The Most Common Customer Service Roles (Updated)

What do customer service jobs involve?

Generally speaking, customer service employees interact with customers on behalf of an organization. Some do it face-to-face, while others specialize in a particular service channel such as phone, email, live chat, etc. More often, their duties imply communication with customers through more than one channel. The job functions and activities of customer service employees may significantly differ. For example; from simply answering customer questions and providing tech support to ensuring customer happiness and retention.

Most common customer service roles

Some customer service roles are the same but can have various titles. For instance; customer service representative, client service representative, customer care agent. Whereas some positions can have the same titles but include varying responsibilities in different companies. Here are some of the most popular customer service roles and how they are supposed to be differentiated:

1. Customer service representative

Customer service reps answer customers’ questions concerning a company’s products/services, policies, and procedures. In addition, they resolve issues, take orders, handle returns, respond to complaints, and proactively provide information about a company’s offerings. Typically they have a certain number of emails or calls they must hit daily.

2. Call center agent

Call center agents may work either in-house or remotely at a virtual call center. Their duties include answering inbound calls, handling and resolving complaints, processing transactions. Or simply, generating customer interest in the services or products offered by the company. Call center agents are usually expected to handle a high volume of calls.

3. Customer service supervisor

Customer service supervisors oversee junior customer service representatives or a part of the service team. They may also take an active part in the hiring process. For example; helping to shortlist and interview potential customer service candidates. Later on, they also participate in the training and coaching of new team members.

4. Customer service manager

Customer service managers supervise customer service teams. They are responsible for the successful onboarding and training of new service agents. Overall keeping track of their progress and overall performance. They also manage any conflicts that involve either customers or service reps.

5. Customer support representative

Customer support representatives are often seen in SaaS and tech companies offering products or services that require ongoing technical assistance. They respond to customers’ questions and resolve product or service issues. This might include help with installation, troubleshooting, maintenance, and upgrading of the product.

6. Customer support engineer

Customer support engineers (or technical support specialists) specialize in troubleshooting technical problems customers have with a company’s products or services. They specifically research, diagnose, and identify solutions to resolve tech issues. Moreover, they prepare reports and escalate unresolved issues to appropriate internal teams.

7. Customer support manager

Customer support managers supervise day-to-day operations of the customer support department and train new support reps. They are also responsible for delivering best practices, Knowledge Base content, and methodologies. These ensure the overall quality of customer support provided by a company.

8. Customer success manager

Customer success managers focus on the long-term success of customers. Therefore, building relationships with them and helping them realize the full potential of a company’s products or services. Their goal is to ensure that customers make the best use of the product. Therefore, successfully implement it into their companies.

9. Customer experience manager

Customer experience managers are focused on examining the needs of customers. Consequently, creating and implementing strategies that improve customer experiences and enhance customer loyalty. Essentially, their job is to ensure that each touchpoint across the customer journey is engaging and efficient for customers.

10. Customer advocate

Customer advocates represent customers’ interests in the company and ensure it remains client-minded. They basically work as the missing link between a company’s customers and its marketing team. Being responsible for pushing internal changes within an organization in order to constantly meet customer expectations.

11. Chief customer officer (CCO)

The role of the Chief Customer Officer (CCO), is relatively new but rapidly growing in popularity. Duties may vary from company to company. However, the general role of the CCO implies working alongside the executive board. Therefore, designing new strategies for improving customer experiences.

Bonus: Creative customer service job role titles

When it comes to selecting titles for your customer service team, the options can be versatile. The word ‘Customers’ refers to how you see the relationships between your company and your customers. They might also be ‘clients’, ‘users’, or ‘community’. The word ‘Service’ refers to what the team actually does. The alternatives could include ‘help’, ‘support’, ‘care’, ‘advocacy’, or ‘success’. Finally, the word ‘Team’ is about who is actually doing the job. You can call them ‘specialists’, ‘consultants’, ‘advocates’, ‘heroes’, ‘squad’, or even ‘gurus’. Here are some of the examples of how these words can be combined:

Customer Care Advocates
Client Support Heroes
User Support Gurus
Community Help Specialists
Customer Support specialist
Consumer Success Squad
Customer Service specialist

As for job titles for the customer service role, it depends on the shades of meaning you intend to convey. For technical support employees, the titles can include descriptors like; customer service specialist, expert, technician, professional, guru, or whiz. These can additionally imply the level of their competence and tech expertise. The words can also either emphasize internal hierarchy (assistant, associate, or leader) or deemphasize it (agent or advisor). Whatever role titles you select, those should make clear distinctions in who is responsible for what. These are for both; employees and customers.

Discover on your own

Knowledge is important, but only when put into practice. Test everything in our academy right inside the LiveAgent.

Try out LiveAgent for FREE

Handle all customer inquiries from one interface. Start improving your customer service with a 30-day free trial right away!

FREE TRIAL Schedule a Demo

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the role of a customer service representative?
Customer service representatives serve as a liaison between a company and its customers, handling inquiries, resolving complaints and providing product information. They maintain customer satisfaction and build positive relationships via different communication channels. They also gather customer feedback to help improve services. Their role is crucial for ensuring a positive customer experience and fostering brand loyalty.
What are the 3 important qualities of a customer service rep?
The first important quality of the customer service rep is the ability to actively listen. It can help determine the customer’s needs in a short time. The second is to empathize with the customer, and last but not least is flexibility/adaptability.
What are the duties and responsibilities of a customer service assistant?
Customer service duties and responsibilities include answering customer questions and providing information, either technical or general, regarding your company products/services. Moreover, the customer service assistant handles these inquiries in different forms, whether through Phone, Email, Live Chat, or in person.
What is a Chief customer officer?
The general role of the CCO implies working alongside the executive board. Therefore, designing new strategies for improving customer experiences.
What is a good title for customer service?
The title of a customer service role should reflect its responsibilities and level. For entry-level, "Customer Service Representative" or "Associate" are suitable, while more senior roles could have titles like "Customer Experience Manager". Choose a title that accurately depicts the role to attract qualified applicants. Creative titles such as "Client Relations Manager" or "Implementation Specialist" can make the role more appealing and differentiate it from others.
What are other job titles for customer success?
Other job titles for customer success include Chief Customer Officer, Customer Success Director or Vice President, Customer Success Operations Manager, and Implementation or Onboarding Manager. These roles may overlap with the responsibilities of a Customer Success Manager (CSM) and are integral to the overall success of an organization, particularly in the context of SaaS business activities. The diverse range of job titles reflects the evolving nature of customer success initiatives and the increasing emphasis on comprehensive customer experience in today's business environment.
What is the role of a customer care officer?
The role of a customer care officer is to provide support and assistance to customers who have inquiries, concerns, or issues with a company's products or services. This typically involves responding to customer inquiries via phone, email, or chat, resolving customer complaints, and ensuring customer satisfaction. Customer care officers also play a crucial role in maintaining positive relationships with customers and promoting brand loyalty. They may also be responsible for gathering and analyzing customer feedback to identify areas for improvement in the company's products or services. Additionally, customer care officers may work to ensure that the company adheres to ethical and legal standards in its interactions with customers.

Back to Academy Create account for FREE

Service desk

Service desk is a single point of contact between company and customers, users, business partners. Service desk can be referred as a specific help desk.