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Great training is the bedrock of any successful customer service operation. The right customer service programs can elevate performance at every level, from frontline agents to global support team leaders.

Customer service programs are structured training courses or certifications designed to build essential skills for support professionals and teams. Top programs, like HubSpot Academy, ICMI, and industry-specific options, cover communication, problem-solving, relationship-building, and digital service skills.

Most programs offer flexible online formats, with durations ranging from a few hours to several weeks, and costs from free to $2,000+. Investing in customer service training can result in promotions, salary raises, and improved competencies.

Ready to upskill? Here’s a list of 16 top certifications and courses to help take customer service to new heights.

Table of Contents

• What are customer service programs?
• Why do you need a customer service certification?
• 7 Types of Customer Service Certifications
• Best Customer Service and Support Training Programs
• Frequently Asked Questions About Customer Service Certifications and Courses

What are customer service programs?

Customer service programs are structured learning experiences designed to build the skills, knowledge, and competencies needed to excel in customer-facing roles. Unlike customer service software (which helps manage customer interactions), these programs focus on developing human capabilities.

Here’s how they are generally broken down:

• Training Courses are short-term programs (hours to weeks) that teach specific skills like active listening or complaint handling. They’re perfect for quick skill upgrades or onboarding new team members. Most offer completion certificates but aren’t formally accredited. HubSpot Academy provides a number of free courses, such as “.”
• Certification Programs are comprehensive, accredited programs (weeks to months) that validate a customer agent’s expertise to employers. They typically include exams and ongoing education requirements. These are ideal for professionals seeking career advancement or industry recognition.
• Degree Programs are academic programs (2–4 years) offering associate’s or bachelor’s degrees in customer service management or related fields. Reps should consider these if they’re aiming for leadership roles or want a broad business education alongside service skills.

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Why do you need a customer service certification?

Customer service certifications can lead to career advancement, higher salaries, and improved customer satisfaction. In a competitive job market, a certification is a differentiator.

When I was building out teams at Greenhouse and SmartRecruiters, I saw how a candidate with relevant certification often had a clearer understanding of the industry’s best practices.

Here are some benefits of a customer service certification:

Gives employers and hiring managers confidence.

A customer service certification signals to employers that whoever they hire has a higher-than-average ability to do their job. A found that after certification, 79% of IT professionals produced higher-quality work, and 63% received or expected a job promotion.

Supports promotions and salary negotiations.

Aside from the professional competence associated with certifications, many employers and hiring managers also place a monetary value on them.

Looking for a raise or seeking new opportunities? Certifications are a tool people can leverage to negotiate pay, benefits, and responsibilities. shows that in the tech industry, for example, specialized certifications can lead to salary premiums of 10% to 25%.

Helps upskill and shows commitment to life-long learning.

Customer service training develops skills in communication, problem-solving, and digital support. What makes this important? Well, a revealed that people and culture skills, in particular, communication, customer service, and leadership, are the top three in-demand skills for companies.

Certifications also help support specialists stay abreast of the latest best practices and trends. They’re also not merely a one-time commitment, as many require ongoing training for renewal. Employers value this as it reveals an investment in continuous professional growth — critical in a field that changes so quickly.

7 Types of Customer Service Certifications

Customer service certifications blend practical training with a credential. However, not all certifications are the same, as they serve different needs. Here’s a breakdown of the main types.

1. Customer Service Certification

A customer service certification can be thought of as an essential boot camp for anyone in a client-facing role. Whether someone’s a new hire or an experienced rep looking to solidify their skills, a general customer service certification provides a strong foundation.

These programs go deep into the core competencies: active listening, showing empathy, de-escalating tense situations, and mastering product knowledge to provide accurate solutions. They offer a real-world environment to hone skills in problem-solving and communication.

It sets a consistent standard of service excellence and often serves as the perfect launchpad for more specialized training down the line.

Earn your customer service certification from:

2. Help Desk Certification

When choosing a help desk certification, organizations should prioritize options offered by their help desk software provider.

