Best examples of customer service skills performance review examples for 2024

Strong examples of customer service skills performance review examples you can actually use

Let’s skip the theory and go straight to what everyone really needs: the words. Below are practical examples of customer service skills performance review examples you can adapt for different roles and performance levels.

To keep this useful, each section focuses on one core customer service skill, then shows how it might look in a performance review comment.

Communication skills: clear, calm, and customer‑friendly

Communication is at the heart of almost all examples of customer service skills performance review examples. In 2024, customers expect quick, clear, and empathetic responses across channels—phone, chat, email, and social.

Positive example (exceeds expectations):
“Maria consistently communicates with customers in a clear, concise, and friendly way. She adjusts her tone based on the customer’s emotional state, remaining calm and respectful even with frustrated callers. Her email responses are well‑structured, easy to understand, and typically resolve issues without follow‑up questions. Customer surveys frequently mention her by name for ‘explaining things in plain language’ and ‘making complex issues feel simple.’”

Solid performer example (meets expectations):
“Jordan communicates effectively with customers and internal teams. He provides accurate information and usually confirms that the customer understands the next steps. With a bit more attention to summarizing calls and double‑checking written responses for clarity, he can move from good to outstanding in this area.”

Growth area example (needs improvement):
“While Alex is knowledgeable, his communication style can sometimes feel rushed or overly technical to customers. Several recent surveys mention that explanations were ‘confusing’ or ‘too fast.’ Over the next review period, Alex should focus on slowing down, using simpler language, and asking customers to confirm their understanding before closing interactions.”

These communication‑focused comments work well in self‑reviews too—just switch pronouns and add specific examples, such as ticket numbers or customer survey quotes.

Empathy and emotional intelligence in customer service reviews

Modern customer service is as much about emotional intelligence as it is about solving problems. Many of the best examples of customer service skills performance review examples highlight empathy, patience, and the ability to de‑escalate tense situations.

Positive example (exceeds expectations):
“Sam consistently demonstrates empathy and emotional awareness in customer interactions. He listens without interrupting, acknowledges the customer’s feelings, and validates their experience before moving to solutions. In the past six months, Sam has successfully de‑escalated multiple high‑risk situations, turning potential cancellations into renewed commitments. His ‘calming presence’ is frequently mentioned in post‑call comments.”

Balanced example (meets expectations with stretch goal):
“Taylor shows empathy in most interactions and is respectful even when customers are upset. To continue growing, Taylor should focus on naming the customer’s concern more explicitly (for example, ‘I can see how that would be frustrating’) before moving into problem‑solving. This small shift will help customers feel more heard and supported.”

Growth area example:
“While Chris remains professional with customers, his responses can come across as transactional rather than empathetic. Feedback from recent surveys suggests that customers sometimes feel ‘dismissed’ or ‘not fully heard.’ Over the next quarter, Chris should practice using more validating language and pausing to ask open‑ended questions before proposing solutions.”

If you want a broader foundation on emotional intelligence at work, the American Psychological Association provides helpful overviews of emotional skills and workplace behavior: https://www.apa.org/topics/emotions.

Problem‑solving and ownership: not just answering, but resolving

In many organizations, the strongest examples of customer service skills performance review examples highlight ownership: not just passing a ticket along, but seeing it through.

High performer example:
“Priya takes full ownership of customer issues from first contact to final resolution. She proactively coordinates with Product, Billing, and Engineering when needed, and always follows up with the customer to confirm that the solution worked. Her first‑contact resolution rate is in the top 10% of the team, and she often identifies process gaps that, once fixed, prevent repeat issues for other customers.”

Solid performer example:
“Malik reliably resolves customer issues within our standard timelines and escalates appropriately when needed. He documents troubleshooting steps clearly, which helps other team members pick up the case if required. To continue growing, he can look for more opportunities to anticipate related issues and address them in the same interaction.”

Needs‑improvement example:
“Dana addresses immediate customer questions but does not always investigate the root cause of recurring problems. This can lead to repeat contacts and customer frustration. Over the next review period, Dana should focus on asking one or two additional probing questions per case and documenting potential underlying issues for follow‑up.”

For managers, tying these comments to metrics—like first‑contact resolution, repeat contact rate, and time to resolution—makes the feedback even more actionable.

