This qualification is for individuals who are working in the customer service industry.  The aim of the qualification is to provide you with high levels of customer service skills.  By developing the knowledge and competencies required, you will be able to improve customer satisfaction, improve customer loyalty, gather and analyse customer feedback, process complaints and maintain reliable customer service.  This course is perfect for you if you work in the following roles: Customer Relationship Manager, Customer Support Officer, Customer Service Team Leader, Customer Service Supervisor and Customer Service Co-ordinator.  Due to the varied nature of the customer service industry this apprenticeship is not limited to these job roles and there are many others that are suitable to this apprenticeship where customer service is part of that job role and compliments it.

The course is primarily delivered in the workplace with on and off the job guided learning.    

To be eligible for the apprenticeship you must:

• be 19 years of age or more
• hold a valid national insurance number
• have lived in the UK or EU for the last 3 years
• have a paid contract of employment and work 16 hours a week or more
• not hold any qualification at level 4 or above

Duration:  15 to 18 months

Framework details: Level 3 NVQ Diploma in Customer Service, Level 3 Certificate in Customer Service (Technical Certificate), Functional Skills at Level 2 (English and Mathematics), Employee Rights and Responsibilities and Personal Learning and Thinking skills.

The Level 3 NVQ Diploma is made up of 2 Mandatory Units (12 credits) and a minimum of one unit from each of the 4 Optional Groups (minimum of 30 credits from a selection of 58 Optional Units).

Delivery: The competency qualification is achieved through an assessed portfolio (paper or electronic) of evidence.  Other components are achieved through workbooks, paper and online tests.

Mandatory Units:

• • Demonstrate understanding of customer service
  • Demonstrate understanding of the rules that impact on improvements in customer service

Sample of Optional Units:

Optional Units Group B Impression and Image:

• • Give customers a positive impression of yourself and your organisation
  • Make customer service personal
  • Go the extra mile in customer service
  • Deal with customers in writing or electronically

Optional Units Group C Delivery:

• • Do your job in a customer-friendly way
  • Deliver reliable customer service
  • Use questioning techniques when delivering customer service
  • Review the quality of customer service

Optional Units Group D Handling Problems:

• • Resolve customer service problems
  • Deliver customer service to difficult customers
  • Monitor and solve customer service problems
  • Handle referred customer complaints

Optional Units Group E Development and Improvement:

• • Develop customer relationships
  • Support customer service improvements
  • Develop personal performance through delivering customer service
  • Develop your own and others' customer service skills

Subject to funding and eligibility