Career Guide
Client Manager / Client Adviser
The role of a customer adviser involves supporting private clients in managing their products and services, particularly in the banking and insurance sectors.
The profession
What is a customer service adviser?
His role
The customer service adviser is the first point of contact between a company and its customers. You manage a portfolio of customers and respond to their enquiries regarding the products or services on offer. You also follow up on cases and resolve disputes, in order to ensure a lasting relationship based on trust.
Its scope of activity
As a customer adviser, you will mainly work in the banking and insurance sector, but also in telecoms or retail. You will be based in a branch or a customer service centre, liaising with the sales teams. The digitalisation of customer relations is transforming the tools you use, shifting between face-to-face meetings and remote interactions.
The functions
What are the duties of a customer service adviser?
The client adviser’s duties include welcoming clients and providing commercial support for their cases.
Welcoming customers and advising them on products and services
Resolving disputes and claims
Provide information on offers and promotions
Personalising customer relations
Managing a client portfolio
Conducting satisfaction surveys
Monitor contract renewals
Update customer files
Offer upsells
Keep the customer database up to date
Qualifications
Qualities and skills required to be a good customer adviser
The role of a customer adviser requires good listening and communication skills in order to understand the needs expressed by each customer.
Patience and the ability to handle tense situations are useful when resolving disputes. Knowledge of the products and services on offer enables you to provide effective advice.
Organisation and attention to detail make it easier to manage a client portfolio and keep records up to date. These skills are developed through training and practice, for example via a BTS NDRC or a BTS MCO.
The benefits
What are the benefits of working as a customer advisor?
The banking and insurance sector is recruiting customer advisers, with roles available to those with two years of further education, such as a BTS NDRC or a BTS MCO.
Fixed pay may be supplemented by performance-related bonuses and other benefits, depending on the employer, such as health insurance or meal vouchers.
Remuneration
Customer Service Adviser: salary and career progression
At the start of their career, a customer adviser’s salary ranges from €22,000 to €26,000 gross per year, according to Onisep and Studyrama. After a few years’ experience, this rises to between €32,000 and €37,000 gross per year, with Apec estimating the average remuneration at €37,000 gross per year, including both fixed and variable pay. Towards the end of their career or in senior roles, remuneration can reach between €43,000 and €46,000 gross per year, with higher levels in the Île-de-France region.
Up to
€46,000
Annual salary
Training courses
What qualifications do you need to become a customer adviser?
Our training courses
A BTS in NDRC (Customer Relationship Negotiation and Digitalisation) or a BTS in MCO (Operational Sales Management) are the most common routes into a career as a customer advisor. These qualifications are sometimes followed by a vocational degree or a bachelor’s degree in business.
These courses are offered at INSEEC as work-study programmes.
Discover
Other careers you might be interested in
Find out more about careers as an account manager and a sales adviser.
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