Introduction

The main purpose of a customer service specialist is to be a ‘professional’ for direct customer support within all sectors and organisation types. You are an advocate of Customer Service who acts as a referral point for dealing with more complex or technical customer requests, complaints, and queries. You are often an escalation point for complicated or ongoing customer problems. As an expert in your organisation’s products and/or services, you share knowledge with your wider team and colleagues. You gather and analyse data and customer information that influences change and improvements in service. Utilising both organisational and generic IT systems to carry out your role with an awareness of other digital technologies. This could be in many types of environment including contact centres, retail, webchat, service industry or any customer service point.

Entry Requirements

You should hold GCSE maths and English grades A-C to start this apprenticeship or willing to take Functional Skills level 2 exams.

Functional Skills

Apprentices will be required to have or achieve level 2 English and maths prior to completion of their Apprenticeship. If this has already been achieved then development of further English and maths skills will continue for the whole of the apprenticeship.

Duration

A minimum of 15 months, typically 18 months.

Delivery Model

1-1 coaching and support in the workplace, face to face and phone / skype on a monthly basis.

Progression

Upon completion of this Apprenticeship, learners may be eligible to progress to the Team Leading Level 3 if they are in a management role.

Funding

This apprenticeship is in funding band 6. Levy paying employers may fund apprentices on this programme from their Apprenticeship Account and non-levy paying SMEs through the co-funded option. There may be a small fee for some SME’s (this is usually 10% of the cost of the Apprenticeship e.g. £400).

End Assessment

To achieve this apprenticeship standard, the employer, training provider and apprentice will agree when the apprentice is ready and competent to undertake the independent end point assessment, which will test their skills knowledge and behaviours required for this role.

Apprenticeship Content / qualifications and assessmentsThere are no formal mandatory qualifications as part of this Standard.