Customer service has evolved into an essential part for business and organizations and hence certifications like Certified Customer Service Professional. Increased technology usage, has necessitated human interaction with customers. Customer service not only includes focus on retaining customers, serving your audience, or turning inquiries from potential customers into sales, good customer service is now one of the central factors in organizational success. These kind of certifications let you add stars into your resume and prove to be of sheer value for your career.
Certifications also help to prove your dedication and commitment towards your aim and profession. It is very essential for a corporation to focus on its customers in order to become a giant in the respective industry. Let us get into details of this valuable certification.
Roles and Responsibilities
A Certified Customer Service Professional is responsible for keeping in loop, the customers in order to sync with their complaints and demands. Customer service not only includes focus on retaining customers, serving your audience, or turning inquiries from potential customers into sales, good customer service is now one of the central factors in organizational success.
Benefits of Certification
- Government Certification
- Certification valid for life
- Lifelong e-learning access
- Free Practice Tests
- Get tagged as ‘Vskills Certified’ On Monsterindia.com
- Get tagged as ‘Vskills Certified’ On Shine.com
Certification Process
- Select Certification & Register
- Receive a.) Online e Learning Access (LMS) b.) Hard copy – study material
- Take exam online anywhere, anytime
- Get certified & Increase Employability
Test Details
- Duration: 60 minutes
- No. of questions: 50
- Maximum marks: 50, Passing marks: 25 (50%).
- There is NO negative marking in this module.
- Online exam.
Customer service has evolved into an essential part for business and organizations. Increased technology usage, has necessitated human interaction with customers. Customer service not only includes focus on retaining customers, serving your audience, or turning inquiries from potential customers into sales, good customer service is now one of the central factors in organizational success.
The course covers customer service basics, customer expectations, customer needs, consumer perception, consumer attitudes, customer focused interaction, customers listening and tools along with computer and personal skills of a customer service professional.
Why to take Customer Focus certification?
As per Forbes, customer service is regarded as one of the best industries for professionals and executives. Jobs for customer service professionals are predicted to increase across industries, making it a good career choice for anyone who wants to have ample growth opportunities. Students with customer service certificate can also find employment in a various roles in an organization like administrative and support services.
Intended Audience
Professionals and executives working in customer facing departments can benefit immensely and will be able to make progress in their careers, easily.
Students undergoing sales or marketing or management related studies, can also enhance their chances of getting a good job and showcase their customer facing skills.
Content Outline
The exam revolves around these following objectives –
Customer Service
- Who is Customer
- Customer Service Basics
Customer Handling
- Understanding Customer Behaviour
- Customers Expectations
- Building Customer Relationship
Customer Focus
- What is Customer Focus
- Customer Focus Elements
- Customer Focus Levels
Customer Expectations
- What is customer expectations
- Why customer expectations
- Types of Expectations
- Expectations Model
- Managing Expectations
- Customer Latest Expectations
- Getting Customer Feedback
- Handling Customer Expectations
Customer Needs
- Consumer Need
- Understanding Customer Needs
- Hulls Drives Reduction Theory
- Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs
- McClelland’s Three Needs Theory
- Consumer Motivation Concept
- Values
- Means – End Chain Model
Consumer Perception
- Perception Basics
- Elements of Perception
- The Absolute Threshold
- The Differential Threshold
- Subliminal Perception
- Process of Perception
- What is value?
