what is a service manager?
Your role as a service manager sees you working towards delivering the best customer service possible. You monitor customer satisfaction levels and work to develop ways to improve those levels. The ultimate aim of your role is to retain customers by ensuring they are happy with the service they are getting. All of your duties are focused on that aim. Your duties include training staff and gaining a deep understanding of what your organisation's customers and clients need so that you can deliver the required results.
The specific details of your role will vary depending on your business sector, though the overall aim remains the same. For example, service managers in the healthcare industry aim to improve the quality of the facilities and medical services offered. Service managers in the retail sector seek to ensure that customers' needs are met during their initial interactions or as part of the company's aftercare policy.
In addition to directly overseeing the quality of service your organisation offers, you also train other customer-facing employees to ensure they deliver the best service possible. The training includes the full range of typical customer interactions, from initial contact to complaint handling.
Does a service manager role sound like one that suits your people skills and drive to deliver the best product possible? If so, keep reading to find out what competencies and qualifications will help you thrive in this role.
service manager rolesaverage salary of a service manager
According to Payscale, an average service manager in India earns at least ₹136,000 per year and has the potential to earn up to ₹10,00,000 per year. The median salary for this profession is around ₹480,000 annually. In most cases, that salary will be almost entirely the basic pay, though some employers may offer performance-based incentives, such as bonuses.
factors that affect service manager pay
The most significant factor affecting your pay as a service manager is your experience. The correlation between experience and salary is exponential, meaning your earning potential increases slightly over the first five to ten years in the profession. After the first ten years, experience-related earning potential starts to climb dramatically. As mentioned above, the difference between entry-level positions and the highest-earning service managers can be almost ₹900,000 per year.
The industry you work in also has an impact on your potential pay. For example, service managers in a retail setting who have performance-based incentives have the potential to earn much more than service managers in other sectors.
types of service manager
Service managers are necessary for just about every sector and industry, as they deal with customer care, and every organisation has clients or customers. The industry you work in can greatly impact your specific duties. Below are some of the most common types of service managers:
- health service managers: service managers working in healthcare are slightly different from most service manager roles as their primary concern is patient care. In this role, you work to ensure patients are seen as quickly as possible, and their care is of the highest quality.
- customer service managers: this type of service manager is typically the first that comes to mind when thinking of this role. Here you work in a customer service department and deal with complaints, training employees, and after-sales matters.
- it service managers: the 'product' in this scenario is technical support with computer and software-related problems. It is your job to ensure that the best support is provided for your customers.
- civil service managers: in this role, you work in the public sector in, for instance, government departments. You work in the same capacity as other service managers, but instead of customers, you are ensuring a high-quality government service to the public.
working as a service manager
Service managers focus on improving the experience customers receive from the organisation by ensuring they receive the best service possible from the customer-facing employees at the organisation. Below are some of the duties you have in this role.
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duties and responsibilities
Service managers focus on improving the experience customers receive from the organisation by ensuring they receive the best service possible from the customer-facing employees at the organisation. Below are some of the duties you have in this role.
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work environment
Service managers can work in a wide range of industries and sectors, so your environment can vary significantly. However, your immediate environment will almost certainly be office-based. You perform an administrative role that involves working with computers. Despite this, you won't be desk-bound for most of your time. Your duties necessitate you being on your feet a lot, as the customer-facing employees you oversee can be in many different parts of the company.
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who are your colleagues?
Most of your colleagues in this role are fellow customer service personnel, such as customer service advisors, customer service representatives, service desk analysts, and technical support agents. In larger organisations, you may also report to a customer service administrator and work alongside sales executives, sales associates and retail managers.
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work schedule
Customer service managers typically work full-time, meaning an average 40-hour work week. The schedule of those 40 hours can vary, however. If your employer offers support around the clock, you may be expected to work a shift schedule that would see you occasionally working weekends, evenings, and even nights.
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job outlook
Your job outlook as a service manager is very positive. Firstly, there are a lot of opportunities, as service managers are required in so many businesses. Secondly, there is a lot of scope for progression. From service manager, you could move on to a marketing manager role or a business development representative.
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advantages of finding an electrical engineer job through randstad
Finding your service manager job through Randstad provides important advantages such as:
- a wide variety of training and development opportunities
- an experienced contact person to provide help if needed
- a range of opportunities in your area
- get paid on a monthly basis
- temporary and permanent contracts
Want a permanent contract? A temporary job as a service manager is often a stepping stone to an attractive permanent job. Every year, thousands of people earn a permanent contract with great employers thanks to a temporary job found through Randstad. What's more, many companies recruit their permanent employees through Randstad too!
education and skills
Some of the academic qualifications for service managers include:
- bachelor's degree: if you plan to become a service manager, you should aim to have at least a bachelor's degree in a relevant topic, such as business administration.
- master's degree: a master's degree is not essential for this profession, but it does increase your chances of being hired and improves your potential salary. A master's degree will also become more important if you decide to move on to more senior roles later in your career.
- managerial experience: as with any managerial role, your employer will likely require at least a few years of relevant experience on top of your education. Your experience will include leadership roles, such as a supervisor or assistant manager.
- computer certifications: as much of your role involves working on a computer, having certifications relevant to applications like Microsoft Office may help your chances of being hired.
skills and competencies
Some of the qualities of a service manager include:
- communication: you have excellent communication skills, which apply to your interactions with customers and your leadership of the customer service personnel you oversee. You can adjust your tone and language to suit the circumstances and find the best approach for a given situation.
- leadership skills: as a manager, you are in charge of a team of customer service employees. You demonstrate strong leadership qualities in motivating your team, keeping them on track, and training/mentoring them when needed.
- patience and critical thinking: the nature of customer services means you will invariably deal with unhappy, sometimes unreasonable people. Your patience ensures you do not get flustered or angry with customers or employees, while your critical thinking skills enable you to find the best solution to a problem.
FAQs about working as a service manager
FAQs about working as a service manager:
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what is the role of a service manager?
Service managers are responsible for managing the department that deals with customer service interactions. The service manager has to ensure the highest possible quality of service so the organisation can better retain its customers.
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what do you need to be a service manager?
In terms of minimum requirements, anyone looking to become a service manager should have at least a bachelor's degree in a relevant topic, such as business administration.
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what is the salary of a service manager in India?
The annual salary range for a service manager in India falls between ₹136,000 on the low end and ₹10,00,000 on the high end. The average salary is around ₹480,000 per year.
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is service manager a good job?
Being a service manager has many positive aspects, such as a wide range of options for the industry you wish to work in. There are also options for moving on from the profession, such as becoming a marking manager or a business development representative.
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how do I apply for a service manager vacancy?
Applying for a service manager job is easy: create a Randstad profile and search our job offers for vacancies in your area. Then simply send us your CV and cover letter. Need help with your application? Check out all our job search tips here!
