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So, what's it all about?

A well-known rule of business is that it’s easier to sell to your existing customers than to find new ones. A satisfied customer is not only a good advert for your business, but they’re likely to buy from you again. An unhappy customer, on the other hand, is not just a customer you’ve lost, but can do untold damage to your reputation.

No wonder, then, that a whole field has grown up devoted to keeping customers happy. In a small shop, customer service can be as simple – and important – as the person behind the counter giving a friendly greeting and helping shoppers find what they’re looking for. Larger businesses and other organisations might employ a dedicated customer service team, whose job it is to answer questions, give advice and offer refunds on faulty products or services. They’re also the ones who have to sort out problems and deal with complaints.

Depending on their line of work, customer service staff will either attend to the problem directly, or point the customer in the direction of somebody else who can help. For example, a customer service assistant wouldn’t be expected to fix somebody’s broken boiler, but they would take down details of the problem and arrange a suitable time for the plumber to visit.

Customer service often involves dealing with the public face-to-face, but as many companies now have clients all round the world, telephone call centres and computer helpdesks are becoming increasingly important.

As well as serving their existing customers, businesses need to find new ones – and to persuade them to buy things. This is where sales and marketing comes in. Marketing is a method of telling people about your company or product – whether through advertising or sponsorship, publicity stunts or viral videos on the internet. Sales is about persuading people to part with their money. This might involve ‘cold calling’ – knocking on doors or making phone calls – or even entertaining a potential client at the races and finally persuading them to sign a big cheque after a few drinks.

More info

Sector Skills Councils
These are the people who look after the Apprenticeships in this section. Visit their websites for more information about working
in this field.

e-skills
www.e-skills.com

The Institute of Customer Service
www.instituteofcustomerservice.com

The Marketing and Sales Standards Setting Body (MSSSB)
www.msssb.org

Skillsmart Retail
www.skillsmartretail.com

Major employers

It’s worth checking out the websites of any major retailer for job ideas. Here are a few examples to start with, but use your imagination…

Amazon
www.amazon.co.uk/careers
The global online retailer.

Arcadia Group
www.arcadiagroup.co.uk
A clothing retailer – brands include Burton, Dorothy Perkins, Miss Selfridge, Topshop and Topman.

BT
www.bt.com/apprentice
BT offers retail Apprenticeships across the country.

Carphone Warehouse
www.careersatcarphone.com
A hugely successful chain.

Marks & Spencer
www.marksandspencer.com
High street retailer with retail trainee schemes.

Sainsbury’s
www.sainsburys.co.uk/aboutus/recruitment
Sainsbury’s offers a retail management training scheme.

Suzuki
www.suzuki-apprenticeships.co.uk
For careers in retail parts or customer service.

Tesco
www.tesco-careers.com/home/students/apprenticeships-in-retails
Tesco is expanding its Apprenticeship programme.

These are the Apprenticeships currently available in this sector. For more information and for details of the Apprenticeship framework, contact the Sector Skills Council listed after each.

Contact centres

Contact www.e-skills.com

Customer service

Contact www.instituteofcustomerservice.com

Retail

Contact www.skillsmartretail.com

Sales and telesales

Contact www.msssb.org