Customer Service Specialist

A Customer Service Specialist is a professional who deals with direct customer support within all sectors and organisation types. The role requires you to be an advocate of customer service, acting as a point of contact for more complex or technical customer service requests, complaints, and queries.

An Apprentice in the role of the Customer Service Specialist will often develop into a position of being the escalation point for complicated or ongoing customer problems. As an expert in your organisation’s products and/or services, you will share your knowledge with your wider team and colleagues.

This role requires you to gather and analyse data and customer information that influences change and improvements in service. This could be in many types of environment including contact centres, retail, webchat, the service industry or any customer service point.

End-Point Assessment Components

  • Practical Observation with Question and Answer
  • Work-based Project (supported by Interview)
  • Professional Discussion (with Portfolio of Evidence)

Practical Observation with Question and Answer

The Practical Observation is a 60-minute (+/-10%) observation of the Apprentice in their normal workplace performing a range of day-to-day activities in order to demonstrate their Knowledge, Skills and Behaviours. During the observation, the Apprentice should be able to move from one area/function of the business to another when necessary, in order to best demonstrate their skills in a realistic work environment.

Work-based Project (supported by Interview)

The Apprentice will submit a 2,500-word report on a project they have carried out. The topic of the project will be agreed upon at the Assessment Planning Meeting and carried out in the following two months.

The project should cover a specific high-level challenge (such as a complaint or difficult situation) that the apprentice has dealt with. They should explain what it was, what actions (planning and execution) they took, what solutions were offered and details of any recommendations made to change a policy or process and any feedback from the customer.

The Interview will take place at least two weeks after the project submission date. It will last 60 minutes (+/-10%) and the Apprentice will be asked ten competency-based questions.

Professional Discussion (with Portfolio of Evidence)

The Professional Discussion will last 60 minutes (+/-10%) and questions will be structured around the Portfolio of Evidence which the Apprentice will submit at Gateway.

The Portfolio will comprise between 10 and 15 pieces of evidence, which can include witness statements, customer feedback, and management feedback. The Portfolio itself is not directly assessed, but the quality of the Portfolio is essential for a successful Professional Discussion.

More Information

If you would like to learn more about the Customer Service Specialist apprenticeship standard, check out our factsheets page or alternatively you can find more information via the Institute for Apprenticeships website.

 

Duration: 15 months
LARS Number: 278
Standard Number: ST0071
Level: 3
Funding Band: 6 (£4,000)
Fee:

£550 (Remote) £650 (Face-to-Face)

  • Payable at Registration: £138
  • Payable at Gateway: £412 (Remote) £512 (Face-to-Face)
Functional Skills:
  • Level 2 Award in Functional Skills English
  • Level 2 Award in Functional Skills Mathematics
Payment Terms: Training Qualifications UK will invoice a registration fee (~25%) upon registration and a gateway fee (~75%) upon gateway submission. Gateway fees will be adjusted depending upon the remote or face-to-face assessment preference.
Download Factsheet

*25% registration fee is transferrable to a new registration should an Apprentice withdraw from the apprenticeship. Upon receipt Apprentices, Employers and Training Providers will gain access to the TQUK EPA management suite.

**75% fee paid at gateway in non-refundable as we anticipate that once the apprentice has passed through gateway they will be ready to undertake the end-point assessment elements. If the 75% payable upon gateway is not paid within 30 days of invoice we, as the EPAO, will put a hold on any end-point assessment activities being undertaken and any certification processes.

Training Qualifications UK offers one free re-sit per multiple-choice test where included within a standard. Element assessments re-sits will be charged per assessment and standard

How TQUK Can Help You

The new apprenticeship standards are designed to improve upon what’s gone before and help with the apprentice’s initial journey into their chosen career, before you know it, they’ll be on the road to success.

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