Platform-specific training offers faster ROI as it speeds up proficiency and allows the employee to apply their skills immediately in real workflows. HubSpot Academy offers a that helps users better use its platform.

Earn your help desk certification from:

• Help Desk/Customer Service Software Provider (such as )

3. Call Center Certification

For high-volume teams that handle hundreds or thousands of calls a day, call center training is non-negotiable. Call center work is a unique skill set, and these certifications validate the technical proficiency and communication finesse needed to succeed.

The curriculum focuses on the metrics that matter, like First Call Resolution (FCR) and Average Handle Time (AHT), and the techniques to improve them. Training often covers telephony systems, managing call queues effectively, and balancing script adherence with genuine human connection for both inbound and outbound calls.

Earn your call center certification from:

4. Client Services Certification

Client services certification is a step beyond resolving single-ticket issues. It’s about managing ongoing relationships. It’s ideal for professionals in roles like account management or customer success where building long-term value is the primary goal.

My time at Yahoo as a Client Services Manager involved exactly this, providing end-to-end technical account management for enterprise clients. The training emphasizes proactive engagement over reactive problem-solving. Participants also learn how to successfully onboard new clients, nurture relationships, and strategically manage a portfolio of accounts.

Earn your client services certification from:

5. Client Service Manager Certification

Great managers aren’t born, they’re trained. The client service management certification is for individual contributors ready to become leaders. It shifts the focus from doing the work to leading the team.

The curriculum is usually built around the pillars of strong management: coaching, analyzing performance metrics, and implementing quality assurance programs. Why are effective and engaged managers important? The shows that countries with less engaged managers are more likely to have less engaged individual contributors, leading to a cascading top-down effect.

Earn your client service leader certification from:

6. Customer Experience (CX) Certification

Customer experience transcends any one function. CX is a team sport, and this certification gives service representatives the playbook. It equips reps with a holistic view of the entire customer journey. Learners dive into strategic concepts like customer journey mapping and building Voice of Customer (VoC) programs.

I’ve launched these myself, implementing the first Net Promoter Score (NPS) programs at both Skybound and Trendy Butler to create feedback loops that drove real change. HubSpot’s found that 75% of CX leaders are seeing higher ticket volumes than ever before, making a seamless experience crucial.

Earn your customer experience certification from:

• (for organizations)

7. Customer Service Leadership Certification

While a manager certification focuses on running a team, a leadership certification is about setting the strategy for the entire service organization. This is for senior-level professionals aiming for Director or VP roles.

These programs teach participants to think like an executive. A key part of my current role at Skybound is presenting business insights to executive leadership, translating support data into strategies that get C-suite buy-in for customer initiatives. These certifications give learners the skills to transform a support department from a cost center into a powerful engine for growth.

Earn your customer service leadership certification from:

Here’s a handy comparison table with some of the popular certifications and courses from the sources listed above, to help quickly ascertain which one is right for your needs.

Best Customer Service and Support Training Programs

Choosing a customer service program depends on an individual’s role, industry, and career goals. This list features a diverse set of options that can benefit aspiring or current support professionals and service teams.

Free Programs

1.

Best for: New hires, aspiring service professionals, customer support reps, service professionals learning Service Hub, and small business owners.

HubSpot Academy offers free customer service training and certification. This provides great value for teams on a tight budget. Some courses to check out include:

There’s customer success training, such as the course and the course.

HubSpot Academy also has courses to help teams better use its software. For example, the teaches individuals how to use the platform’s tools in daily workflows, like building a and linking support email to the tool.

Note: The course is free to go through, but the certification has practical exercises that require a Pro or Enterprise HubSpot subscription.

Pricing

HubSpot Academy courses are free. It includes comprehensive certifications, single-topic courses, and targeted lessons to help enhance customer service skills.

