Customer Service Foundation Learning qualifications and training courses

Last Updated: 14 Dec 2023

The Awards/Certificates for Introduction to Customer Service qualifications cover the basic elements of how to deliver an excellence customer experience.
You'll learn a range of skills from answering the telephone to applying legislation.

The Awards/Certificates for Introduction to Customer Service qualifications are for anyone interested in starting a career in the customer service industry.
You don't need to have any prior qualifications. The Awards and Certificates will provide you with a basic understanding of the impact of customer service and will equip you with the necessary skills to work and support customer service delivery.

Available to deliver in the following:

England
Wales – please check QiW website for available funding
Scotland
Northern Ireland

Interested in delivering this qualification?

Find out more about how to become an approved City & Guilds centre or fill out our online customer application form.

General Information

What Is Involved In Studying This Course?

Depending on which units you choose, you'll cover areas such as:

Legislation, regulation and procedures to follow in customer service
Working in customer service
Understand how to deal with queries and requests
Communicate customers problems with others
Handling telephone calls from customers
Communicate effectively with customers.

A full list of units can be found in the qualification handbook from the centre documents section.

You can receive training either in the workplace or in a classroom with additional work experience.

You will be required to complete a candidate portfolio as your assessment.

Which level is suitable for me?

Entry level 3

You are looking to work in the customer service industry but currently have no knowledge and experience. At Entry level 3 you will develop your customer service knowledge.

Level 1
You have no previous experience but are looking to develop your skills to work in the customer service industry. At level 1 you will develop your knowledge and demonstrate your customer service skills.

What Careers Can This Lead To?

These qualifications are generic to any industry in customer service and can lead to a variety of jobs including:

Customer service employee
Telephone call centre operator
Retail or leisure centre customer contact.

What Is Involved With Delivering This Course?

You can deliver in any suitable learning environment and assessment is via candidate portfolio.

No particular resources are required.

No previous experience required.

Entry 3

Entry Level 3 will suit you if you are looking to work in the customer service industry but currently have no knowledge and experience. At this level you will develop your customer service knowledge.

There are two qualifications choose from:

Entry Level 3 Award for Introduction to Customer Service
Entry Level 3 Certificate for Introduction to Customer Service.

To achieve the award, you need to complete a total of six credits: one mandatory unit (two credits) and a further four credits from the optional units. At least four credits must be at Entry Level 3.

To achieve the longer certificate, you complete a total of 13 credits: two mandatory units (four credits) and a further nine credits from the optional units. At least seven credits must be at Entry Level 3.

Sample units include:

Legislation, regulation and procedures to follow in customer service
Handling telephone calls from customers
Effective relationships with customers and colleagues.

For full details, download the qualification handbook from the centre documents section.

What Careers Can This Lead To?

These qualifications are generic to any industry in customer service and can lead to a variety of jobs including:

Customer service employee
Telephone call centre operator
Retail or leisure centre customer contact.

Entry Level Award for Introduction to Customer Service (Entry 3) (4411-30)

Last Registration Date: 31 Aug 2024

Entry Level Award for Introduction to Customer Service (Entry 3)

Accreditation No: 501/1840/7 This is a reference number related to UK accreditation framework
Type: Credit based qualification This is categorisation to help define qualification attributes e.g. type of assessment
Credits: 6 Credits are a measure of the size of the qualification
Guided Learning Hours: 51 - 62 This is the average contact time a centre would typically commit
Total Qualification Time: 60 The total time for the qualification
Key Stage: Data unavailable This shows the equivalent Key Stage level.
Last Certification: 31/08/2026 This is the last date that a certificate can be issued
Qualification fees in the UK: £32.80 Our typical price is the one that is most often paid by a centre for a completed learner. Some prices are made up of multiple charging points so action like taking difference units or specialisms to complete and resitting assessments may mean the cost for some learners differs.

