter the industry without experience, employees with previous knowledge and skills are more favorable than those without.
Employers also look for candidates with strong communication skills and a fluent level of English (or whichever language the job is in). Getting your message across without confusion while being polite is crucial, so experience working in the language is also needed.
Other experience requirements include knowledge of customer relationship management (CRM) tools. Since these are used in remote work and online customer support, it’s preferential if candidates have used these in a previous job.
Also, any experience in a retail environment will impress an employer. Retail stores often troubleshoot with customers in-person, proving that you’ve used customer support skills before and know about communicating with customers in a professional environment.
How To Get Starter Experience?
If you’re trying to pad out your CV before applying to an online customer support position, there are a few ways you can get extra experience to impress during your interview.
Consider applying for an internship or volunteer placement. Though these aren’t as common in the customer support industry, there are a few available. These experiences help you gain skills and prove you have experience in a professional environment.
It’s also common for remote customer support employees to have previous experience in remote work. If you haven’t got much online experience, explore some remote work courses which teach you the basics of Excel spreadsheets and other CRM tools. Any online courses will show employers that you’re constantly learning and keen to further your career.
Which Skills Are Most Popular?
When it comes to remote customer support, one of the most popular skills is patience.
Though this isn’t the most technical skill, it’s a make-or-break skill in the industry. If you’ve worked with customers before, you’ll know the saying, “The customer is always right.” You’ll have to navigate frustrating situations with patience and manners in customer support jobs.
Communication is another vital skill. Since this job is all about working with others, you need to be able to communicate clearly and effectively. The answer to a customer’s issue might be clear to you, but you need to guide them to a solution with clear communication and patience for a successful result!
Work on these two skills, and you’ll be a perfect online customer support candidate.
Take The Next Steps!
Have you got what it takes to work in remote customer support? This career is ideal for anyone that loves to talk to others, and problem solve, plus remote work opportunities mean you can enjoy this online career from the comfort of your own home. Make sure you review your CV before applying and emphasize your experience. Good luck!
