What Are Good Examples of Hard Skills for a Customer Service Rep?

When determining the importance of soft skills versus hard skills, there isn’t always a clear front runner. There are some occupations that require a higher level of one over the other, but for many professions, both hard and soft skills are equally important for job success.

What is the definition of hard skills?

While both are significant, there is a difference between soft skills and hard skills. Soft skills refer to interpersonal skills or personality traits and qualities that a person exhibits. These can include communication, empathy, problem-solving skills, listening skills, and personability. A hard skills definition, by contrast, refers to the specialized knowledge and technical skills necessary to do a specific job. Hard skills are tangible, measurable abilities that are gained through education, training, and hands-on experience.

What are good examples of hard skills?

The specific hard skills necessary for a job will vary by company and position, but there are some examples of hard skills that are generally beneficial for those working in customer service. One of the most important hard skills for customer service reps is in-depth knowledge of their company’s products and services because this helps them to answer questions and solve problems. It is imperative for companies to train their customer service departments on their products and services to make sure they have a deep understanding of the features, common issues, customizations, benefits, and troubleshooting steps. This allows them to talk more knowledgeably, help customers more efficiently, and improves customer confidence and satisfaction. Ongoing training is important to ensure customer service stays up-to-date on changes and new offerings. Another good hard skill is computer and technological skills because customer service reps use a variety of programs, software, and other technology throughout their day. This includes having knowledge of the different types of channels that are now used by customer service, such as phone, email, chat, social media, and more. Other good examples of hard skills for customer service include analytical skills, teamwork or collaborative skills, and multilingual skills.

What are the top hard skills employers look for?

High level soft skills are essential to customer service, but that doesn’t negate the importance of hard skills in helping customer service reps do their jobs most efficiently. Employers generally look for candidates that have some computer and technological skills, since customer service reps are required to use various programs and software during their interactions with customers. Data entry is a big part of many customer service positions and is often listed as a requirement for representatives. Many would like reps who have some experience working with customer-relationship management (CRM) software because it is used by a number of companies to manage, track, and store information regarding a company’s potential and existing customers. Analytical skills are also important to be able to interpret and analyze the data collected in order to improve response time and resolution rates thus enhancing the customer experience. Teamwork is another top hard skill that employers look for in customer service employees. They need to be able to collaborate with other members of their team to problem solve and increase customer satisfaction.