Businesses Investing Even More in Customer Service Capabilities

Article

By Jessica Johnson, Vice President, Administrative and Customer Support, Robert Half

Our founder, Robert Half, was fond of saying, “When the customer comes first, the customer will last.” And I will add, the company will thrive.

In this highly competitive business landscape, companies are investing in new systems, processes and strategies to improve the customer experience. Robert Half research found 83% of administrative and customer support leaders say they will be participating in a major digital transformation initiative in the next two years. Why? Because businesses know how closely high-performing customer service is tied to delivering revenue, meeting key performance indicators and growing the customer base.

At the same time, as customer service duties are transforming, forward-thinking business leaders are redefining these jobs to focus on elevating the customer experience in ways that strengthen connections between a brand and its customers. According to a Robert Half’s Demand for Skilled Talent report, a few of the strategic initiatives for administrative and customer support leaders this year include:

Improving time to resolution

Data analytics for performance management

Data privacy

Customer satisfaction

But for many employers, expanding customer service capabilities hasn’t been easy. Robert Half’s Demand For Skilled Talent report found nearly a quarter of administrative and customer support leaders say finding the right talent to execute their strategy is a priority over the next few years. Fortunately, most of these challenges can be tackled by continually developing customer support professional’s skills through customized training, coaching and mentoring.

Why Investing in CS Teams Drives Business Success

Bigger customer service teams
Recognition—two ways
More technical training and tools
More focus on mentoring, coaching

Bigger customer service teams

Our research shows companies are adding more customer service positions—or plan to. Nearly all (91%) leaders in the administrative and customer support fields plan to hire in the second half of 2025, while 6 in 10 (60%) plan to hire more contract staff.

It’s smart to add staff these days because customer service teams are more stretched than ever. Burnout is a real concern, so ensuring manageable workloads will increase engagement, productivity and retention.

Still, 94% of leaders face challenges finding skilled professionals. For our clients with these concerns, we have proven strategies for successful customer service hiring. And to make sure they are being paid market rate, we encourage using the Robert Half Salary Guide.

Recognition—two ways

We already know today’s customer service roles require more technical, problem-solving and negotiation skills. Today’s professionals want and deserve more recognition for what they do—and employee appreciation is a significant element of company culture.

You can show your appreciation in two general ways: Recognize their success with tangible rewards and accolades and recognize their individual needs as they balance their work and personal lives.

More technical training and tools

Companies are offering training and tools to help customer service teams optimize new and emerging business technologies that can elevate the customer experience.

According to our research, the most in-demand skills that leaders would offer higher salaries to customer support professionals are:

Customer experience

Team management

AI-driven data management

Data analysis

In-demand certifications for customer support professionals:

Direct contact service professional (DCSP)

Certified customer service professional (CCSP)

Certified customer success manager (CCSM)

Certified associate in project management (CAPM)

More focus on mentoring, coaching

Professional development opportunities are key to improving employee retention and productivity, with 54% of leaders planning to expand professional development opportunities to individual contributors on their administrative and customer support teams.

Providing a formal leadership development program, in particular, can help team members cultivate the skills they need to grow professionally and move up the ladder. It can also help employees feel more connected to the business and understand how their work adds value.

Follow Jessica Johnson on LinkedIn.

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