Product knowledge and accuracy in performance reviews

Customer trust depends on accurate information. With products and policies changing quickly (especially in tech, healthcare, and finance), 2024–2025 performance reviews often include comments about staying current.

Top performer example:
“Lee maintains up‑to‑date, in‑depth knowledge of our product features, pricing, and policies. He actively reviews release notes and attends optional training sessions, which allows him to answer complex questions without transfers or long holds. Internal quality audits show a 99% accuracy rate in his documented resolutions over the past year.”

Developing performer example:
“Riley has a solid understanding of core features but sometimes struggles with newly released functionality and edge‑case policies. She occasionally needs to place customers on hold for extended periods while she researches answers. Over the next six months, Riley should build a weekly routine for reviewing product updates and knowledge‑base articles.”

Growth area example:
“Several recent quality reviews indicate that Pat provided outdated or incomplete information to customers, leading to confusion and follow‑up contacts. Pat should work closely with the training team to refresh his understanding of current policies and use internal resources before giving definitive answers.”

For reference on how ongoing learning impacts performance, the Association for Talent Development shares research and resources on workplace learning: https://www.td.org.

Handling difficult customers and de‑escalation

If you want real examples of customer service skills performance review examples that feel current, you have to include de‑escalation. Customer expectations have risen, and support teams are managing higher emotional intensity, especially in industries affected by economic uncertainty.

High performer example:
“Over the past year, Avery has become one of our go‑to team members for handling highly escalated or emotionally charged situations. She consistently keeps her voice calm, listens actively, and separates the customer’s frustration from the issue itself. In several documented cases, customers who began calls threatening to cancel ended up renewing or expanding their contracts after speaking with her.”

Solid performer example:
“Most of the time, Jordan handles difficult customers professionally and keeps interactions on track. When conversations become especially heated, he occasionally mirrors the customer’s urgency, which can escalate tension. With coaching and practice, Jordan can further strengthen his de‑escalation skills by focusing on tone control and using more neutral language.”

Growth area example:
“When faced with angry or confrontational customers, Casey sometimes becomes defensive or overly brief, which can worsen the situation. Over the next review cycle, Casey should focus on using de‑escalation techniques, such as pausing before responding, acknowledging the customer’s emotions, and offering clear next steps. Role‑play sessions and shadowing high performers will support this growth.”

For broader context on stress, burnout, and emotional labor in customer‑facing roles, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) offers research and guidance: https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/.

Time management, productivity, and multi‑channel support

With more customers using chat, social media, and self‑service portals, performance reviews increasingly mention how well employees juggle multiple channels.

Positive example:
“Over the past 12 months, Morgan has consistently met or exceeded productivity targets while maintaining high quality scores. She manages chat, email, and phone queues efficiently, prioritizing urgent issues without letting lower‑priority tickets fall through the cracks. Her average handle time is within target, and she rarely needs overtime to stay current on her queue.”

Balanced example:
“Devon meets most productivity expectations and generally keeps his queue under control. However, he occasionally spends too long on lower‑impact tasks, which can delay responses to higher‑priority customers. With coaching on prioritization and time‑blocking, Devon can improve both responsiveness and workload balance.”

Growth area example:
“Queue management and time allocation are ongoing challenges for Jamie. She frequently has a backlog of overdue tickets, which impacts customer satisfaction and team metrics. Over the next quarter, Jamie should work with her supervisor to develop a daily workflow plan and use available tools (such as queue views and reminders) more consistently.”

These comments fit well in examples of customer service skills performance review examples because they connect behaviors (how the person works) with outcomes (customer wait times, satisfaction, and team throughput).

Collaboration and cross‑functional teamwork

Customer service doesn’t happen in a vacuum. Many of the best examples of customer service skills performance review examples now include how well employees collaborate with Sales, Product, Engineering, and Operations.

High performer example:
“Ella actively collaborates with cross‑functional partners to solve complex customer issues. She shares recurring customer feedback with Product and participates in pilot programs for new features. Her detailed case notes and clear internal communication help other teams understand customer impact and make informed decisions.”

Solid performer example:
“Carlos works well with his immediate team and responds quickly to internal messages and requests. To continue growing, he can take a more proactive role in sharing customer insights across departments, especially when he notices trends that could affect product roadmaps or policies.”

