Five Skills Older Customer Service Pros Should Emphasize

Providing good customer service is essential to the success of any company. A customer service professional must be able to calm angry customers, listen to customer concerns, and use customer feedback to improve service for everyone. Older workers have some advantages over younger ones when trying to provide good customer service. If you have extensive experience as a customer service professional, emphasize your skills any time you apply for a job or try for a promotion. If you have excellent technical skills, let potential employers know about them.

1. Young people who are still in high school or just out of college may not have much experience beyond posting on Facebook and typing school assignments, so this is one area where you have an advantage.
    
2. If you want to work as a customer service professional, be sure to let recruiters know if you have skills in using word processing, database, and spreadsheet programs. If you are hired as a customer service professional, you will be expected to use those skills to communicate with customers and maintain accurate records.
    
3. Human resources managers believe that older workers do have some advantages over younger workers when it comes to writing and solving problems. If you have experience writing reports or business correspondence, your skills will be a valuable asset to any employer. If you are hired as a customer service professional, you will be expected to use your skills to write letters or email messages to customers in need of assistance. Many people develop good problem-solving skills through experience, so older workers also have a definite advantage in this area.
    
4. If you are applying for a managerial position in the customer service field, you should also emphasize your leadership skills when speaking with recruiters. Young customer service professionals may not have much experience leading teams or helping colleagues overcome challenges, so this skill can give you an edge when competing for a coveted position.
    
5. Katie Holland reports that some managers cite a lack of soft skills among the reasons they have difficulty finding the right workers. Older workers often have better time-management skills than their younger counterparts, so this is something else you should emphasize. The ability to manage your time effectively will help you succeed in any field, so do your best to develop this skill as much as possible.

Although the job market seems to be improving for older workers, competition for jobs is still keen. When you are applying for a position as a customer service professional, you must show potential employers that you are a better fit for the company than other candidates. Highlighting your technical, communication, and leadership skills is a good way to help you beat out other candidates for employment as a customer service professional.

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