This post provides detailed information on the contact center representative job description, including the key duties, tasks, and responsibilities they commonly perform.
(You will be able to download the contact center representative job description template in pdf below.)
It also highlights the major requirements you may be expected to fulfill to be hired for the contact center representative role by most recruiters/employers.
What Does a Contact Center Representative Do?
Contact center representatives are responsible for managing communication between an organization and its customers.
The contact center representative job description entails responding and providing solutions to customer inquiries through emails, web chat, text messaging, and phone calls.
Contact center reps actively listen to customers to identify their needs and proffer recommendations suitable in meeting such needs.
They use company product database in providing answers to customers’ inquisitions or issues.
They also suggest company products, services or methods necessary to meet the requirements of clients.
In performing their duties, contact center representatives receive and manage large amount of inbound calls from customers.
Their role also entails operating call handling equipment, such as computer systems, headset, and monitors.
They also create tickets to record interactions with customers.
Part of the responsibilities of these representatives include maintaining customer’s accounts by updating contact information and documenting phone conversations.
They may take client’s orders and oversee processing of payments for purchased products or services.
When faced with difficult or complex issues, contact center representatives escalate/refer customers to supervisors or more experienced personnel for proper resolution of a problem.
Their work description may also involve giving product/service information to customers, thereby maintaining an up-to-date knowledge of company goods, associated service charges and warranty.
They also send out product literature, such as handbooks or brochures to customers interested in specific goods or services.
Contact center representatives in fulfilling their obligations follow up on customers to ensure they are satisfied with received products or services.
They comply with established communication standards and procedures when interacting with customers.
Conducting research to obtain information useful in addressing the needs of clients is also part of the contact center representative job description.
They accomplish organization’s sales targets by seizing opportunities to upsell products/services; they endeavor to achieve daily call handling quota as assigned by superiors.
It is also their responsibility to occasionally attend educational programs and workshops to update job knowledge and skill.
To become a contact center representative, you require a high school diploma and experience in a customer support role.
Some of the qualities needed for success on the job include communication and active listening skills, as well as empathic nature.
Contact Center Representative Job Description Example/Template
The job of a representative at a company’s contact center where customers can make complaints and inquiries involves various functions.
Provided below is a job description example that highlights the major tasks, duties, and responsibilities usually performed by contact center representatives in most companies:
- Conduct research to locate and provide information useful in responding to customers’ inquiries
- Take orders, forward requests, and process payments for purchased products
- Enter information into contact center database to create and maintain up-to-date customer accounts
- Operate call handling equipment, such as monitors, computer units, and CRM tools
- Inspect work equipment to verify they are operational, or to notify tech support in case of malfunction
- Receive inbound calls from existing and potential customers to address their concerns
- Place outbound calls to follow up sales leads and persuade potential clients
- Reply customers’ inquiries concerning product features, services or company information
- Ensure compliance with call handling standards and customer service requirements
- Proffer recommendations/solutions effective in addressing customers’ issues and meeting their needs
- Maintain an up-to-date knowledge of company products, services, warranty, and charges
- Build and maintain positive trust relationship by engaging customers in open interaction
- Transfer or escalate customer calls to appropriate staff for effective resolution
- Upsell company products and services to boost and help achieve sales target
- Participate in workshops and educational programs to improve on existing job skill.
Requirements – Skills, Abilities, and Knowledge for Success in a Contact Center Representative Role
If you are interested in the job of a contact center representative, here are major requirements you will be expected to fulfill by most recruiters to be hired and to succeed in your job and career:
- Education and Training: To become a contact center rep, you need to have at least a high school diploma. Employers usually offer on-the-job training to bring new recruits up-to-speed on contact center operations.
- Customer Service Experience: Prior work experience in a customer service or customer support role is an advantage for the position.
- Familiarity with CRM Systems: Exposure to CRM systems and processes desired and can increase the contact center representative job prospects.
- Communication Skill: Contact center representatives should be proficient in conversing with customers using appropriate language and expression.
- Active listening Skill: They must have the ability to pay close attention to customers’ complaints/inquiries so as to provide the right solutions
- Empathic Skill: Contact center reps should be able to reassure clients that their challenges are not without solutions.
