Essential customer service skills: what they are and how to develop them

As the eyes, ears, and voice of a business, customer service representatives handle more customer interactions than anyone else. Their ability to provide a positive experience can make—or break—a customer relationship. That’s why it’s critical for organizations to equip their reps with the right skills, tools, and training. 

Great service doesn’t happen by chance. It’s built through intentional development of soft skills like empathy and active listening, combined with technical knowledge and structured training. And as customer expectations grow—especially for more personalized, human experiences—companies must invest in reps who are prepared to solve problems quickly, communicate effectively, and consistently represent the brand. 

In this article, we’ll explore the essential customer service skills that today’s agents need and how leaders can help reps build and refine them through practice, feedback, and ongoing development.

The importance of customer service

Customer service is a top competitive advantage for many companies. 80% of customers believe that the level of service a company provides is just as important as the products and services it offers. This is important because studies also show that seven out of 10 customers will spend more money with a company that delivers great service. However, companies in the U.S. lose more than $62 billion annually due to poor levels of service. So, by delivering a positive customer experience, your company has the opportunity to retain existing customers and grow profits which is pivotal to your bottom line.

What is good customer service?

Most organizations define customer service as the process of supporting customers by answering questions and solving problems. Depending on the industry or customer base, many companies go one step further and create their own definition of service that agents should adhere to. As you consider your organization’s unique definition, it should include these 3 important qualities of customer service.

• Personalized: Good service is always personalized for each and every customer. Personalized interactions let customers know that your organization cares about their questions and challenges. 
• Timely: Customers need to be able to reach an agent in a timely and convenient manner. Nearly 70% of customers note that they won’t accept wait times longer than 2 minutes. Therefore, reps need the right skills to help customers quickly and efficiently.
• Accurate: Competency plays a big role in good customer experiences. If an agent doesn’t have the skills needed to solve problems or answer questions, they’re less likely to provide accurate and consistent support.

Essential customer service skills

The role of a customer service agent is no small task. First, their work requires them to understand numerous tools, systems, and processes in order to do their jobs correctly. They also have to possess a wealth of knowledge and skills in order to meet and exceed customer expectations. We’ve worked with customer service leaders across a variety of industries and businesses who have shared the customer service skills and abilities they prioritize for their agents. Here’s a closer look at some of the most valuable skills.

It’s important to note that many of these 10 customer service skills serve as a starting point for agents. Once an agent becomes proficient in these basic customer service skills and more experienced in their role, organizations should expand on their abilities. The results are two-fold, as it encourages agent growth and development while ensuring that they’re well equipped to help customers at the highest level. 

For example, many organizations have tiered support levels. Newly hired agents often start their roles as Tier 1 agents and may only interact with customers on certain channels or products. As agents move tiers, they’ll likely see their roles and responsibilities expand to assist more complex and escalated customer interactions or across more channels. They may also lead a team of agents. Regardless, these roles require advanced customer service skills in order to remain successful.

The importance of problem-solving skills

Customer service is like a jigsaw puzzle. Even with all the right pieces—product knowledge, customer data, and soft skills—a rep can’t complete the picture without strong problem-solving abilities. 

Because customers don’t always explain their issues clearly, reps must ask the right questions, analyze the situation, and offer effective solutions—sometimes under pressure. 

As self-service options handle more routine inquiries, the issues that reach a human agent are increasingly complex, unique, and unpredictable. In fact, 83% of people say they prefer talking to a real person because humans better understand their problems and needs. This makes problem-solving one of the most critical skills a rep can develop. 

To help reps strengthen this skill, organizations should include structured problem-solving methods in their training. A simple framework might include: 

• Identify and define the problem – Use open-ended questions to clarify the real issue. 
• Brainstorm solutions – Encourage reps to think creatively and autonomously.
• Evaluate and choose the best solution – Help reps present options and align on the right fit.
• Implement the solution – Empower reps to to act quickly and follow through with any necessary teams.
• Analyze the results – Encourage feedback and reflection to improve future performance.

How to develop customer service skills

Now that you have a better understanding of what makes an agent skilled in customer service, it’s time to take a look at the different ways you can help them learn these skills. Some leaders argue that a lot of the skills we mentioned are innate to agents. While qualities like friendliness and patience are often key personality traits, we believe that agents can also learn the key technical and soft skills they need for their roles. Here are three ways that leaders can ensure agents have the necessary customer service skills.

Customer service skills training

Customer service training teaches new and experienced agents the skills needed to interact with customers and perform their jobs. Many organizations provide initial skills training to newly hired agents, but it’s best to provide ongoing training so agents keep their skills sharp. Hubspot found that 62% of agents on high-performing teams actively learn new skills for their roles at least once a month. Training can take place through workshops, seminars, and shadowing. Teams that work in a hybrid environment have also found success providing customer service training online so agents can complete skills training from virtually anywhere.

Practice and coaching

As reps walk through real-life scenarios, they get to practice prioritizing issues and applying their communication skills in a safe environment. These exercises also give managers valuable opportunities to observe performance, provide personalized feedback, and offer targeted coaching. This helps reinforce strengths, address skill gaps, and ensure every agent is progressing toward delivering consistently high-quality support. 

Help agents master their skills

Customer service is becoming increasingly complex. And, there’s no shortage of customer service skills that agents need to support each and every customer. Customer service agents use Seismic’s learning and coaching tool to learn and improve the skills needed for their work. With Seismic, teams can deliver interactive skills training online, hone skills through real-life practice scenarios, and correlate skill development with important business outcomes like NPS and CSAT. Interested in learning more? Click here to get a demo.