How to Become a Customer Service Apprentice

Are you interested in working in customer service? You could begin a Customer Service Practitioner or Customer Service Specialist apprenticeship with HBTC. These Customer Service Apprentice roles allow you to learn on the job and earn a wage whilst also completing some formal training.

Customer service is a great field to get into, especially since it’s more critical than ever for organisations to adopt a customer focused mindset to ensure customer satisfaction.

A customer service apprenticeship can be a great first step on your career path. Not only is there a huge range of jobs available in customer service, but once you have completed your training, you will have transferable skills that you can take with you if you decide to change careers. In short, training in customer service is extremely useful for your career, and required in most industries. 

As a Customer Service Apprentice, you help people with customer service questions and problems. You are the person people go to when they have difficult or technical questions. You also help with customer complaints and queries. This could be via the telephone, face to face or a webchat.

As an expert in your organisation’s products and/or services, you will share knowledge with your wider team and colleagues. You will gather and analyse data and customer information that influences change and improvements in service.

You will use both organisational and generic IT systems to do your job. You should be aware of other digital technologies too. This could be in many different types of places, like contact centers, retail stores, webchat, service industry, or any customer service point.

On the customer service apprenticeship you will develop the knowledge, skills, and behaviours to excel in your career. Whilst improving the efficiency of your organisation, supporting functional areas, providing the highest levels of value and resolving issues. 

A Customer Service apprentice will develop skills that will enhance their effectiveness in the role. These include: 

• Communication skills – If you like helping people, are a good listener, and can solve problems, then a customer service apprenticeship could be the right choice for you. 

• Selling skills – It helps to be able to sell or upsell additional products or services to existing customers.

• Technical expertise – People who know a lot about a subject can be valuable as product support specialists for consumer products in their field of expertise.

• Patience – It can be hard to deal with different customer concerns every day. Customer service representatives need to be patient so they can help solve problems in a calm way, even when the customer is angry.

• Empathy – When you are talking to customers, it is important to make them feel heard. You need to listen to their concerns and complaints. Try to understand how they are feeling.

• Professionalism – If you work for a company, you need to help take care of the company’s good image. This means being professional when you talk to or respond to customers. 

 

On the course you will learn about:

• Business knowledge and understanding 
• Customer journey knowledge 
• Knowing your customers and their needs/customer insight 
• Customer service culture and environment awareness

 

A career path in customer service usually begins at the frontline, with a job as a customer service representative or product support specialist. As you gain more experience and master your company’s customer service policies and practices, you may get a chance to move up to supervisorial roles.

The typical duration of the customer service apprenticeship is 15-18 months. Throughout the apprenticeship the vast majority of your time will be working with the employer. Where you will receive skills training and gain experience in the role. There will also be some off-the-job training with your training provider.

The customer service apprenticeship includes an end point assessment, which is also known as an EPA. It is the role of your HBTC Skills Coach to ensure you are fully prepared for EPA. We will work with you to ensure you are confident and ready for this at the end of your course so that you have every chance of success.

HBTC are a leading training provider within the region, known for our expertise in placing apprentices in customer service roles. We have extensive experience working with organisations across a variety of sectors to provide high-quality training and development for apprentices.

Our programs are designed specifically for individuals across the Humber region, including Hull, Grimsby, Scunthorpe and the surrounding areas. We support individuals who are looking to develop their business administration skills and gain experience working in this rapidly growing field. 

New vacancies are opening up every day. You can register your interest on our website, call or email. This will notify us of your interest in customer service apprenticeship job opportunities and vacancies. This is the best way to get a head-start on your job search. 

When it comes to applying for customer service apprenticeships, having a great CV is essential. Not only does it serve as a representation of your skills and experience. But it can also be used to help you stand out from the crowd. 

To prepare for an interview, it is essential that you do your research on the company. This will enable you to understand what they do and the product or service they provide. Also, it is important to dress according to the industry standards. 

Our team will work with you every step of the way. From preparing your CV to following up after the interview with feedback. In order to ensure that you have the best chance of success. 

We can help you with your chosen career path. Whether you’re just starting out or looking to advance to the next level. With HBTC, you can be sure that you will get exceptional support and guidance throughout your apprenticeship journey. Contact us now and let’s start exploring your potential together!