Download contact center representative job description template (pdf).
Contact Center Representative Career Progression
Here is a breakdown of the contact center representative career progression, showing typical advancement levels, role titles, and average timeframe at each stage:
- Contact Center Representative/Customer Service Representative (Entry Level)
Timeframe: 0 – 2 years: You can start you career and work for about two years as a contact center representative.
Role Overview: The contact center representative role involves handling inbound or outbound customer calls, providing product/service information, resolving customer issues, and ensuring customer satisfaction.
Goal: In this role, you should strive to develop the following skills and competences to enhance your chances of getting promoted to a higher role:
- Communication
- Empathy
- CRM software use
- Call handling
- Problem-solving
- Time management.
Next Level: Having developed and demonstrated relevant skills and competences, you can be promoted to the senior contact center representative role.
2. Senior Contact Center Representative/Team Expert/Quality Coach
Timeframe: 2 – 4 years: You can become a senior contact center representative, or team expert, or quality coach within two to four years in your career.
Role Overview: The senior contact center representative role entails supporting junior representatives, handling escalated issues, mentoring new hires, and sometimes assisting in quality assurance or performance tracking.
Goal: In this role, strive to develop the following skills and competences for promotion to a higher role:
- Mentorship
- Analytical reporting
- Coaching
- Advanced customer support
- Quality monitoring.
Next Level: Having developed and demonstrated relevant skills and competences, you can be promoted to the team leader or contact center supervisor role.
3. Team Leader/Contact Center Supervisor
Timeframe: 4 – 6 years: You can become a team leader or contact center supervisor within four to six years in your career.
Role Overview: The team leader role involves leading a team of representatives, monitoring performance metrics (AHT, CSAT, FCR), conducting coaching sessions, and ensuring adherence to company standards.
Goal: To improve your chances for promotion, you should develop the following skills and competences while working in this position:
- Leadership
- Performance management
- Reporting
- Scheduling
- Conflict resolution.
Next Level: Having developed and demonstrated relevant skills and competences, you can be promoted to the contact center manager or operations manager role.
4. Contact Center Manager/Operations Manager
Timeframe: 6 – 9 years: You can become a contact center manager or operations manager within six to nine years of starting your career.
Role Overview: The contact center manager role entails overseeing multiple teams or departments, setting KPIs, implementing process improvements, managing workforce planning, and ensuring operational efficiency.
Goal: In this role, you need to develop the following skills and competence to be promoted to a higher role:
- Strategic planning
- Operations management
- Budgeting
- Workforce optimization
- Stakeholder communication.
Next Level: Having developed and demonstrated relevant skills, you can be promoted to the senior operations manager or contact center director role.
5. Senior Operations Manager/Contact Center Director
Timeframe: 9 – 12 years: You can become a senior operations manager or contact center director within nine to ten years in your career.
Role Overview: The senior operations manager role involves leading overall contact center operations across regions or service lines, aligning operations with business strategy, and driving customer experience innovation.
Goal: You should strive to develop the following skills and competences while working in this role to improve your chances for promotion to a higher position:
- Strategic leadership
- Cross-functional collaboration
- Data-driven decision-making
- Change management.
Next Level: Having developed and demonstrated relevant skills and competence, you can be promoted to the vice president of customer experience or head of customer operations role.
6. Vice President of Customer Experience/Head of Customer Operations (Senior Leadership)
Timeframe: 12+ years: You can become a vice president of customer experience or head of customer operations after more than twelve years of starting your career from an entry-level role.
Role Overview: The vice president of customer experience role involves defining and executing customer engagement strategy across the organization, leading digital transformation (AI, automation, omnichannel), and driving organizational culture focused on service excellence.
Goal: In this role, you will develop the following skills and competences:
- Executive leadership
- Strategic innovation
- Customer experience strategy
- Digital transformation.
Next Level: Having developed and demonstrated relevant skills and competences, you can be promoted to a higher executive role.
Conclusion
If you are an employer that is hiring for the contact center representative role and needs to make a detailed and effective job dscription, then the job information and template provided on this page will be helpful in making it.
This post is also useful to individuals interested in the contact center representative career to learn all they need to know about the duties and responsibilities of the job, to decide if that’s what they like to do.