What Learners Like

“One of the standout features is the integration with other HubSpot tools … which can be a big productivity boost for teams… It’s also incredibly flexible in terms of pacing … making it ideal for busy professionals.” -

2. Customer Service Training by

Best for: New and aspiring customer service reps.

For teams or individuals who need a free and flexible option to learn the absolute basics, Alison is a good choice. This platform is a great starting point for those who are brand new to the industry and need to grasp the core concepts of handling customer interactions.

Its self-paced structure is perfect for someone to learn the fundamentals before they even start a new role. This is particularly useful for building a baseline of knowledge before moving on to more specialized, paid training.

Pricing

Courses are free to complete. A certificate is available for purchase upon completion, with prices typically ranging from $25 to $124.

What Learners Like

“This was my first online study with Alison.com. I enjoyed the flexibility to study at my own pace … I will certainly recommend Alison.com to everyone I know.” -

Professional Certifications

3. ITIL? Training and Certification by

Best for: Teams that work closely with IT.

For any team that interfaces with IT in a structured, enterprise environment, ITIL is the foundational framework needed. It ensures all team members speak the same language and can operate efficiently within established service level agreements (SLAs).

Throughout my career managing teams at larger SaaS companies, I learned the importance of standardized processes for scaling operations. In fact, one of the first things I learned in my early help desk roles was the .

Pricing

For individuals, Skillsoft offers a 45-day trial. If individuals choose to continue, the cost is $20 per month. For teams (up to 50), it is $55 per month for each user, along with a 30-day free access period.

What Learners Like

“We saw a wide variety of learning modules, videos, reading, and other opportunities to easily incorporate into learning packages for our users. We always saw new and exciting learnings being added, and if something was to be retired, we received plenty of notice so we could arrange replacement or removal.” -

4. Technical Support Professional Training and Certification by

Best for: Improving interpersonal and communication skills for reps in technical industries.

A huge challenge in technical support is teaching reps to communicate complex issues with clarity and empathy. This skill is a non-negotiable part of building trust.

Considering that will switch to a competitor after multiple bad experiences — and more than 50% will switch to a competitor after only one bad experience — service teams can’t afford to have brilliant technical minds who can’t communicate effectively with frustrated users.

Service Strategies helps alleviate this by providing training on effective customer service skills such as communication techniques, professionalism, and collaboration when providing technical solutions. They offer three ways to attend training: one-site, public, or online.

Pricing

Virtual training costs $1,395. Self-paced classes range from $199 for service reps to $399 for field service engineers. On-site courses are also available, but require contacting Service Strategies directly for pricing.

What Learners Like

“Excellent content, and a real pleasure to have a course geared towards my profession in my own industry… Great teaching style as delivered by Steve Brand — highly recommended.” -

5. Online Customer Service Courses from

Best for: Service teams looking for a variety of courses.

This online platform has a number of relevant courses, such as:

• by Knowledge Accelerators
• by Google Career Certificates
• by Starweaver
• by Coursera

The best CX professionals understand how their work impacts other departments. It helps break down silos and allows support leaders to contribute to strategic conversations. This is vital when say that data is critical in decision-making at their organizations. Coursera provides training across various disciplines that can build these cross-functional skills in various sectors.

Pricing

Many courses are free to audit. To earn a certificate, pricing varies from single course payments (typically $49–$79) to a Coursera Plus subscription ($59/month or $399/year). They also have business plans for enterprises.

What Learners Like

“Smooth experience, useful for anyone who deals directly with customers. Moreover, it provides crucial inputs.” -

6. CSM Certification Program by

Best for: Aspiring customer success managers (CSMs).

For support reps that show a real talent for proactive relationship-building, a transition from reactive support to proactive is a natural career path. A deep-dive program like this can help a promising agent make that leap successfully, giving them the specific frameworks needed in a CSM role.

The benefits are:

• It offers a comprehensive and structured curriculum.
• It emphasizes immediate, practical application.
• It provides industry-recognized credibility.

Ultimately, the program’s power lies in its ability to help create a complete .

