Customer Service Standards

 Our Level 2 Customer Service Practitioner Apprenticeship is designed for individuals who interact with customers as part of their role and want to develop the skills and confidence to deliver exceptional customer service. Apprentices will learn how to communicate effectively, build positive relationships, understand customer needs, resolve enquiries and represent their organisation in a professional manner. Combining practical workplace experience with expert training, this apprenticeship equips learners with the knowledge, skills and behaviours required to provide high-quality customer service while supporting employers to improve customer satisfaction, strengthen their reputation and develop a confident, customer-focused workforce. 

Knowledge

• Knowing your customers 
• Understanding the organisation
• Meeting regulations and legislation
• Systems and resources
• Your role and responsibility
• Product and service knowledge

Skills

• Interpersonal skills
• Communication
• Influencing skills
• Personal organisation
• Show you understand the customer’s point of view.

Behaviours

• Developing self
• Being open to feedback
• Team working
• Equality – treating all customers as individuals
• Presentation – dress code, professional language
• “Right first time”

Level 2 Customer Service Apprenticeship Standard 

Apprentice Showcase

Practical Observation

Professional Discussion 

Typically 12 months

The main purpose of a customer service specialist is to be a ‘professional’ for direct customer support within all sectors and organisation types. You are an advocate of Customer Service who acts as a referral point for dealing with more complex or technical customer requests, complaints, and queries. You are often an escalation point for complicated or ongoing customer problems. As an expert in your organisation’s products and/or services, you share knowledge with your wider team and colleagues. You gather and analyse data and customer information that influences change and improvements in service. Utilising both organisational and generic IT systems to carry out your role with an awareness of other digital technologies. This could be in many types of environment including contact centres, retail, webchat, service industry or any customer service point.

Knowledge

• Business Knowledge and Understanding
• Customer Journey knowledge
• Knowing your customers and their needs/ Customer Insight
• Customer service culture and environment awareness

Skills

• Business focused service delivery
• Providing a positive customer experience
• Working with your customers / customer insights
• Customer service performance
• Service improvement

Behaviours

• Develop self
• Ownership/ Responsibility
• Team working
• Equality
• Presentation

Level 3 Customer Service Apprenticeship Standard 

Organisations will set their own entry criteria and are more likely to select individuals with more advanced inter- personal skills, experience of working with customers in some capacity. You must achieve level 2 English and maths prior to taking the end point assessment.

Practical observation with Q&As. 

Work based project, supported by an interview.  

Professional discussion supported by portfolio evidence.  

Typically 18 months