Customer Service Assistant Job Description
A Customer Service Assistant provides first-line support to customers across phone, email, chat and face-to-face channels. This template helps employers create a clear advert, define practical responsibilities and list realistic person specifications to attract dependable, service-oriented candidates.
What does a Customer Service Assistant professional do?
Entry-level customer-facing role handling enquiries, order support and basic administration across multiple channels.
Customer Service Assistant job description template
Use this employer-ready example as a starting point, then replace the placeholders and adjust the content so it accurately reflects your vacancy.
Customer Service Assistant
About the role
We are looking for a Customer Service Assistant to join our team in [City]. You will handle incoming enquiries by phone, email, chat and in person, process orders and returns, keep customer records accurate and escalate issues where necessary. This is a [full-time/part-time] position with a [shift pattern/hours] and a competitive [salary range].
Key responsibilities
- Answer customer enquiries promptly and courteously via phone, email, chat and face-to-face
- Process orders, payments, cancellations and returns accurately using company systems
- Log and update customer records and case notes to maintain data accuracy
- Investigate and resolve routine customer problems; escalate complex issues to the relevant team
- Meet basic service targets such as response times, first-contact resolution or call handling times
- Provide product or service information and guidance to customers
- Assist with refunds, exchanges and complaints in line with company policy
- Contribute to continuous improvement by feeding back recurring issues and customer insights to management
Essential skills and experience
- Strong verbal and written communication skills in English
- Basic IT literacy with the ability to learn customer relationship management (CRM) and ticketing systems
- Comfortable handling multiple enquiries and prioritising workload
- Customer-focused attitude with patience and problem-solving skills
- Right to work in the UK
- Willingness to work required hours and shifts (evenings/weekends) where applicable
Desirable
- Previous customer service or retail experience
- Familiarity with CRM, helpdesk or e‑commerce platforms
- Experience handling returns, refunds and complaints
- Good numeracy for basic order and payment checks
- GCSEs (or equivalent) in English and Maths or relevant vocational qualifications
What we offer
- Pension contribution (insert details)
- Annual leave allowance (insert number of days)
- Paid training and induction
- Staff discount or product/service voucher
- Flexible working or shift-swap arrangements (subject to agreement)
- Support for career development (training/planned progression)
How to apply
Apply with your CV and any additional information requested. Make the interview process, closing date and any assessment stages clear where known.
Use this as a starting point rather than a final advert. The strongest version will reflect the real role, salary, location, systems, responsibilities, benefits and working arrangements.
What is a Customer Service Assistant role?
A Customer Service Assistant provides front-line support to customers by answering enquiries, processing routine transactions and maintaining accurate records. They act as the primary contact for everyday issues, following company procedures to resolve problems or escalate complex matters. The role requires strong interpersonal skills, basic IT competency and the ability to work to measurable service standards.
Customer contact
Manage enquiries across phone, email, chat and face-to-face, providing timely, helpful responses.
Problem resolution
Resolve common issues using policy guidance and escalate complex cases to specialist teams.
Administration
Keep customer records and order information accurate to support service continuity.
Team support
Work with sales, operations and technical teams to deliver consistent customer experiences.
Typical Customer Service Assistant responsibilities
Responsibilities should reflect the real scope of the vacancy rather than every task someone in this profession might ever complete.
Answer customer enquiries promptly
Answer customer enquiries promptly and courteously via phone, email, chat and face-to-face
Process orders
Process orders, payments, cancellations and returns accurately using company systems
Log and update customer records
Log and update customer records and case notes to maintain data accuracy
Investigate
Investigate and resolve routine customer problems; escalate complex issues to the relevant team
Meet basic service targets such
Meet basic service targets such as response times, first-contact resolution or call handling times
Provide product or service information
Provide product or service information and guidance to customers
Assist with refunds
Assist with refunds, exchanges and complaints in line with company policy
Contribute
Contribute to continuous improvement by feeding back recurring issues and customer insights to management
Customer Service Assistant skills and experience to look for
Keep the essential list focused on what the person really needs to perform the role. Move useful-but-trainable experience into desirable criteria.
