Customer Service (8992)

Last Updated: 08 Dec 2023
Need a fast, effective introduction to customer service or looking to take your skills to the next level? The Awards in Customer Service are for you. You'll learn how to better meet your customers' needs - a skill that can lead to a better experience for your customers and improved career prospects for yourself.
This qualification is suitable for anyone who wants to improve their customer service skills - no matter what industry you're working in. There are levels to suit anyone, whether you're looking for your first job or already have some experience in customer service.
Available to deliver in the following:
  • England
  • Wales – please check QiW website for available funding
  • Scotland
  • Northern Ireland
  • International

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?

The Award in Customer Service is designed to support people seeking employment or to develop those already working. They are single unit qualifications and complement our existing suite of Business and IT single subjects.

Each level covers the principles of Customer Service.

How you learn depends on your training provider. You might learn in a group setting through discussions, or you might learn through a simulated work environment. You'll be assessed through written assignments.

The qualifications are designed to give you as part of an induction to Customer Service.

Which level is right for me?

Level 1
At this level, you will learn the skills required to deliver efficient and reliable customer service.

Level 2
At this level, you'll gain an understanding of customer service policies and procedures and the communications skills required to effectively deal with different types of customers.

Level 3
At this level, you'll enhance your skills in delivering effective customer service and develop the skills of others within customer service environment.

You can work through the levels to develop the necessary skills for your industry.

What Careers Can This Lead To?

Customer service skills are in demand and can help you find work in almost any industry or job role - from a call centre to a hair salon to a bank.

If you work as a freelancer or contractor, customer service skills can help you build up business through satisfied customers.

After completing your Award in Customer Service you can develop your skills and knowledge with:

  • Certificate in Customer Service - take a more in-depth look at customer service.
  • N/SVQ in Customer Service - this flexible customer service qualification is designed to help you meet your specific goals.
What Is Involved With Delivering This Course?

The Awards in Customer Service are flexible - meaning you will choose how your learners will be trained. All assessments will be written assessments.

To deliver these qualifications you will need suitably qualified staff to carry out training and assessment.

You will also need suitable facilities to carry out the required training to enable learners to achieve industry standards.

To find all the resource requirements, download the qualification handbook from the centre documents section.

Anyone can take this qualification, but you must make sure all your learners can access the resources they need to complete it.

Level 1

Level 1 is ideal if you want to learn the skills required to deliver efficient and reliable customer service.

For this level, you need to successfully achieve the following unit:

  • The Principles of Customer Service

There are four learning outcomes and at the end of this unit you will be able to:

  • State how to deliver good customer service
  • State different communication methods
  • State how to provide good customer service in line with organisational procedures
  • State how to effectively deal with customer queries, problems and complaints.

For a full list of units, download the qualification handbook from the centre documents section.

What Careers Can This Lead To?

Customer service skills are in demand and can help you find work in almost any industry or job role - from a call centre to a hair salon to a bank.

If you work as a freelancer or contractor, customer service skills can help you build up business through satisfied customers.

After completing your Award in Customer Service you can develop your skills and knowledge with:

  • Certificate in Customer Service - take a more in-depth look at customer service.
  • N/SVQ in Customer Service - this flexible customer service qualification is designed to help you meet your specific goals.
Level 1 Award in Customer Service (8992-11)
Last Registration Date: 31 Aug 2024

Level 1 Award in Customer Service

  • Accreditation No: 500/3682/8 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: 30 - 30 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: £30.60 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 Award in Customer Service (Hairdressing and Beauty Therapy) (8992-21)
Last Registration Date: 31 Dec 2023

Level 1 Award in Customer Service (Hairdressing and Beauty Therapy)

  • Accreditation No: 500/3682/8 This is a reference number related to UK accreditation framework
  • Type: VRQ 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: 30 - 30 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: 31/12/2024 This is the last date that a certificate can be issued
  • Qualification fees in the UK: £31.70 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 2

Level 2 is ideal if you want to gain an understanding of customer service policies and procedures and the communication skills required to effectively deal with different types of customers.

To successfully achieve this level, you will need to complete the following unit:

  • The Principles of Customer Service.

