Bachelors in Customer Service

Kevin Stirtz, a renowned digital marketing consultant once said that “Every contact we have with a customer influences whether or not they’ll come back. We have to be great every time or we’ll lose them.” If you think you can keep customers coming back for more, then a bachelor’s degree in customer service would be the first step for you.

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Businesses that provide products or services to consumers require customer service professionals to handle queries, complaints, and manage client relationships. Customer service representatives are needed to interact with customers before a sale is made, during the sale and for after-sales service provision as well.

What it takes to work in customer service

As a customer service professional, you will be the first line of contact between a customer and the company you represent and true to the saying, “A first impression is the last impression,” the customer will remember that encounter as a reflection of the company.

• Initiative—being proactive and anticipating customer’s problems is what separates the average customer service professionals from the exceptional ones.
• Communication—good communication is often said to be the lifeblood of the customer service industry. You must take care to match your communication to your professionalism and you must follow the TIS rule religiously (Think it, Ink it, Sink it).
• Problem solving—asking the right questions and understanding the real answer can be the key to effective problem solving. You should be committed to solving customers’ problems as best you can.
• Flexibility—adapting to each customer’s personality and needs can be your key to success. Flexibility plays an important role in the everyday interactions with customers.
• Listening skills—unless you take a minute to actually stop and listen to the customer, you will not be able to understand what it is they actually require. Active listening skills will allow you to develop senses which will help you understand any emotional cues the customer is dropping.
• Professionalism—being professional, courteous and friendly should be your mantra as a customer service professional. Being professional without being callous or cold will leave the customer with a positive attitude about the brand.

Customer service professionals are trained to deal with customers in a friendly and courteous manner. If you are a confident person with a pleasant demeanor, who can connect with people easily, then you may be suited to a career in the customer service industry.

Admission Requirements

If you are looking to pursue an undergraduate bachelor’s degree in customer service, then you need to have completed a minimum of a high school diploma or an equivalent GED qualification. The bachelor’s programs are typically three to five year long if taken on-campus. However, the program length may vary if taken online.
In most cases, when you apply to a bachelor’s degree in customer service, you will have to submit the following documents to the institute you send your application to:

• High School Transcripts/GED Score
• Personal Statement or Letter of Intent
• SAT Scores
• Completed Application Form

Coursework

A Bachelor of customer service degree is of four years duration. During the program, students learn business management techniques and customer service practices.The success of a degree in customer service hinges upon the fact that you understand the importance of the customer to a business.Only by providing excellent care to customers will a company be able to retain them.
The bachelor’s degree in customer service is a very practical skill based degree which teaches students the coursework through a real life lens and focus. Most colleges and universities choose to adopt a combination of learning tools such as case studies, customer simulations and handling real life complex situations in a business perspective.
Some of the most common and important course sets are:
General Education Courses

• Composition
• Public Speaking
• Peace and Conflict Studies

General Social Science Courses

• Critical Thinking
• Creative Problem Solving
• Organizational Psychology

Business Administration

• Introduction and History of Business
• Legal Environment of Business
• Technical Writing
• Management
• Marketing Management
• Finance
• Global Strategies
• Ethical Management

Specialization

• Leadership
• Workplace Management
• Service Management
• Quality Assurance

Students also learn to improve their communication skills, both written and oral. Conflict resolution and mediation are also an important part of the syllabus, as students will need to know how to deal with irate customers as well. Telephone and computer skills are alsodevelopedthrough training and classes in phone and email etiquettes.

How Long Does It Take to Complete a Bachelor’s in Customer Service?

While a Bachelor’s in Customer Service is not very common in the United States, there are a few universities, such as Ohio University, which are currently offering a Bachelor of Applied Science in Customer Service Leadership. Other universities are offering customer service as a major/minor as part of their undergraduate programs. The bachelor's programs can be completed in 4 years.

What Are the Requirements to Complete a Bachelor’s in Customer Service?

In order to obtain a Bachelor of Applied Science in Customer Service Leadership, students are generally expected to complete a total of 120 credits. They have to study modules like Consumers in Global Communities, Career Development for Customer Service Professions and Oral Communication. These courses help students develop problem solving skills, service management skills, communication skills and listening skills.

How Much Can I Make after Completing a Bachelor’s in Customer Service?

After completing a Bachelors in Customer Service, graduates can start their careers as Call Center Agents, Client Relations Associates, Client Services Coordinators, Customer Service Representatives and Social Media Customer Care Associates. The US Bureau of Labor Statistics has reported that Customer Service Representatives earned an annual median pay of $33,750 in May 2018 and the number of people employed in this field in 2018 was 2,972,600.

Careers in Customer Service

Customer service plays an important role for businesses in a variety of industries. The expertise gained by a degree in customer service will allow you to work for a number of various industries, such as:

• Financial and Insurance Services
• Retail and Wholesale
• Healthcare
• Telecommunications
• Manufacturing and Business Support
• Hospitality and Food Service

These professionals can be found working as call center operators, customer service representatives and lodging or food service managers. With a bachelor’s degree in customer service, you will have entry-level prospects as either a customer service representative or an administrative service manager.

Customer service representatives—are responsible for handling process orders, customer complaints and providing information about an organization. Their annual median pay as of May 2012 was $30,580 while their expected job growth from 2012 to 2022 is 13%.
Administrative Service Managers—handle all the supervisory aspects of the support services that an organization offers. Their specific job responsibilities vary based on the type of company they are working for. Their annual median pay as of May 2012 was $81,080 while their expected job growth from 2012 to 2022 is 12%.

No matter which career to pursue, a degree in customer service will teach you the invaluable art of handling people effectively in your life. Especially in professional situations, this knowledge can help advance your career in any service industry.

States with the highest employment level in this occupation:

Source: bls.gov