What Are Customer Service Manager Skills? (With Examples)

Updated 4 August 2023

A customer service manager supervises customer service teams in an organisation. Employers hiring for this role look for candidates with extensive skills relevant to the job. Knowing more about these skills and how to demonstrate them can help you impress the hiring manager, and increase your chances of getting the job. In this article, we discuss what customer service manager skills are, provide examples, list ways to improve them and provide tips to highlight them in the workplace, and while job searching.

What Are Customer Service Manager Skills?

Customer service manager skills are a set of abilities and competencies that individuals use to manage a team effectively, and provide excellent customer service. A customer service manager leads a team of representatives to ensure they deliver high-quality support to customers. To do this, a customer service manager requires various skills, including communication, leadership, problem solving, customer focus, time management, analytical skills, conflict resolution and empathy.

Examples Of Customer Service Manager Skills

Here are some skills you may require as a customer service manager:

Communication skills

Customer service managers communicate effectively with their team members and customers. This involves listening actively, speaking clearly and writing professionally. They also explain complex ideas in simple terms, provide feedback to their team and handle customer complaints or inquiries via phone, email or chat.

Problem-solving skills

One of the key responsibilities of a customer service manager is to help resolve customer complaints and issues quickly, and efficiently. Customer service managers use their problem-solving skills to analyse the problem, identify potential solutions and implement the best course of action. This often involves working with their team to brainstorm ideas and develop creative solutions to complex problems.

Leadership

As leaders, customer service managers inspire and motivate their teams to provide excellent customer service. This means setting clear expectations, providing guidance and support, and recognising and rewarding outstanding performance. They also delegate tasks effectively, set goals and objectives, and act as a role model for their team.

Time management

Customer service managers utilise their time effectively to meet customer service goals. This includes prioritising tasks, delegating responsibilities and ensuring the team meets deadlines. Some time management skills include organisation skills, attention to detail and multitasking.

Analytical skills

To continuously improve customer service, these managers analyse customer data and feedback to identify areas for improvement. This involves tracking metrics such as customer satisfaction, response time and resolution rates, and using this data to make informed decisions to improve their team's performance. Effective analytical skills also involve the ability to interpret data and gather insights from it.

Conflict resolution

When conflict arises, it is the customer service manager's job to resolve it effectively. This requires active listening, empathy and finding a resolution that satisfies all parties involved. Effective conflict resolution also involves remaining calm and professional in challenging, and stressful situations.

Technical knowledge

Customer service managers require a good understanding of various customer service technologies and platforms to ensure smooth operations, and customer satisfaction. This includes knowledge of customer relationship management (CRM) systems, call centre software, chatbots and other tools their team uses to provide support. Customer service managers also use their knowledge to explain technical issues to customers, making it easier for them to understand the resolution.

Empathy

Customer service managers understand their customers' perspectives, regardless of their feelings. This involves active listening, acknowledging the customers' concerns, and resolving their issues in a way that satisfies them. Effective empathy also involves understanding and providing support for the challenges,and concerns of team members.

How To Improve Customer Service Manager Skills?

Here are some ways in which you can improve your skills as a customer service manager:

1. Seek training and development opportunities

Improving your skills requires learning and development. Look for training opportunities that can help you build your skills, such as workshops or courses. Many organisations offer training programmes specifically for customer service managers. By participating in these programmes, you can learn new strategies and techniques to improve your performance, and stay up-to-date with the latest trends in customer service management.

2. Practice active listening

Active listening involves giving your full attention to the speaker, asking questions to clarify their concerns and repeating what you heard to ensure that you understand their requirements. By practicing active listening, you can build rapport with customers. This shows them you care about their concerns and are willing to meet their requirements.

3. Develop problem-solving skills

Customer service managers practise critical thinking, analyse data and develop creative solutions to help solve customer problems. There are many problem-solving techniques to help you find solutions to complex problems. Three such methods include brainstorming, root cause analysis and SWOT analysis.

4. Read about the latest developments in the field

Staying informed about the latest trends and best practices in customer service management can help you stay relevant. Reading industry publications, attending conferences and joining professional development groups can give you insights into new techniques and strategies you can use to improve your performance as a customer service manager. It can also help you gather information about the latest certifications that may enable you to learn and develop additional customer service skills.

5. Work on your technological skills

Technology can be a powerful tool for improving customer service operations. As a customer service manager, consider investing in CRM software, chatbots and other automation tools to help you manage customer interactions more effectively. By leveraging technology, you can streamline your operations and reduce response times to customer queries.

Customer Service Manager Skills In The Workplace

Here are some tips to help you demonstrate your skills as a customer service manager in the workplace:

Lead by example. As a customer service manager, you can lead by example and model the behaviour you expect from your team. Demonstrate good communication, active listening, problem-solving and other customer service skills in your interactions with team members, and customers.
Set expectations. Clearly communicate your expectations for customer service standards and performance to your team members. Set goals and targets for performance, and track progress regularly.
Provide training. Provide training opportunities to your team members to help them build their skills and stay up-to-date with the latest trends, and best practices in customer service management.
Emphasise teamwork. Foster a positive team culture that emphasises teamwork, collaboration and open communication. Encourage team members to work together to solve problems and find solutions that meet customer requirements.

How To Highlight Customer Service Manager Skills?

Here are some tips to highlight your skills on a resume, on a cover letter and during an interview:

For a resume

To highlight your skills on a resume, start with a strong summary or objective statement that outlines your experience as a customer service manager and highlights your key skills, and accomplishments. Use specific examples and metrics to convey your achievements as a customer service manager, using action words to describe your experience and accomplishments. Provide specific examples and results to show how you have used these skills in the past. Customise your resume for each job you apply to, modifying your skills and experience to the job's specific requirements.

For a cover letter

Start your cover letter with a strong opening paragraph that immediately explains your experience as a customer service manager and highlights the key skills, and qualities that make you a good fit for the position. Customise your cover letter to the specific requirements of the job. Use industry-specific language and terminology to demonstrate your understanding of customer service management. Highlight your leadership skills by describing how you have led teams to deliver good customer service and built strong relationships with customers and stakeholders.

For a job interview

To highlight your skills in an interview, prepare specific examples of how you have used your customer service skills in previous roles. Discuss your problem-solving skills and how you have approached complex customer issues. Explain how your experience relates to the role and how you have solved complex problems, and achieved positive results in previous roles.

What Are Customer Service Manager Skills? (With Examples)