Growth area example:
“While technically strong, Nate sometimes works in isolation and does not always communicate important customer updates to other stakeholders. This can lead to duplicated work or missed opportunities to improve the customer experience. Over the next review period, Nate should focus on using shared tools and channels to keep others informed.”

Organizations that measure collaboration often see direct links to customer outcomes. Harvard Business School and related research centers publish studies on teamwork and organizational behavior that can inform how you frame these comments: https://www.hbs.edu.

2024–2025 trends to reflect in your customer service reviews

When you’re building your own examples of customer service skills performance review examples, it helps to align them with what’s happening in customer experience right now. A few trends to keep in mind:

• Omnichannel expectations: Customers expect consistent service across phone, chat, email, and social. Reviews should mention how well employees adapt tone and approach to each channel.
• AI‑assisted support: Many teams now use AI tools to suggest responses or summarize tickets. Comments can highlight how well employees use these tools without losing the human touch.
• Self‑service and knowledge management: More customers start with help centers or FAQs. Strong reviews often mention how employees contribute to or improve these resources.
• Well‑being and burnout awareness: With higher emotional demands, more companies are paying attention to stress and resilience in customer‑facing roles. You can acknowledge how employees set boundaries, use support resources, and maintain professionalism under pressure.

You don’t need to write essays about these trends in every review. Instead, weave them into specific comments: for example, praising someone for adapting quickly to a new chat platform, or noting how they contributed high‑quality articles to the help center.

Putting it all together: writing your own examples

When you sit down to create your own examples of customer service skills performance review examples, think in three parts:

• Behavior: What did the person actually do or say?
• Impact: How did it affect customers, teammates, or the business?
• Next step: What should they continue, start, or stop doing?

Here’s how that might sound in a complete comment:

“Over the past year, Jordan has grown significantly in both communication and problem‑solving. He now summarizes each call clearly, confirms customer understanding, and documents steps in the CRM so others can easily follow the case. As a result, his first‑contact resolution rate has improved by 12%, and repeat contacts have decreased. Over the next review cycle, Jordan should focus on building deeper product knowledge for our newest features so he can handle more complex cases without escalation.”

That one paragraph touches communication, problem‑solving, outcomes, and future growth—all in a natural, specific way.

FAQ: examples of customer service skills performance review examples

Q1. What is a good example of customer service skills feedback for a high performer?
A strong example of feedback might be: “Taylor consistently delivers outstanding service across phone, chat, and email. She listens carefully, confirms understanding, and follows through on every commitment she makes to customers. Her satisfaction scores are among the highest on the team, and customers often mention her by name in positive comments. Taylor should continue mentoring newer team members and sharing her techniques for de‑escalating tense situations.”

Q2. How do I write fair examples of customer service skills performance review examples for someone who is still learning?
Focus on both strengths and next steps. For instance: “Chris is building a solid foundation in customer communication and shows genuine care for customers. He responds promptly and asks clarifying questions when he’s unsure. To continue growing, Chris should work on reducing hold time by becoming more familiar with our knowledge base and product documentation.” This keeps the tone supportive while still being honest.

Q3. Can you share an example of balanced feedback that includes both praise and a clear development area?
Yes. Try something like: “Morgan handles a high volume of tickets while maintaining a friendly and professional tone. Customers appreciate her patience and clear explanations. To increase her impact, Morgan should focus on documenting more detailed notes after each interaction so handoffs to other teams are smoother and customers don’t have to repeat information.”

Q4. How specific should I be when using these examples in real performance reviews?
The best examples include concrete details: metrics (like satisfaction scores or resolution times), types of cases handled, or customer quotes. Vague comments such as “good with customers” or “needs to improve communication” don’t give people much to work with. Add one or two specific examples from the review period to make your comments meaningful and credible.

Q5. Are these examples of customer service skills performance review examples suitable for self‑evaluations?
Yes. For self‑reviews, keep the same structure but write in the first person and be honest about both strengths and gaps. For example: “I’ve improved my ability to de‑escalate upset customers by slowing down, acknowledging their frustration, and summarizing next steps. My satisfaction scores have increased by 8% this year. I still need to build deeper knowledge of our newest product line so I can handle more advanced technical questions without escalation.”

Use these examples as starting points, then tailor them to your company’s values, metrics, and customer expectations. The more you anchor your comments in real behaviors and outcomes, the more helpful your performance reviews will be—for both you and your team.