Pricing

The CSM full certification program is $1,795 per person. While it’s certainly among the more expensive courses on the list, it is also accredited by the . Alternatively, people can choose the on-demand CSM certification, which is a digital version of the traditional CSM program for $1,295 per person.

What Learners Like

“I truly appreciated the thoughtful care and attention Kristen dedicated to tailoring the program to my team’s unique needs. The sessions struck an excellent balance between reinforcing familiar tactics we already knew and introducing fresh, practical strategies for us to implement.” -

Professional Development Courses

7. Call Center Customer Service by

Best for: Customer service reps working in a call center.

This course is excellent for building that muscle memory for the role, teaching agents how to handle different call types and meet key metrics from day one. Seeing that for every one percent of improvement in First Contact Resolution (FCR), organizations , investing in these core skills at the start is a smart financial move a customer service manager can make.

In my experience leading a large, combined in-house and BPO support team at Trendy Butler, I know how critical it is to have a scalable way to onboard new agents. We were handling the subscription billing, returns, and shipping logistics for over 50,000 members, and I needed a course that provided the tactical, foundational training an agent needs before they can learn my team’s product specifics.

Pricing

The self-paced course costs $120 but does not include a certification or any continuing education units (CEUs). For access to all courses, certifications, and CEUs for one year, learners can sign up for $189.

What Learners Like

“I believe the topics covered in the lessons presented excellent topics that are essential for future Call Center Customer Service Agents. I especially found the information on the following lessons excellent: Dealing With Difficult Customers, Dealing With Diversity, and ‘Setting Call Center Standards’. Thank you.” -

8. Customer Service Training by

Best for: Service teams looking to build or refresh the basics of good customer service.

This platform has 50+ relevant customer service courses and workshops. Topics include handling difficult customers, customer service refresher training, writing and telephone skills, front desk training, and industry-specific programs.

There are onsite, virtual, and online options available, depending on the particular training.

Pricing

Business Training Works has fairly extensive pricing.

Onsite Training

Virtual Training

Online Training

What Learners Like

“All attendees provided very positive feedback and have been looking for opportunities to apply what they learned, as soon as we came back to our workplace.” -

9. Customer Service Training by

Best for: Service teams looking for quick, focused training.

When time is short, a quick, focused training session can be invaluable. The ability to quickly align the team on service fundamentals right before a high-volume event is a tactical advantage. This course has a total video runtime of just over 90 minutes and gets straight to the point.

To go deeper, the estimated study time provided by GoSkills is 11 hours.

Pricing

Individuals can access GoSkills training for free with a 7-day trial, then pay $39 per month or $20.75 per month billed annually.

For training a team, pricing varies from $9.71 to $15.28 per learner per month. They also offer a free plan with limited access to their LMS and courses.

What Learners Like

“I got the promotion largely because of the skills I could develop, thanks to the GoSkills courses I took… Seeing how much this has helped me become a more efficient employee is a big motivation.” -

10. How to Become a Better Communicator by

Best for: Service teams or reps who want to improve communication skills.

In customer service, how a person says something is as important as what is said. A found that communication was the most in-demand skill yet again.

SkillPath’s training focuses on practical, immediately applicable techniques that a rep can use on their very next call or email to improve outcomes. The course is not only highly rated by 1,000+ past participants but is also accredited by both and , ensuring it meets high professional standards and is valuable for career development.

During the Super Bowl Experience with Dapper Labs, I was the frontline escalation lead managing on-site VIP issues. In high-pressure, live environments like that, communication skills are your most valuable asset. The same is true for any tense customer situation. Strong, empathetic communication is the fastest way to de-escalate and build trust.

Pricing

A single webinar costs $149. For broader access, SkillPath offers two annual passes: the Unlimited pass is $249 per year for all online courses, and the Unlimited + Live pass is $499 per year, which also includes live virtual events.

