Business Professional Programs

Marketing is an important part of the American system of product and service distribution and is a challenging and creative field. Customer service is the cornerstone of marketing: treat your customers well and they will come back. Learning customer service skills is vital to success in today's business environment.

The Certificate in Customer Service is designed as a “step” to the Associate in Business, which means students can earn the certificate, gain employment, then continue their education by completing a two-year degree.

The Certificate in Customer Service is designed to prepare students for entry-level positions in careers such as:

• Sales Clerk
• Customer Service Representative
• Market Representative
• Claims Adjuster
• Telesupport

- View the program/curriculum sheet -

Customer Service Outcomes

Students who receive the Certificate in Customer Service will be prepared to:

• Employ customer-focused behavior including appropriate greeting, active listening, and questioning to uncover customer needs; develop and utilize creative solutions and proactive problem-solving/decision making to resolve customer complaints
• Analyze and explain the various elements of a customer service culture including the following: service philosophy; organizational mission, policies and procedures; customer feedback techniques; employee behavior, roles and expectations.
• Develop and apply strategies for communicating with different behavioral and personality styles.
• Explain appropriate telephone customer service skills including answering the phone, transferring the customer, using call waiting and voice mail, and following up with customers.
• Develop and apply strategies for handling difficult customer encounters including dissatisfied, indecisive, angry, demanding, rude and talkative customers.
• List and apply cultural factors that impact customer service in a diverse business environment.
• Apply appropriate consultative selling strategies to meet customer needs.
• Compare and contrast customer data tracking systems like Goldmine and ACT!
• Explain basic ethical standards in customer service.
• Demonstrate personal responsibility and accountability by attending class, actively participation, and meeting time commitments.