Before you begin searching for the perfect candidates for an open position in customer service, it helps to do some reflection. That is, you need to sit down and clearly define the roles and responsibilities of a job by writing a job description.
A good customer service job description—one that will get you qualified matches—accomplishes the following:
- Describes what the job entails
- Lays out the job’s responsibilities and tasks
- Outlines the basic skills a candidate needs
- Gives hiring managers the chance to lay out the “intangibles” for success
This sometimes-overlooked or rushed step in the hiring process is crucial: A recent report conducted by the Talent Board found that job descriptions are the most important job-related content that candidates look for when researching a job.
A well-written job description also saves managers time in the screening and interviewing stages. By defining a role’s responsibilities, you decrease the number of candidates that aren’t qualified and attract more of the candidates that are. Sitting down to write a job description also helps managers set goals for role, and envision the ideal applicant’s skills.
Where to start with a job description
Writing a customer service job description is daunting, but it doesn’t have to be. After all, making one bad hire can cost both your team and your company money, time and effort. To ensure that you write a description that attracts candidates who will fit your culture and achieve your team’s goals, take your time.
To start, gather any previous hiring paperwork you might have, or ask other managers who have filled open positions recently for their descriptions. You may find that it’s faster to edit components of a job description than to write totally new sections.
Consider the tone of your posting, as well. Not every post for a job should be the same, but all posts across the company should fit your brand. For example, if your company is laid back and strives to create a “work hard, play hard” company culture, your post shouldn’t be stiff and formal. Similarly, if your company is looking for serious individuals, it’s best not to use customer service team names like “guru,” “ninja” and “wizard” because that could turn potential candidates off.
When in doubt, aim to be concise, direct and enticing.
Brainstorming and developing a listing
The first part of a description is usually a list of the job duties a candidate will be expected to perform. These points should address:
- Day-to-day tasks
- Methods used to perform these responsibilities
- Goals a candidate will be expected to achieve
- Expectations for how the individual would work with other departments
- The managerial role this person will have and who they will oversee
Then outline the minimum technical and personality skills an applicant should have to fill this role (which you can screen for with great interview questions).
Here are some areas you should think on for finding those skills:
- What knowledge must they have
- What software programs they must know
- What other skills are essential to succeeding
- What do you wish a candidate could do
Once you’ve got a full list of skills and traits you’d like to see in an applicant, sort them into three columns: “Job Requirements,” “Must-Have Skills” and “Bonus Skills” (those that aren’t essential to the job, but could present opportunities to learn and grow in the role).
The keys to writing a standout job description
When you’re ready to finish your post, ensure that you’ve got all the elements in place. Here’s an example of how we would write a customer service job description at Kayako.
Customer Support Advocate job description
Kayako is seeking a Customer Advocate to join our Customer Support team. This is your objective. It should be a one-liner opening that describes the role, location, and team. Brief is the keyword here. We have offices in Gurgaon, and London, but you’re welcome to work from anywhere with an internet connection!
Kayako is one of the leading customer service platforms, used by more than 30,000 organizations to deliver a better customer experience to millions of customers. We believe that customer support is more than just answering questions. Now tell applicants a little more about the job. This extended paragraph gives a compelling overview of the job and your company’s beliefs and values. You want to both sell the applicant on the job and describe the ideal candidate.We directly impact business goals through providing feedback to our product team and driving customer success. Our support team is one of the main reasons for our success and we want to be role models for our customers. You’ll love this role if you get your kicks by helping others. We’re looking for someone who loves solving problems and creating long term customer relationships. This is a great opportunity if you care deeply, genuinely and passionately about customer support and about the role it plays in making a customer-centric team successful.
Responsibilities and goals you’ll own:This is where you list the key responsibilities and goals from your “Job Requirements” column. This is your chance to tell an applicant what he/she will learn and own in the job, as well as list out the skills and requirements you think are essential to success in the position.Describe any challenges the candidate might face (but keep positive), as well as any exciting opportunities he/she might have.If the company has any long-term goals, state them here.List the tools the customer advocate will be required to use, such as email and chat software.● Respond to and resolve customer queries through chat, email and the community forum quickly and effectively.
● Educate and empower our customers to get better at customer support through Kayako
● Become an expert on Kayako features and capabilities
● Drive our Voice of the Customer program to advocate for the customer and improve Kayako through incorporating user feedback
● Escalate critical support issues to the appropriate internal channel
● Help to develop the customer support profession through sharing knowledge, contributing to blog posts, experimenting with new innovations and discussing best practices.
● Assist in creating first class Help Center documentation
● Increase customer satisfaction and build loyalty through providing amazing, personal customer support.
Experience and requirements:Use this section for the points you’ve listed in your “Must-Have Skills” section. Include the specific amount of experience one should have to apply, if applicable. You could also highlight what specific experience or previous roles one should have, as well.Tell candidates what they should have demonstrated in previous jobs and what you’ll look for in a resume or interview. Be as specific as possible to increase the odds of getting the perfect candidates.● Excellent verbal and written communication skills
● Ability to solve problems logically and critically
● 1+ years in a customer service position preferably in online support
● Demonstrate effective time management and organizational skills
● A strong understanding and working knowledge of the internet and technical concepts (eg. you understand the terms HTML, browser and cache)
Who will love this job:If you have anything in your “Bonus Skills” column, include those here. This section is optional, but helpful to include if you have in mind any values an applicant should have for this particular job.For customer service positions, consider highlighting that your company values positivity, problem-solving skills, and working with others.● You like making things easier for customers and colleagues. If there’s a roadblock, you want to smooth it away.
● You are energised by interacting with and helping people. You know that everyone has trouble sometimes, and seek to empower and educate our customers.
● You love reading and learning about new ways of doing things. There’s always a better way.
● You’re a positive person and know how to look on the bright side.
● You bring solutions to the table not just problems. (But you aren’t afraid to point out where we’re going wrong).
● You’re comfortable with a little chaos and uncertainty. We move fast and sometimes decisions are made without all of the information.
About Kayako:Tell the applicant about your company and what it has achieved. You might consider moving this section to the top if you’re sending this post out to people you don’t know.We’ve brought the helpdesk a long way. We started out with an ambitious goal: a better online customer support experience. Today, tens of thousands of businesses connect to millions of customers using Kayako. You can trace us back to 2001. We bootstrapped from there to where we are today, but that was just one phase of an exciting journey. We are about to embark on an exciting new period for the company and product, and completely revolutionize the way businesses build support and build relationships with their customers. Does that pique your interest? Drop us a line!
To apply:Tell your applicants what to do next. If there are any particular materials a candidate should send, list these here.Please submit a one page cover letter in addition to your resume. The cover letter should show your personality, and help us learn why you want to help provide support for support people. What about this job attracts you?
Use a comprehensive job description to find the perfect customer support hire
A great job description can take the ache out of filtering through resumes and reading cover letters when hiring customer service representatives. Use these best practices to ensure the right candidates will always apply to join your customer support team.
The trick to a great customer service job description is: be concise, set the right tone for your brand, and sell your company. By laying out the must-have skills, goals, and requirements for a job, you’ll up your chances of getting applicants who can meet your team’s and customer’s needs.
