What Is Digital Customer Service?

The way businesses interact with their customers has evolved a lot in recent years, with traditional face-to-face interactions and phone calls now complemented by a myriad of digital channels. These digital channels offer quick and convenient support for customers, making digital customer service a key consideration for the future of business. In fact, recent studies show that “57% of customers prefer to engage companies through digital channels.”

Given the burgeoning importance of this new realm of customer service, let’s take a closer look at digital customer service, skills essential for success in those roles, and how job seekers can get started in the field.

What Is Digital Customer Service?

Digital customer service refers to the support provided by businesses to their customers through digital channels. This can include:

Live chat: Instant messaging platforms embedded on websites.
Social media: Platforms like Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.
Email: Traditional electronic mail support.
Mobile apps: Dedicated applications for customer support.
Help centers: Online portals with FAQs and guides.

Unlike traditional customer service, which relies heavily on verbal communication, the digital customer experience is built on written communication. It’s fast, efficient, and caters to the modern customer who might prefer typing over talking.

Roles in Digital Customer Service

If you’re considering a career in this field, it’s essential to understand the typical roles and responsibilities. Some of the primary roles include:

Digital customer service representative: The frontline of digital support, these positions handle customer queries, complaints, and feedback through various digital channels.
Social media manager: A social media manager oversees a brand’s presence on social media, responding to customer inquiries, and managing online reputation.
Live chat agent: This role specializes in handling real-time customer queries through live chat platforms.
Email support specialist: Employees filling this role address customer concerns and feedback through email.
Content creator for help centers: Content creators develop guides, FAQs, and tutorials for online help centers.

Essential Skills for Digital Customer Service Roles

There are a variety of skills that are important for customer service roles in general, but digital customer service can require more particular expertise. Digital customer service skills include:

Written communication: This is a foundational skill for digital customer service workers because writing is the primary medium of interaction in digital channels, from emails to live chats. Clear, concise, and effective written communication ensures that customers’ concerns are understood and addressed promptly, fostering trust and enhancing the overall customer experience.
Technical proficiency: Technical proficiency is vital in digital customer service, as it ensures employees can adeptly navigate and utilize various digital platforms, tools, and software integral to their roles. This proficiency not only streamlines the problem-solving process for customer issues but also enhances the efficiency and effectiveness of the service provided, leading to improved customer satisfaction.
Adaptability: Adaptability is essential in digital customer service work because the digital landscape is constantly evolving, with new tools, platforms, and customer expectations emerging regularly. Being adaptable ensures that representatives can swiftly adjust to these changes, maintaining high service standards and meeting the dynamic needs of the modern customer.
Multitasking: This is an important skill for digital customer service workers because they often handle multiple interactions simultaneously, such as responding to live chats while managing emails or monitoring social media inquiries. Being adept at multitasking ensures that each customer receives timely and efficient support, enhancing the overall service experience and efficiency of the operation.

Getting Started in Digital Customer Service

For those eager to dive into the world of digital customer service, here are some actionable steps to kickstart your journey:

Research and identify your niche: Decide whether you want to specialize in social media, live chat, email support, or another area.
Acquire the necessary skills: Enroll in online courses or workshops. Platforms like Coursera and Udemy offer courses tailored to digital customer service. Here at Generation, we offer free employment programmes in digital customer service and other fields in 17 countries around the world. Our courses provide you with the knowledge, training, and skills you need to succeed in your new role. We even help you gain employment after graduating the course! Learn more about our employment programs near you.
Build an online presence: Create a LinkedIn profile, highlighting your skills and experiences. Join digital customer service groups and forums to network.
Start with entry-level roles: Many companies offer entry-level positions that require minimal experience. This can be a great way to gain practical knowledge.
Stay updated: The digital world is constantly growing and evolving. Make sure to regularly update your skills and stay informed about the latest trends and tools.

Digital customer service is the future of customer interaction. As businesses continue to embrace digital transformation, the demand for skilled professionals in this domain will only grow. Embrace the digital wave, and you might just find your dream job in the world of digital customer service. Start today and explore Generation’s employment program offerings near you!

Our free employment programs offer hands-on work experience in various fields, online and offline, in 17 countries around the world. Through our programs, adults of all ages — whether unemployed, underemployed, or needing to learn new skills — can access training, support, and a path to meaningful employment. We are here to help you succeed! Developing skills through employment programs like ours can help you become more competitive in the job market and increase your earning potential. Plus, we’ll connect you with employers who are hiring for the exact roles you’ve been trained to do. Learn more about employment program offerings near you!

At Generation, our mission is to train, support, and place people into otherwise inaccessible career opportunities that can change their lives. Explore our employment programs to see how we can help you, or donate today to help us create career opportunities for our learners!