How to Become a Customer Service Manager

Are you passionate about people and great service? Customer service managers play a vital role in ensuring customer satisfaction, leading support teams, and driving service excellence across organisations. If you enjoy solving problems, motivating teams, and making a real impact on how a company supports its clients, this could be your perfect next step.

How to Become a Customer Service Manager

Customer Service Manager job description

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Where we source our data

Let's get real. Job information online can often be overly optimistic — conveniently glossing over the raw bits. But when you're making decisions about your future, you need all the facts.

That's why we anonymously surveyed Customer Service Managers about their job, with hopes of getting an honest insight into what it's really like.

While we did our best to ensure respondents were Australians and verified their job titles with proof of employment, we can't guarantee complete accuracy — or that your experiences in the field will reflect theirs. So, we suggest that you take these insights as a guide only and try to talk to people in the field before making an important decision.

A customer service manager oversees a customer service team, ensuring that clients receive exceptional service from first contact to final resolution. They manage service agents, handle escalations, and maintain sound customer relations by aligning team efforts with the company’s service standards. This leadership role involves balancing customer needs, team performance, and business goals. A successful customer service manager supports other staff members, tracks feedback, and ensures the business continually improves its customer service.

Tasks and responsibilities for a Customer Service Manager

The responsibilities of a customer service manager include:

  • Leading and training customer service agents and team members
  • Managing contact centres and supporting call centre staff
  • Handling complex customer issues and ensuring prompt resolutions
  • Developing and reviewing the organisation’s customer service policies and procedures
  • Maintaining positive customer relationships and resolving customer inquiries
  • Tracking customer feedback, service metrics, and providing reports to business leaders
  • Coordinating with other organisational units to meet customer expectations
  • Overseeing after-sales services, including follow-up and ongoing support
  • Ensuring customer service excellence across all touch points

How to become a Customer Service Manager

  1. Start in a customer-facing role

    Most customer service managers begin their careers as customer service representatives or service agents, where they learn how to communicate effectively, handle complaints, and manage customer relations. These roles help build your skill level and understanding of day-to-day customer needs.

  2. Gain leadership experience

    To progress into a customer service manager role, you’ll need experience leading teams, setting KPIs, and working closely with management. Take on responsibilities like training staff members, mentoring other employees, or managing small projects to build confidence.

  3. Complete a relevant qualification

    While not always mandatory, formal qualifications like a Certificate IV in Customer Engagement, a diploma in leadership and management, or related management roles training can increase your job prospects and give you the tools to lead effectively.

  4. Learn to manage systems and performance

    Understanding, reviewing customer services, using CRM systems, and setting performance benchmarks are crucial. Learn how to ensure performance, collect feedback, and make data-driven decisions that improve service and team culture.

  5. Progress into a management role

    With the right experience and qualifications, you can move into a customer service manager position. From there, you may specialise in after-sales services, customer support management, or senior roles that span various departments and strategic planning.

Explore related qualifications

Diploma of Business

Study method In-class Online

The Diploma of Business builds the strategic and operational skills needed to run successful business functions. These skills are essential for customer service managers looking to optimise processes, improve client satisfaction, and drive team performance.

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Diploma of Leadership & Management

Study method Online

The Diploma of Leadership and Management develops the leadership, communication, and problem-solving abilities vital for customer service managers to inspire their teams, resolve challenges, and deliver exceptional customer experiences.

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0 providers offer this course

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