Top Skills for This Career
BLS identifies these as the three highest-rated skills for this detailed occupation. TrustInEd adds the plain-language explanations so visitors understand what each skill means.
Adjusting effectively when priorities, conditions, tools, or expectations change.
Understanding customer needs and providing helpful, professional service.
Paying close attention to accuracy, quality, instructions, and small but important details.
How Do You Prepare for This Career?
BLS describes the typical preparation for this occupation. Requirements can vary by employer, state, licensing rules and individual circumstances.
How to Become One
How to Become a Customer Service Representative Customer 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
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.
Training
to learn the specific skills needed for the job. They should be good at communicating and interacting with people.
Licenses, Certifications & 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.
Your Next Step
Review training, certifications, apprenticeships, or employer-based preparation that may support entry into this career.
Pay
the median annual wage for all workers was $50,980.
Job Outlook
Job Outlook Employment of customer service representatives is projected to grow 5 percent from 2025 to 2035, decline. About 289,500 openings for customer service representatives are projected each year, on average, over the decade. Many of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different 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. Customer Service Representatives Percent change in employment, projected 2025–35 Total, all occupations 3% Information and record clerks -4% Customer service representatives -5% Note: All Occupations includes all occupations in the U.S. Economy.
What They Do
What Customer Service Representatives Do
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 employees
Customer 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
Work Environment
Customer service representatives held about 2.7 million jobs in 2025. The largest employers of customer service representatives were as follows:
| Retail trade | 15% |
| Insurance carriers and related activities | 12 |
| Business support services | 8 |
| Professional, scientific, and technical services | 7 |
| Wholesale trade | 6 |
Customer 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.
Important Qualities
The following are examples of qualities that are important for these workers to perform their duties. For more information, visit the Employment Projections (EP) skills data page. 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.
More Information
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.
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Start with ED →Career data and occupational profile text are sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook and Employment Projections program. Education requirements are typical entry-level requirements and may vary by employer, state, occupation or individual circumstance. View the official BLS profile.