Online Degrees in Customer Service

A successful career in customer service often requires patience, being a good listener and a natural problem-solver. The role of a customer service professional is, first and foremost, to serve customers, so these professionals need to be able to keep their cool when customers are angry or rude. Patience and communication skills are key to working with frustrated customers toward a solution.

Many entry-level customer service positions require a high school diploma and on-the-job training, but as the workforce grows more educated, associate or bachelor's degree are becoming more common, the BLS reports. Customer service positions can also be a good way to get a foot in the door with a particular company or industry, the BLS says, and can lead to management positions or transitions to roles that require understanding what customers want, such as product development or marketing. Moving into the more advanced positions, however, often requires a college degree.

Dedicated customer service degrees are relatively rare, and customer service certificate programs may be the most common level of training in the field. Customer service certificates are offered via online training programs, community colleges, major employers or business solutions companies. Certificate programs are usually brief and include basic business skills such as computer use, communications and customer relations. Because human interaction is at the core of a customer service program, campus-based or online customer service degrees may require an internship.

At the bachelor's degree level, traditional and online degree programs in customer service or customer care focus on communication, teamwork and conflict resolution in addition to business fundamentals such as accounting, technology and economics. Bachelor's degree programs in customer service are often designed to prepare students for management positions.

The BLS predicts growth of about 18 percent for customer service representatives from 2008 to 2018, creating about 400,000 new jobs. Finance and insurance are expected to remain major employers, with 9 percent growth projected in those industries.

Although technology and off-shoring continue to impact some customer service positions negatively, the BLS still projects good job prospects. Online support is expected to be a growth area, and bilingual workers are also expected to see particularly good job prospects.

Customer service representatives are generally paid by the hour, and in 2010 the median hourly wage was $14.64, which works out to $30,460 annually, the BLS reports. Overtime and holiday or weekend pay may be available, and many customer service positions require night or weekend work. Those moving into management often qualify for a salary and benefits and may see more regular work hours.

• Job opportunities: People with degrees in customer service fields often go into management, sales, or administrative or executive assistant roles.
• Salaries: Customer service representatives earned a median wage of $14.64 an hour in 2010.
• Top industries: Finance and insurance are major employers of customer service representatives.