- Choosing a Value Proposition
- Dynamics of Perception
- Perceptual Organization
- Consumer Imagery
Consumer Attitudes
- Attitudes
- Models of Attitude
- Attitude Formation
- Strategies of Attitude Change
Customer Focused Organization
- Customer Focus Strategies
- Building a Customer Focussed Culture
- Maintaining Customer Focus
- Customer Focus Development
- Developing Customer Orientated Culture
- Checklist for Customer Focus
Customer Focused Interaction
- Social Media
- Applying Knowledge Management
- Using Mobile Technology
- Customer Focused Employees
Customers Listening and Tools
- Customer Complaints
- Complaint Barriers
- Customer Journey Mapping (CJM)
- Voice Of the Customer
- Benchmarking
- Business Performance Measures
Developing skills
- Skills Development
- Public Speaking
- Personality Development
- Self Grooming Tips
- Positive Attitude
- Different Negativities
- Steps to Be Positive
- Positive Behaviour
- Traits for Positive Behaviour
- Behaviour for Successful Sale Person
- Listening skills
- Vocal Skills
Telephone Usage
- Telephone Manners
- Telephone Etiquettes
- Voice Mail Etiquettes
Team Work
- Formation of a Team
Stress Management
- Consequences of Stress
- Reason/Causes of Stress
- Signs of stress
- Techniques of Stress Management
Time Management
- Time Management Techniques
Negotiation Skills
- Negotiation Basics
- Preparing for the Negotiation Process
- The Seven Basic Steps in Negotiation
- Best Alternative to a Negotiated Agreement (BATNA)
- Tactics for Negotiation Process
Office Communications and Mailing Skills
- Mailing Services
- Addressing Envelopes
- Effective Office Meetings
- Office memos
- Incoming Mail
- Outgoing Mail
- Fundamentals activities of mail handling department
- Mail Automation
Managing Office Records
- Filing and Record Keeping
- Purpose of Record Management
- Features of Effective Record Management
- Information Types
- Information Access
- Type of Files
- Procedure of Classification
- Methods of Filing
- Systems of Filing
Word Processing – MS-Word 2013
- MS-Word Basics
- Working With Documents
- Customize the Word Environment
- Editing a Document
- Formatting Text
- Formatting Paragraphs
- Styles
- Graphics
- Proofing a Document
- Page Formatting
- Macros
- Lists
- References and Citations
- Track Changes
Spreadsheet – MS-Excel 2013
- Excel 2013 Basics
- Workbook and Worksheet
- Manipulating Data
- Worksheet Formatting
- Page Properties and Printing
- Excel Formulas
- Sort and Filter
- Charts
- Macros
Networking and Internet
- Networking Concepts
- Network types
- Windows Networking terms
- Sharing Local Printer
- Connecting to a Network Printer
- Internet
- Web Browser
- Uploading and download files
- Managing E-mail Accounts
- Sending an E-mail from Outlook
- Web based E-mail or Gmail
- Digital Signature
Future Developments
- Social Media
- E-Commerce
- Big Data
- Internet of Things (IoT)
- Automation and AI
Preparatory resources for Certified Customer Service Professional
There are unlimited resources for preparation that you can use. Cracking this exam can be difficult for the first time. But with the right set of resources and hard work you can ace the exam in one go. So, you should be very careful while choosing the resources. Make sure to pick the apt resources out of the unlimited resources available, as they will determine how well will you pass the exam. Let us look at some resources that can be beneficial –
Step 1 – Review the exam objectives
Knowing about the objectives of the exam is very important as the whole exam is going to revolve around the objectives. The first and foremost thing before you start preparing is to get well versed with the objectives of the exam. Exam objectives let you define the framework for preparation and the path that has to be followed in order to pass with flying colors. This exam revolves around following objectives –
- Customer Service
- Customer Handling
- Customer Focus
- Customer Expectations
- Customer Needs
- Consumer Perception
- Consumer Attitudes
- Customer Focused Organization
- Customer Focused Interaction
- Customers Listening and Tools
- Developing skills
- Telephone Usage
- Team Work
- Stress Management
- Time Management
- Negotiation Skills
- Office Communications and Mailing Skills
- Managing Office Records
- Word Processing – MS-Word 2013
- Spreadsheet – MS-Excel 2013
- Networking and Internet
- Future Developments
Refer – Certified Customer Service Professional Brochure
Step 2 – Hitting the books
You can find multiple books online or can refer to libraries and bookstores. You can choose the books that is comfortable to your reading habits and which you understand well. Books are the best valued resources and first resource that comes to our mind when we thin of preparing for any exam. There are even fantastic books online that can be very useful in preparation. Some books that you can refer are–
Customer Service
Managing Customer Relationship
Step 3 – E-Learning and Study Materials
These online classes and instructor led courses are one of the most interactive ways of preparing the exam. Learning for the exam can be fun if you have right set of resources matching your way of studying. Vskills offers you its E-Learning Study Material to supplement your learning experience and exam preparation. They are prepared by the experts of the subject matter and are reliable enough. Many reliable sites provide with the very nice instructors and excellent content for the preparation. As we all are habitual of classroom teaching, these classes can serve as close substitute with an advantage of attending the class anywhere.
Refer – Certified Customer Service Professional sample chapter
Step 4 – Evaluate yourself with practice tests
Your practice is an important determiner of how well you pass the exam. Take as many practice tests and test series as you can. They will help you in determining the level of your preparation, identify your loopholes and identify the weak portions you need to work more upon. There are so many reliable educational sites that provide with amazing content and help you in achieving excellence. Try a free practice test now!
Customer Service Interview Questions
Checkout these latest online interview questions on Customer Service to prepare for any job interview. The questions are created by domain experts, to help you to overcome the job interview obstacle.