Service consultants are hired by companies to help them reach out effectively to customers. They typically work closely with sales teams in order to gain customers' feedback and get customers more involved with a company. Because of this, they should enjoy working with people and must possess excellent customer service skills.

Education and Experience

Individuals wishing to be service consultants should possess a bachelor's degree or equivalent education. Additionally, they should have experience in consulting and in the area in which they specialize. Experience working at a call center, customer service desk, or help desk can be very useful. This is not an entry-level position.

Skills

These individuals must possess incredibly strong customer service skills and excellent problem-solving ability. They must have strong organization skills, pay attention to detail and place emphasis on follow-up. Furthermore, service consultants must be able to demonstrate ability to work well in a team and both listen and communicate effectively. They need to show a high level of professionalism and courteousness. These individuals should work well under pressure and, depending upon their employer, may need to be able to travel.

Duties

Typical duties for service consultants include writing orders, following up with customers and generating estimates. They must reach out to clients and engage them in the matters of the company in order to get their feedback. They may be required to give presentations for customers and at trade shows. Additionally, they may be asked to assess needs of a company and help find service-related solutions. They should wok with the sales team to help identify a customer market and make sales targets. They should know the products or services of their company thoroughly and be able to teach customers and partners about them.

Work Environment

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor, consultants are often required to work more than the average 40-hour work week. They are often under pressure to meet inflexible deadlines. Because of this, the position can be stressful. Typically, the work environment is in an office setting. This job requires professionals to work as a team so requires a lot of collaboration and working with other people. Some travel may be required based upon an employer.

Salary

According to a June 2010 survey from indeed.com, the average annual salary for a service consultant is $27,000 per year. As with all salary scales, this can vary significantly based upon employer, years of experience, and geographic location. for example, in New York City, the average service consultant rings in $34,000 a year.