Customer Service Practitioner (Level 2 Apprenticeship)
Subject: Customer Service
Provide a high quality service to customers…
As a customer service practitioner your actions have the direct ability to influence the customer experience and satisfaction of your organisation. You will be responsible for providing a high quality service to customers in a variety of ways e.g. face-to-face, by phone, email, post or via social media. Tasks can be wide and varied depending on your organisation but could include taking orders and payments, providing guidance and support, and solving problems.
During the Level 2 Customer Service Practitioner Apprenticeship you will develop strong customer service and communication skills and behaviours, to provide a customer service experience in line with your company standards and policies.
As a customer service apprentice, you will be employed in a client facing role gaining vital practical skills and experience, and earning a wage alongside studying your formal apprenticeship qualification.
As this apprenticeship is work-based, you may apply to start at any time of the year and will not be required to attend College for tuition. You will be allocated a Work-based Learning Assessor who will support you through your qualification via email and telephone contact and regular visits to your place of work.
CAW Business School has a well-earned reputation for excellence; we are dedicated to providing you with superior training based on your needs. As an apprentice studying with CAW you will benefit from:
- Tuition, support and assessment provided in the workplace, online and via email and telephone contact
- Support and guidance from an allocated, qualified Work-based Learning Assessor
- Access to our unique Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) and extensive eLibrary resources
Key Facts
- Attendance: As this qualification is work-based no college attendance is required. Tuition will be provided online, and support will be provided by a personal tutor who will assess work and provide feedback. Regular contact and support will be carried out by the tutor via email, telephone and microsoft Teams.
- Duration: 14-16 months
- Start date: Any time during the year.
- Location: Apprentices must be living and working in England.
- Off-the-job training: The apprentice must undertake a minimum of six hours per week of 'off-the-job’ training.
Entry Requirements
There are no formal academic entry requirements. However, you will need to be living and working in England in a role that involves regular contact with clients, earning at least the National Minimum Wage for Apprentices. To complete this apprenticeship within 14-16 months you will need to be working for a minimum of 30 hours per week, if you are working less than 30 hours a week the length of your apprenticeship will be extended depending on your working hours.
If you have a level 2 (or above) qualification in a similar subject you may not be able to undertake this apprenticeship, in which case you may wish to undertake the City & Guilds Level 2 Diploma in Customer Service.
International qualifications
Students with foreign qualifications are required to have their certificates translated using a UK ENIC Statement to confirm if they have previously achieved Level 2 English and Level 2 maths for their apprenticeship. If a student has not previously achieved this, they will need to complete Functional Skills English and/or maths as part of their apprenticeship. More information about how to apply, how it works and prices can be found on the UK ENIC’s website here.
Course Content
This apprenticeship consists of the knowledge, skills and behaviours that are required by someone in a customer service role in order to succeed.
Knowledge
You will gain the knowledge needed to do your job to the best of your ability, legally and in line with company policies, looking at:
- Knowing your customers
- Understanding the organisation
- Meeting regulations and legislation
- Systems and resources
- Your role and responsibility
- Customer experience
- Product and service knowledge
Skills
You will develop transferable skills to allow you to confidently apply the knowledge you will be learning, covering:
- Interpersonal skills
- Communication
- Influencing skills
- Personal organisation
- Dealing with customer conflict and challenge
Behaviours
You will learn how to take ownership of your attitude and behaviours to take responsibility for your personal and professional success, looking at:
- Developing self
- Being open to feedback
- Team working
- Equality – treating all customers as individuals
- Presentation – dress code, professional language
- “Right first time” – clarify and manage customer expectations
Assessment
An End Point Assessment will be required to achieve the apprenticeship. This consists of the following:
Apprentice Showcase - A portfolio of evidence will be collected, a selection of which will then be chosen to showcase development. It is likely that evidence will include items such as customer feedback, witness statements, reviews and recordings. The showcase will be assessed against a number of areas by an independent assessor.
Practical Observation – An observation will be undertaken by an independent assessor to assess the skills, knowledge and behaviour learned. This may include situations such as handling a general enquiry or dealing with a customer complaint.
Professional Discussion - Following the practical observation participating in a professional discussion is required. This will confirm knowledge and understanding whilst providing the opportunities to discuss any potential scenarios that were not possible to witness during the practical observation.
Functional Skills
Unless exempt Level 2 Functional Skills are assessed via online examinations and practical assessments.
Course Fees
Apprenticeship course fees are payable by the employer.
Fees are dependent upon the size of the organisation you are employed in as this will impact if your employer is a levy payer, or a non-levy payer.
Course fees for Apprenticeship Levy Payers
Levy payers in England will pay the full apprenticeship amount of £3,500 using their digital account.
Course fees for Non-Levy Payers
Non-levy paying employers in England are required to contribute 5% (£175 in one payment) towards the cost of the apprenticeship provided they use their digital account to process the claim for 95% funding available.
Apprenticeship fees may be free for those under 21 years of age, working in a non-levy paying organisation with less than 50 employees.
All fees are fully inclusive of End Point Assessment (EPA) fees. However, if a student needs to re-sit their EPA, re-sit fees may be payable.
Save 50% off the City & Guilds Level 2 Diploma in Customer Service, VetSkill Level 2 Award in Information, Advice or Guidance, or the VetSkill Level 2 Certificate for Veterinary Receptionists qualification course fees if you study it alongside this apprenticeship (Awarding Body fees still apply).
Before making any financial decision it is recommended that you seek advice from an independent source, for example the Money Advice Service.
These are current figures and may be subject to change. The differences in course fees reflect the level of funding that is available as a result of government policies and priorities. These may be as a result of age, employment status, previous education achievements, or location for example, and are outside the control of CAW Business School.
What Next?
On completion of your apprenticeship you will have gained the confidence, practical skills and abilities to provide exceptional customer service and excel in your role. During this time, your desire to learn and increase your knowledge further may lead you to wondering what you should do next.
If you are looking to study to the next level you might consider undertaking the Level 3 Customer Service Specialist Apprenticeship. To do so you would need to be working in a supervisory or managerial position, however if you are not currently working in such a role but are aspiring to do so, it may still be possible to undertake the advanced apprenticeship; this will be assessed on an individual basis and is something your assessor will discuss with you as you approach the end of your level 2 apprenticeship.
Alternatively you may wish to consider a related qualification such as business administration or leadership and management in order to gain further understanding of the business environment and expanding your existing skillset.
Testimonials
What our Business School students say:
“I have enjoyed learning new skills and applying some of these to my current job”
“The tutors are very helpful and supportive and provide me with regular reviews on my progress”
“The course fits around my everyday work making this easy to complete”
“The tutors are extremely helpful and always manage to find time to provide support and answer any queries”