What Learners Like

“As a busy working professional, SkillPath Unlimited offers a terrific means of on-the-go learning on topics that are relevant and substantive for my professional development. SkillPath’s offerings, including its instruction and materials, are excellent and serve as a key element in my training journey.” -

11. Attitudes for Service by

Best for: Focused training on cultivating the right attitude for a service career.

Dale Carnegie’s focus on attitude builds the intrinsic motivation that separates good service from great service. It promotes the kind of environment where agents feel empowered and engaged.

This three-hour course teaches reps how to increase their self-awareness and how to ask questions that will return meaningful responses. That way, they’ll find the information they’re looking for, while still generating a delightful customer experience.

Pricing

Attitudes for Service includes 90 minutes of live online instruction and 90 minutes of self-directed learning for $399.

What Learners Like

“Getting outside my comfort zone to better understand both the people and situations I find myself in on a routine basis. Speaking in front of a group, sharing with those about whom you know very little, thinking more about others and the lives they live outside of your interactions with them; these were all things I learned that I feel are unique to Dale Carnegie training.” -

12. A+ Customer Care by

Best for: Service team leaders and managers.

Customer service professionals are human too, with their own share of daily stresses. Businesses often tend to forget that, focusing only on the bottom line and client satisfaction. These training programs focus on customer service through the lens of work–life balance, following a structured and repeatable five-step process.

As the states, “If you take care of your employees, they in turn will take care of your customers.”

Pricing

Companies interested in the onsite or online courses have to get in touch with WorkLifeBalance by filling out their or calling 1-877-644-0064.

What Learners Like

“There is a clear ROI from the 5 Steps Training. Turnover is down. Performance is up. It has strengthened our culture of respect and appreciation. It has moved us higher as an employer of choice and strengthened the results in our employee surveys …There is a sense of less stress in the organization, and people are happier.” -

Industry-Specific Trainings

13. Customer Service Representative Certificate by

Best for: Customer service professionals in the banking industry.

The American Bankers Association (ABA) is a leading trade association in the U.S. banking industry, with its certifications well-recognized in the financial services domain. This program develops the foundational product knowledge, industry basics, professional ethics, and customer-relationship skills required to serve clients effectively in a banking environment.

Learners must work through the curriculum, which covers 12 suites with multiple courses under each, to get the certificate. The benefit of choosing the certificate over individual suites is two-fold: a discounted rate for the bundle and a formal certification.

Pricing

The non-member price for this online certificate is $995, while ABA members get a discounted rate of $795.

What Learners Say

“After earning certification, more than 90% of ABA certification holders indicated that recognition by their peers and others in the industry was most valuable to them.” -

14. CVS Health Retail Customer Service Professional Certificate by

Best for: Customer service professionals in retail service roles.

While this article has covered Coursera programs above, this one is highlighted separately due to its industry focus. This online professional certificate prepares students for retail customer service roles through video lessons, hands-on simulations, peer-reviewed assignments, and a final project.

This four-course beginner-friendly series with 65 hours of learning covers core retail skills, including customer interactions, transaction handling, conflict resolution, workplace professionalism, and foundational store operations. Participants also learn how to prep for interviews and curate their resume.

By devoting roughly 10 hours of study per week, students can complete this program in two months. This certificate suits aspiring retail professionals, sales associates, customer service reps, cashiers, and store managers.

Pricing

The courses are free to audit; the certificate is available with a paid Coursera subscription, starting from $49 per month.

What Learners Say

“I enjoyed this course very much and learned a great deal in improving my customer service skills. Trying to de-escalate customers was the most beneficial to me. I like the examples it showed you and the interactive portions.” - .

University Programs

15. Transforming Customer Experiences by

Best for: People heading service teams, customer-facing professionals, and business owners or consultants in service-focused companies.

Participants learn how service-focused organizations create value by defining strong service offerings and understanding the links between pricing, profitability, and customer behavior. The program covers customer journey mapping to identify improvement opportunities and explores how leaders motivate teams to deliver consistent, mission-aligned service.