Usually worth prioritising
- Strong verbal and written communication skills in English
- Basic IT literacy with the ability to learn customer relationship management (CRM) and ticketing systems
- Comfortable handling multiple enquiries and prioritising workload
- Customer-focused attitude with patience and problem-solving skills
- Right to work in the UK
- Willingness to work required hours and shifts (evenings/weekends) where applicable
Useful where relevant
- Previous customer service or retail experience
- Familiarity with CRM, helpdesk or e‑commerce platforms
- Experience handling returns, refunds and complaints
- Good numeracy for basic order and payment checks
- GCSEs (or equivalent) in English and Maths or relevant vocational qualifications
See our guide to what to include in a job advert before publishing.
How to write a Customer Service Assistant job advert
Small role-specific details can make the advert much easier for suitable candidates to assess.
Be specific about hours and shift patterns
Include exact working hours, shift frequency and any weekend or evening requirement—this filters candidates who cannot meet the rota.
List measurable expectations
Mention key performance indicators (response times, average handle time or resolution targets) so applicants understand day-to-day priorities.
Highlight training and progression
If you provide induction, on-the-job training or routes to senior roles, state this to attract candidates seeking longer-term development.
Describe the customer base and volume
Note whether the role supports retail customers, business clients or high-volume transactional queries to set realistic expectations.
Customer Service Assistant salary considerations
Instead of quoting a single salary figure, explain the main factors that influence pay for a Customer Service Assistant so employers can set a competitive range appropriate to their organisation.
depending on experience
- Use a genuine range
- Separate variable pay
- Avoid “competitive” alone
- Match salary to seniority
What Customer Service Assistant candidates will want to know
Practical details can influence whether a suitable candidate applies, even when the title and salary are attractive.
What are the working hours and rota?
Candidates want to know shift start/finish times, frequency of weekends or nights and whether rotating rotas are used.
What training and onboarding will I receive?
Experienced applicants check how long induction lasts and whether product knowledge, system training and shadowing are provided.
What performance measures will I be assessed against?
Candidates expect to know KPIs such as response times, call handling metrics or customer satisfaction targets.
Is the role based on-site, remote or hybrid?
Front-line roles are often on-site; clarify location requirements, any travel between sites and remote-working options.
What benefits and pay structure are offered?
Applicants want clarity on base pay, overtime or shift premiums, pension, holiday allowance and any staff discounts.
Where to post a Customer Service Assistant job
Front-line customer service roles should be advertised on broad UK job boards and retail/service-specific sites to reach active job seekers. For local, in-person positions target community job boards and college careers services; for roles that allow remote or hybrid working, add national boards and professional networks such as LinkedIn to reach a wider candidate pool.
Customer Service Assistant job description FAQs
How long should a Customer Service Assistant advert be?
Aim for a concise advert of 250–400 words that covers core duties, essential requirements, hours and a short blurb about your organisation or team.
Should I make previous experience essential?
Not usually. Many employers list prior customer service as desirable and focus essential criteria on communication skills, IT literacy and availability for required shifts.
What selection methods work best?
Shortlisting by essential criteria, a brief phone screening to confirm availability and basic skills, followed by a structured face-to-face or virtual interview with a practical scenario or role-play.
Do I need to include KPIs in the advert?
Yes—outline major expectations (for example response times or customer satisfaction) so applicants understand performance standards. Keep targets high-level to avoid overly prescriptive language.
How should I test customer-service skills at interview?
Use scenario-based questions or short role plays that simulate common enquiries, then assess communication, empathy, problem-solving and adherence to policy.
Ready to publish your advert?
Customise the fields above with your specific location, hours and benefits, then publish the advert where your target candidates will see it. For broader reach consider multi-board posting or targeted local channels to fill front-line customer-facing roles quickly.
