Whether to buy weekly groceries, electronics or to buy clothes or inexpensive accessories, nearly everyone has shopped at Wal-Mart. Operating more than 10,800 stores in 27 countries, Wal-Mart employs 2.2 million associates, 1.3 million of them in the U.S. Many of these employees move up in the company. In fact, 75 percent of the Wal-Mart management team was promoted from within. Existing employees and external applicants who are interested in a career as a Wal-Mart customer service manager should know of the background, skills and duties associated with the position.
Background
To become a Wal-Mart customer service manager doesn't require any specific education level, but you need to have basic reading, writing and mathematical abilities. However, 40 percent of retail managers have a high school diploma, 26 percent have some college and no degree and 15 percent have an associate's degree. Experience in retail is also helpful, although not a requirement. If a candidate has customer service or management experience, she may just stand out from the crowd.
Skills
An ideal Wal-Mart customer service manager is an effective oral and written communicator with excellent time-management skills. She has an understanding of store operations and resource management. Her active listening and social perceptiveness help her to understand and solve employee and customer concerns. She has mathematical and deductive reasoning that assist her in solving everyday work problems. Perhaps most importantly, her leadership abilities and teamwork skills help her create a great work environment.
Duties
The customer service manager spends a great deal of time ensuring proper operations in the front of the store. She provides change for cashiers, prepares cash registers and performs register audits. When customers have a concern regarding the price of an item or an advertisement, she addresses their concern according to Wal-Mart's policies. She also may approve bank cards or checks, address any register shortage concerns and train employees. Additionally, she sets an example for other employees by practicing proper safety protocol, such as proper lifting techniques and removal of spills and debris from register areas.
Pay and Job Outlook
As of 2012, the median annual salary for a first-line supervisor of retail sales workers was $40,910, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, or BLS. Wal-Mart managers can earn between $50,000 and $170,000 annually, the company says. A manager's salary depends on geographic location, tenure and position. Growth within this occupation is slower than average when compared to other occupations. Between 2010 and 2020, the BLS expects a 3 to 9 percent rise in the employment of first-line supervisors of retail sales workers.
References
Writer Bio
E.M. Rawes is a professional writer specializing in business, finance, mathematical and social sciences topics. She completed her studies at the University of Maryland, where she earned her Bachelor of Science. During her time working in workforce management and as a financial analyst, she reinforced her business and financial know-how.