Learners also examine ways to tailor service to different customer needs, encourage customer-organization compatibility, and scale operations effectively as tech (such as AI) grows.

This four-week online program requires a commitment of approximately 5–6 hours per week. Each of the four modules has featured exercises. Practical case studies help the topics stick. Participants earn a certificate of completion from Harvard Business School Online upon successful completion.

Pricing

It costs $1,850 plus applicable taxes.

What Learners Like

“I found the content of the course to be extremely informative and applicable to the real challenges of being a leader. I loved the frameworks and the case study model of the course, and I thought the course was very manageable on top of a full-time job.” -

16. Customer Service Excellence Certificate by

Best for: New customer service professionals or teams looking for team training.

This foundational certificate is best for professionals entering customer service roles and career changers. Companies can also request group training to support employee development.

The right skills are at the heart of strong customer service, and this program teaches participants vital skills such as relationship management, communication, problem-solving, emotional intelligence, complaint handling, and service operations. It’s all complemented by project-based work.

Each student receives direction from a personal learning coach who helps translate coursework into job-applicable knowledge.

Pricing

This online certificate costs $1,950.

Frequently Asked Questions About Customer Service Certifications and Courses

What are the 5 C’s of customer service?

The 5 C’s of customer service are Communication, Compassion, Competence, Credibility, and Commitment. These core principles guide every successful customer interaction, from clearly explaining solutions (Communication) to following through on promises (Commitment). Master these five elements to excel in a customer-facing role.

What is the best customer service training program?

Choosing the “best” customer service program depends on an individual’s career goals, role, industry, and budget. For free options, HubSpot Academy offers a variety of comprehensive courses and single-topic lessons for beginners. For professional advancement, the HDI Customer Service Representative (HDI-CSR) certification is widely respected in technical support, while CSIA’s Certified Customer Service Manager (CCSM) provides a strong pathway for leadership development.

Dale Carnegie’s customer service and communication training is highly regarded for developing strong interpersonal and conflict-resolution skills. Disney Institute also delivers world-class customer experience methodology. Customer service programs provide structured training and certification for support professionals.

How long does a customer service certification take?

Most certifications take from a week to a few months to complete. Entry-level programs like customer service fundamentals can be finished in a few hours to about two weeks of part-time study.

Professional certifications typically require 4–12 weeks, while more advanced programs may extend up to 6 months. Self-paced online options let you accelerate or extend timelines based on your schedule.

Is customer service certification worth it?

Yes, a customer service certification is worth it, provided it’s chosen wisely. Certifications can help with a salary increase and make an individual stand out to employers.

They’re especially valuable when changing careers, seeking promotions, or entering specialized fields like healthcare or IT support. The key is selecting certifications recognized in the target industry. Start by researching job postings to see which credentials employers value.

Do I need experience before getting certified?

Experience is generally not needed for entry-level certifications. Programs like HubSpot Academy or Coursera’s fundamentals courses are designed for beginners. However, advanced certifications (management, CX strategy) typically recommend prior experience to fully benefit from the content.

The best way is to start with foundational programs and progress as you gain experience.

It’s All About Continuous Learning

Customer service certifications offer a great way to enhance skills and move a career forward. It’s important to remember two key things about training.

First, not all courses are created equal. Take the time to do research and find one that is both recognized by the industry and offers reputable training.

Second, there’s no one-size-fits-all approach to training. The skills needed to support a gamer for a new video game release are different from the needs of a SaaS user getting started with their platform onboarding experience. The right training acknowledges this.

Investing in your own or your team’s education is one of the smartest things to do. It’s how employees stay sharp, build stronger teams, and deliver the kind of service that turns customers into fans.

Ready to start a customer service course? Enroll for free at today.

Editor's note: This post was originally published in January 2020 and has been updated for comprehensiveness.

Free Customer Support Training Template

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• Training Timeline
• People to Meet
• 100 Day Goals
• And More!

Get Your Free Template

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