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What Are the Duties of Export Customer Service?

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Customer service representatives who work in the field of exporting are responsible for communications with clients by mail, phone and email. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, as of May 2008, the median wage for experienced customer service representatives is $14.36 per hour and the need for professional customer services representatives is expected to increase by 18 percent through 2018.

Communicating With Clients

A primary duty for professionals who work as customer service representatives in the exporting industry is to communicate with clients by phone, email, letters and instant messaging. During these communications, customer service representatives address requests, questions and concerns, making every attempt to resolve the customer's needs as fully and quickly as possible. Typical communications may include customers calling to place an order or checking on the status of an existing order, requesting pickups for items they may be returning and asking questions related to billing and account refunds. Customer service representatives are required to handle these contacts in a friendly manner while maintaining professionalism at all times.

Arranging Product Shipments

Customer service representatives in the exporting industry assist customers with the order process and provide the most current shipping status on existing orders. Customer service representatives communicate with shipping companies regarding estimated delivery times, causes for delays, the tracking of lost orders and updating of customers. When necessary and appropriate, customer service representatives may also issue shipping refunds and apply product discounts to future orders as a result of delays or mistakes.

Resolving Customer Grievances

Another primary duty of customer service representatives in exporting is maintaining customer loyalty. Customer service representative are required to demonstrate the ability to multitask and be able to maintain composure and professionalism at all times. This skill is particularly important when faced with an angry or challenging customer. Successfully engaging customers by ensuring their issue will be resolved as completely and quickly as possible often helps retain loyalty and prevent the customer from going elsewhere for products and services. It is preferred that customer service representatives be able to handle issues on the first point of contact with a customer. But if further research is necessary, customer service representatives are required to keep customers updated on the status of an issue until the problem is resolved.

References
Writer

Rebekah Worsham began writing professionally in 2007 and has been published on eHow. She has expertise in the fields of law, parapsychology and the treatment of drug and alcohol addiction. She holds a degrees in law from Beckfield College.

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Chainarong Prasertthai/iStock/GettyImages