Customer service is a vital part of the any type of business. Large scale businesses would have to deal with thousands of customers everyday who are looking to buy, get more information or even seek assistance regarding the product they bought.

If a business could provide excellent customer service, they can be sure that their business will grow.

Customers today are not only looking for an efficient product but they are also looking for a company that can support that product after purchase. After-sales support is essential for business survival to ensure customer retention.

Large scale businesses spend millions of dollars just for customer support. There is always a job for help desk and customer support professionals in any industry.

The ability to communicate effectively to customers, solving their problems and offering alternatives when the intended solution is not there is not common.

The term “help desk” usually refers to technical assistance while “customer support” usually refers to assistance of companies in other industries.

Although with different terms, they are still in the same in their goal – enable customer satisfaction for possible customer retention.

Customer service uses a lot of medium. Service could be done over the phone, email or personal. But in any medium, those who are aspiring to be a customer service representative or help desk should have a clear knowledge of the industry as well as the processes and policies of the company he or she is representing.

Help Desk / Customer Support Education Requirement

Educational requirement in customer service and help desk is based on the industry. For help desk support, which usually deals with technical assistance, the candidate for this position should at least have a degree related to information technology.

However, most companies in the United States don’t require any degree for entry level customer service representatives.

On the other hand, having a degree in the related field of the business will increase the chances of customer service representative to advance in their career.

A degree in communication will also increase the chances of an applicant to be hired as a help desk or customer service representative.

Since customer service and help desk deals with a lot of talking to the client, the ability to properly communicate to them is very important.

This may or may not include the ability to communicate in another language. There are companies that require this to ensure that customer service is personalized.

Help Desk / Customer Support Qualification

• Degree in Communication or Related Industry
• Computer skills/ Basic operation of computers
• Language skills

Help Desk / Customer Support Skills

Basic computer knowledge is a necessary skill in this industry. The candidate doesn’t have to be highly proficient in computer applications but should have enough knowledge to do simple operations of a computer.

Although communication with the customer maybe personal, interacting with the company is usually done online or through the local area network. Help desk experts however are expected to have above average knowledge of technology for ease of training and assimilation of information from the company.

Another expected skill from help desk and customer service professionals is the ability to be calm even with great pressure.

Customer service agents should expect to be constantly pressured from their immediate supervisors and at the same time, customer service agents will also be pressured from the customers as the customers insist on their demand.

Keen knowledge of policy and the industry is also a requirement for the help desk/customer service agents. They have to offer options to the customers in case the preferred solution of the customer is not there.

This is only possible if the customer service agent knows the policy of the company inside and out. Customers are always looking for a solution and it is the customer service agent’s job to provide that solution or offer options if the solution is not there.

Proficiency in another language is also required in several companies. As previously indicated, communicating with the customer in their native tongue fosters personalization while keeping the professional tone of the transaction.

Help Desk / Customer Support Expected Salary

• Beginners: $1500-$2000
• Mid Level: $2500- $3000
• Expert: $3500-$5000