Help with job application please.

hm2be

Forgive me if this a really stupid question but what counts as customer service experience?

I want to apply for a job that asks for a customer service background. Does that mean I have to have had a job specifically in customer service or can I count more generalised experience gained from other jobs? I previously worked for council which involved a lot of dealing with unsatisfied clients but my job role was really admin would that count?

Can anyone help with this?

Alleycat

Well, I guess it really depends on what sort of job you are going for but you can and should certainly include any similar skills you have gained whilst working in different fields.

Did you deal with clients on the phone, face to face? Even if you were just admin, you may have been the first person to pick up the phone to then redirect to a specific member of staff. You would then have had to answer the phone in a professional manner, relay information, have a load of abuse before you've even given your name etc. Have you had to calm down peed off customers, before putting them through to the person they need to speak to. Did clients come into the office? If so, you would have been their first point of contact and the initial 'face' of the company.

Think about what you did on a day to day basis, it may help to bullet point it on a seperate piece of paper and then pick what is relevant to the role you are applying for. Put the most relevant at the top and then list whatever else you did for the company. Did you order office supplies over the phone? Talk to suppliers etc? All could be considered customer service as you are dealing with somebody verbally.

Astaroth

Customer service experience is simply the experience of dealing with customers be they external (eg customers in a shop) or internal (eg if you worked on an IT helpline for a company).

Every job has customers and so everyone has customer service experience. Most the time they will talk about external customers but you can honestly talk about internal customers (possibly without specifying if they were internal or not) in exactly the same way.... managing expectations, meeting expectaions, delivering on promises, going the extra mile.

hm2be

The job is workking in the claims department of a shipping company.

My job involved working with lots of youths and their families. I often had to man the reception. I interviewed prospective clients and dealt with their issues. I had to deal with plenty of aggrevated youths. Does that count? should I bother writing about retail experience that I got whilst at Uni or is that stretching it?

Astaroth

No, both of those are customer service experience.... the current role is probably more relevant as it is dealing with people with issues - anyone making a claim isnt going to be the happiest of bunnies but certainly dont not mention the retail.

cats_whiskers

Hi
Your experience will stand you in good light for the claims role. Remember most skills are transferable but what you need to do is show that. You could always say that in your current role you have gained the following experience:
1. The ability to handle distressed, angry or aggressive clients calmly and assertively.
2. Good negotiating skills being diplomatic and courteous.
3. Delivered a high level of customer service at all times.
4. Established excellent relationships with managers and staff.

You could go on to say that you are keen to develop the work you have done at .........................and think you could make a useful contribution in your claims department.

Good Luck
Cats.