Business & Administration

This course is an Apprenticeship qualification

The Level 2 Customer Service Practitioner Apprenticeship is a practical, work-related course, designed to allow you to learn whilst you earn. The course will provide you with work-related skills, as well as knowledge and understanding of Customer Service Delivery.  You will learn by completing projects and assignments that are based on realistic workplace situations, activities and demands.

In particular the level 2 course will:

• Provide a broad introduction to the principles of workplace customer service
• Use innovative teaching and assessment methods based on realistic case studies and real life examples
• Provide a progression route to a level 3 apprenticeship, further training or employment

The course is appropriate for both school leavers and mature students.  The most important things you need in order to succeed on the course are a lively and enquiring mind, a keen interest in customer service delivery and a willingness to find out more through personal investigation and an ability to communicate your ideas effectively.

Alongside the Level 2 apprenticeship you will also study maths and English

On-programme for this apprenticeship is a period of learning, development and continuous assessment, managed by the employer and training provider. The learning will be built around competencies and skills as set out in the standard.

On programme training
The weekly college day will include competence and practical skills training. This will be taught through mixed delivery methods to prepare the apprentice for their end point assessment.

Mock assessments
Completion of these throughout the apprenticeship helps to identify strong and weak areas of learning, this in turn allows the tutor to devise individual learning plans.

End point assessment
This apprenticeship standard has four modes of final assessment;
• Portfolio review
• Knowledge based multiple choice test
• A competency based interview
• A professional discussion

Certification
Once the end point assessments are complete and the apprentice has been verified as such our awarding body will issue a nationally recognised L2 Customer Service Practitioner qualification

• There are no mandatory entry requirements for this apprenticeship framework. However employers are looking to attract applicants who have a keen interest in customer service delivery and/or dealing with customers both internal & external.
• We require learners to have a minimum of four Grade D/grade 5 GCSE’s.

(if you don’t achieve these, pop in and see us and we can give you information and guidance on alternative courses and the next steps to achieve your career goals)

A qualification in Customer Service can help you succeed in a support role in any size or type of organisation.

The Customer Service Practitioner apprenticeship is designed for learners in Customer Service Practitioner roles of which are many and varied, they could include:

• Customer Service Assistant
• Customer Service Administrator
• Customer Service Advisor

On successful completion of the Customer Service Practitioner Level 2 apprenticeship you may have the opportunity to progress into:

• An enhanced job role using the skills developed through the Customer Service Practitioner Apprenticeship as the foundation which to build.
• Onto a Level 3 Apprenticeship for example: Customer Service, Business Administrator or Retail Apprenticeship
• Into sector specific job roles which contain elements of transferable customer service skills, potentially including the undertaking of additional sector specific vocational qualifications.

The main purpose of a customer service specialist is to be a ‘professional’ for direct customer support within all sectors and organisation types. You are an advocate of Customer Service who acts as a referral point for dealing with more complex or technical customer requests, complaints, and queries. You are often an escalation point for complicated or ongoing customer problems. As an expert in your organisation’s products and/or services, you share knowledge with your wider team and colleagues. You gather and analyse data and customer information that influences change and improvements in service. Utilising both organisational and generic IT systems to carry out your role with an awareness of other digital technologies. This could be in many types of environment including contact centres, retail, web chat, service industry or any customer service point.

As a customer service specialist, you’ll respond to customer inquiries, guide customers through the purchasing process, make product or service recommendations and resolve complaints or technical concerns. When customers have questions, complaints or suggestions about a company’s service or product, they turn to customer service specialists’ representatives for answers. Customer service specialists provide specific information regarding the services, products or materials offered by a company. The industry in which you’re employed dictates additional or specialized skills that you may need. For example, if you work in the Information Technology Industry, you’ll have to provide technical assistance to customers and help resolve product related issues.

Once the end point assessments are complete and the apprentice has been verified as such our awarding body will issue a nationally recognised L3 Customer Service Specialist qualification

The end-point assessment for Customer Service Specialist is made up of 3 components:

A 2,500-word work-based project, supported by a 60-minute interview  ·

A 60-minute professional discussion, supported by portfolio evidence  ·

A 60-minute practical observation with Q&As

The assessment plan recommends that the work-based project is the first assessment, followed by the professional discussion and then finally the practical observation