14 Pros and Cons of Being a Customer Service Representative

When you call a company with questions, to make payments, or for any other reason, a customer service representative will answer the phone.

Customer service reps are the backbone of businesses because it’s up to them to do what they can to make the customer happy.

Today, customer service reps work on the phone or via chat and email.

If you’re considering a job as a customer service rep, you should understand the pros and cons of the job to be sure that this is the right job for you.

Table of Contents

Pros of Being a Customer Service Representative
Cons of Working As a Customer Service Representative
14 Pros and Cons of Being a Customer Service Representative – Summary Table
Should You Become a Customer Service Representative?

Pros of Being a Customer Service Representative

There are many good things about working as a customer service rep, and one or more may help you realize that this could be the perfect job for you.

#1 No Experience Necessary

Many employers looking to hire customer service reps don’t require applicants to have previous experience in customer service.

Most require applicants to have specific skills, such as typing and computer literacy, empathy, compassion, and enthusiasm.

If you’re looking for a job straight out of high school or want to change careers, you should be able to land a job as a customer service rep easily.

#2 Opportunity For Growth

If you’re working for a job that allows you to move up in the company, working as a customer service rep could be perfect for you.

If you’ve been working with the company for a while and are doing a great job, you could be promoted to a lead position where the other reps will come to you with questions.

If you continue to do well, you could move to a management position.

If you’re looking for a job with an opportunity for growth, you can do great as a customer service rep.

#3 Develop Your Problem-Solving Skills

Your primary duty as a customer service rep is to solve problems for people calling or chatting in.

If you can do the job right and resolve issues to make your consumers happy, you’re doing your job.

You may not know that you can help yourself as much as the people reaching out because the job allows you to work on your problem-solving skills, which can benefit your professional and personal life.

The problem-solving skills you learn as a customer service rep will help you if you plan to work to become a lead or manager or move on to a different career.

#4 Develop Your Interpersonal Skills

Interpersonal skills are necessary to understand how other people feel and how to react to those feelings.

Also, strong interpersonal skills help create good relationships with others.

As a customer service rep, you must show empathy and a desire to help, which will help develop these skills.

Interpersonal skills will help you in your career and life, and working as a customer service representative can help hone these skills.

#5 Comfortable Work Environment

Most customer service representatives work in call centers, which is a comfortable environment.

Working indoors means the office will be warm in the winter and cool in the summer, ensuring you’re comfortable all day.

Also, your company will provide a comfortable and ergonomically correct chair so you don’t get uncomfortable during the day.

You’ll likely work in a cubicle, providing privacy while you work while allowing you to speak to friends sitting nearby.

Finally, you can take your breaks in the break room or cafeteria, so you don’t have to worry about going out in extreme weather until it’s time to go home.

#6 You Might Be Able to Work From Home

Millions of people had to work from home after lockdowns were put in place during COVID.

It didn’t take long for companies to see that their employees work just as well from home as in the office, and many people preferred working from home.

Since the pandemic, many companies have shifted their customer service reps to work-from-home jobs.

If you want to avoid dealing with the commute to and from work and like the idea of working in your pajamas from the comfort of your home, you’ll love working as an at-home customer service rep.

#7 The Job Pays Well

Many customer service representative jobs pay well.

The national average for customer service reps is $16.54 per hour, and some companies offer more.

The exact pay rate depends on the state you’ll work in, the company, and your duties.

For example, if you get a job as a customer service rep in sales, you’ll likely make minimum wage plus commission.

Some companies allow agents to work from home and pay per minute on the phone.

You won’t be paid when you aren’t on a call or put a customer on hold.

Most companies with this policy pay well, and customer service reps can earn over $18 per hour as long as the call volume is consistent.

#8 On-the-Job Training

You can’t start working independently on the phone on your first day as a customer service representative.

You will need to know a lot about the systems you’ll be using to help the callers and the products or services the company provides.

The company won’t throw you in the deep end on the first day and spend several weeks training new hires.

If you’re considering applying for a job as a customer service representative, you won’t have to worry about making mistakes or being confused, as the company will provide enough training and help to allow you to succeed.

Cons of Working As a Customer Service Representative

Although there are many good things about working as a customer service representative, there are also downsides.

No job is perfect, and you should know the cons of working as a customer service rep before applying for a job to ensure this is the right career path for you.

#1 Difficult Callers

The most significant downside of working as a customer service representative is dealing with difficult people.

Some people call in because they need help, and if you can provide the support they need, they will be grateful.

However, if there’s nothing you can do to help, the caller could get nasty.

Some people call in a foul mood and will take it out on you.

Some difficult callers yell, some swear, and some name-call.

If you don’t have thick skin and can’t handle getting yelled at by someone while remaining calm, polite, and holding your tongue, you might not want to work as a customer service rep.

#2 Stress

Stress is part of a customer service rep’s job.

You must take calls when they come in and use the necessary systems to complete the call.

On busy days, the calls can come in quickly, with little time to complete work in the system before the next call.

If you can’t keep up, you’ll have several things to finish after the first hour.

If you often buckle under pressure, you won’t make a good customer service rep.

#3 Handle Frequent Change

If you have a problem with change, you won’t enjoy working as a customer service representative.

Many companies change their products, services, policies, and procedures often, and it’s up to you to keep up and understand the changes and how to implement them into your day.

If you don’t like change and hate learning new things, you will do better in a different career.

#4 It’s a Sedentary Job

You must sit down all day as a customer service rep, contributing to a sedentary lifestyle.

You will only have a chance to stretch your legs and get some exercise if you’re on a break.

If you’re struggling with weight issues, there may be better options than working in customer service.

This is especially true if you go home after work and spend the rest of the day on the couch.

You can do some things to exercise during the day if you’re sure this is the best career for you, such as taking the stairs rather than the elevator, parking as far from the building as possible, and spending your breaks walking.

#5 Multi-Tasking Is a Big Part of the Job

You must multi-task to succeed as a customer service rep.

When the phone rings, you have to listen to the caller to determine what they want while opening and working in the necessary systems.

You may also need to take notes or fill out forms while on the call, which is a lot all at once.

If you can’t multi-task or you don’t like to, you should find another career path.

#6 Call Flow/Quotas

Many companies require their representatives to take a certain number of calls each day.

If you don’t work fast and can’t keep up, it can be challenging to reach your call requirements for the day, and it could cause you to lose your job.

If you work as a sales customer service rep, the company will have sales quotas that you must meet.

If you can’t make enough sales to meet your quota, your job could be in jeopardy.

If you’re worried you won’t be able to keep up or sell enough, you may want to look for a job in another field.