There are six learning outcomes and at the end of this unit you will be able to:

  • Describe how to deliver good customer service to different types of customers
  • Describe organisational customer service policies and procedures
  • Explain the benefits to an organisation of having a good reputation
  • Describe the qualities and attributes required in the customer service role
  • Explain the importance of responding effectively to customers' needs, expectations and complaints
  • Explain the importance of different methods of communication used to deal with different types of customers.

For a full list of units, download the qualification handbook from the additional documents section.

What Careers Can This Lead To?

Customer service skills are in demand and can help you find work in almost any industry or job role - from a call centre to a hair salon to a bank.

If you work as a freelancer or contractor, customer service skills can help you build up business through satisfied customers.

After completing your Award in Customer Service you can develop your skills and knowledge with:

  • Certificate in Customer Service - take a more in-depth look at customer service.
  • N/SVQ in Customer Service - this flexible customer service qualification is designed to help you meet your specific goals.
Level 2 Award in Customer Service (8992-12)
Last Registration Date: 31 Dec 2023

Level 2 Award in Customer Service

  • Accreditation No: 500/3681/6 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: 8 Credits are a measure of the size of the qualification
  • Guided Learning Hours: 60 - 60 This is the average contact time a centre would typically commit
  • Total Qualification Time: 80 The total time for the qualification
  • Key Stage: Data unavailable This shows the equivalent Key Stage level.
  • Last Certification: 31/12/2025 This is the last date that a certificate can be issued
  • Qualification fees in the UK: £33.00 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 2 Award in Customer Service (Hairdressing and Beauty Therapy) (8992-22)
Last Registration Date: 31 Dec 2023

Level 2 Award in Customer Service (Hairdressing and Beauty Therapy)

  • Accreditation No: 500/3681/6 This is a reference number related to UK accreditation framework
  • Type: VRQ This is categorisation to help define qualification attributes e.g. type of assessment
  • Credits: 8 Credits are a measure of the size of the qualification
  • Guided Learning Hours: 60 - 60 This is the average contact time a centre would typically commit
  • Total Qualification Time: 80 The total time for the qualification
  • Key Stage: Data unavailable This shows the equivalent Key Stage level.
  • Last Certification: 31/12/2025 This is the last date that a certificate can be issued
  • Qualification fees in the UK: £34.30 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 3

Level 3 is ideal if you wish to enhance your skills in delivering effective customer service and develop the skills of others within customer service environment.

To successfully achieve this level, you will need to complete the following unit:

  • The Principles of Customer Service.

There are seven learning outcomes and at the end of this unit you will be able to:

  • Explain the key features of a service offer and its effects on customer expectations
  • Describe how to deliver reliable customer service
  • Explain how to deal with different customer behaviours to ensure customer satisfaction
  • Describe how customer service can be developed and improved
  • Explain how promotion of products and services can benefit the customer and the organisation
  • Explain the benefits of team-working in delivering good customer service
  • Describe how to develop the customer service skills of self and others

For a full list of units, download the qualification handbook from the additional documents section.

What Careers Can This Lead To?

Customer service skills are in demand and can help you find work in almost any industry or job role - from a call centre to a hair salon to a bank.

If you work as a freelancer or contractor, customer service skills can help you build up business through satisfied customers.

After completing your Award in Customer Service you can develop your skills and knowledge with:

  • Certificate in Customer Service - take a more in-depth look at customer service.
  • N/SVQ in Customer Service - this flexible customer service qualification is designed to help you meet your specific goals.
Level 3 Award in Customer Service (8992-13)
Last Registration Date: 31 Dec 2023

Level 3 Award in Customer Service

  • Accreditation No: 500/3680/4 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: 10 Credits are a measure of the size of the qualification
  • Guided Learning Hours: 90 - 90 This is the average contact time a centre would typically commit
  • Total Qualification Time: 100 The total time for the qualification
  • Key Stage: Data unavailable This shows the equivalent Key Stage level.
  • Last Certification: 31/12/2026 This is the last date that a certificate can be issued
  • Qualification fees in the UK: £38.30 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.

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. 

Explore our wider maths & English offer

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