Entry Level Certificate for Introduction to Customer Service (Entry 3) (4411-33)

Last Registration Date: 31 Aug 2027

Entry Level Certificate for Introduction to Customer Service (Entry 3)

Accreditation No: 501/1838/9 This is a reference number related to UK accreditation framework
Type: Credit based qualification This is categorisation to help define qualification attributes e.g. type of assessment
Credits: 13 Credits are a measure of the size of the qualification
Guided Learning Hours: 109 - 122 This is the average contact time a centre would typically commit
Total Qualification Time: 130 The total time for the qualification
Key Stage: Data unavailable This shows the equivalent Key Stage level.
Last Certification: 31/08/2028 This is the last date that a certificate can be issued
Qualification fees in the UK: £58.00 Our typical price is the one that is most often paid by a centre for a completed learner. Some prices are made up of multiple charging points so action like taking difference units or specialisms to complete and resitting assessments may mean the cost for some learners differs.

Level 1

Level 1 will suit you if you have no previous experience but are looking to develop your skills to work in the customer service industry. At this level you will develop your knowledge and demonstrate your customer service skills.

There are two qualifications to choose from:

Level 1 Award for Introduction to Customer Service
Level 1 Certificate for Introduction to Customer Service.

To achieve the award, you need to complete a total of seven credits: one mandatory unit (three credits) and a further four credits from the optional units (at least five credits must be at Level 1).

To achieve the certificate, you complete a total of 13 credits: two mandatory units (five credits) and a further eight credits from the optional units (at least seven credits must be at Level 1).

Units include:

Legislation, regulation and procedures to follow in customer service
Understand how to deal with queries and requests
Communicate effectively with customers.

For full details, download the qualification handbook from the centre documents section.

What Careers Can This Lead To?

These qualifications are generic to any industry in customer service and can lead to a variety of jobs including:

Customer service employee
Telephone call centre operator
Retail or leisure centre customer contact.

Level 1 Award for Introduction to Customer Service (4411-01)

Last Registration Date: 31 Aug 2024 Supportive services: Learning Assistant

Level 1 Award for Introduction to Customer Service

Accreditation No: 501/1839/0 This is a reference number related to UK accreditation framework
Type: Credit based qualification This is categorisation to help define qualification attributes e.g. type of assessment
Credits: 7 Credits are a measure of the size of the qualification
Guided Learning Hours: 57 - 66 This is the average contact time a centre would typically commit
Total Qualification Time: 70 The total time for the qualification
Key Stage: Data unavailable This shows the equivalent Key Stage level.
Last Certification: 31/08/2026 This is the last date that a certificate can be issued
Qualification fees in the UK: £31.60 Our typical price is the one that is most often paid by a centre for a completed learner. Some prices are made up of multiple charging points so action like taking difference units or specialisms to complete and resitting assessments may mean the cost for some learners differs.

Level 1 Certificate for Introduction to Customer Service (4411-11)

Last Registration Date: 31 Aug 2027

Level 1 Certificate for Introduction to Customer Service

Accreditation No: 501/1837/7 This is a reference number related to UK accreditation framework
Type: Credit based qualification This is categorisation to help define qualification attributes e.g. type of assessment
Credits: 13 Credits are a measure of the size of the qualification
Guided Learning Hours: 109 - 124 This is the average contact time a centre would typically commit
Total Qualification Time: 130 The total time for the qualification
Key Stage: Data unavailable This shows the equivalent Key Stage level.
Last Certification: 31/08/2028 This is the last date that a certificate can be issued
Qualification fees in the UK: £63.00 Our typical price is the one that is most often paid by a centre for a completed learner. Some prices are made up of multiple charging points so action like taking difference units or specialisms to complete and resitting assessments may mean the cost for some learners differs.

Additional information for centres

LEARNING ASSISTANT IS AVAILABLE FOR THIS QUALIFICATION

Learning Assistant is an innovative and cost effective e-portfolio solution that allows colleges and training providers to dramatically improve the delivery of their vocational qualifications.

Learn more about Learning Assistant >

Here you can find all documents related to this suite of qualifications.

By clicking on the section headings below, you can access a variety of documents such as the qualification handbooks and assessment materials, Statements of Purpose, and recognition letters from industry and employers.

Some documents may be password protected. Passwords can be retrieved by logging in to Walled Garden and visiting the Administration section of the relevant qualification catalogue page.

Interested in delivering this qualification?

Find out more about how to become an approved City & Guilds centre or fill out our online customer application form.

Centre documents

Purpose and Recognition

16-19

50118377 L1 Certificate for Introduction to Customer Service Adult Purpose pdf 198 KB 24 Jul 2018

Customer Service Foundation Learning (4411)