customer service

noun

1

a

: support with products or services provided by a business to its customers

The company has won accolades for its customer service.

The commissioner has touted several improvements in customer service, including reducing the time it takes for agents to answer the national 800 number, shortening the wait times in field offices and reducing the initial disability claims backlog.

—Tami Luhby

b

: the aspect of business that involves providing support to customers

Artificial intelligence is becoming an increasingly common part of how customer service works …

—Ingrid Lunden

2

a

: the department of a business that provides support to customers

The company has openings in customer service.

also : its staff or location

Whether you're dealing with a classic case of buyer's remorse or have questions about deals, damage to packages, or your … membership, it's good to know that you can actually speak to customer service.

—Christina Buff

… make sure to download the app. … This can save you hours waiting in theme park-sized lines at customer service.

—Erin Bendig

b

: the profession of providing business support to customers

What this means for job seekers is that … the city has become an ideal launchpad for those seeking long-term career growth in customer service, technology and related industries.

—MarketersMedia News Hub

Examples of customer service in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Online customer service and call center roles could likely be among the first jobs to be displaced. —Jessica Alvarado Gamez, Denver Post, 27 May 2026

Meeting those expectations depends on close collaboration between different teams, from sales and customer service to product development and operations. —Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 27 May 2026

Furthermore, customer service agents spend unsustainable amounts of time trying to piece together context for a single user’s issue. —Arthur Zaczkiewicz, Footwear News, 26 May 2026

Under Mark’s leadership, the department has received 22 local, state, national and international awards for excellence in innovation, efficiency and customer service. —Mercury News Editorial Board, Mercury News, 26 May 2026

Improper declines are expensive for payment companies and financial institutions, too, through customer service costs, lost revenue and eroded trust. —Pragati Awasthi, The Conversation, 26 May 2026

Airlines not listed on the dashboard post their customer service commitments on their respective websites. —Nathan Diller, USA Today, 25 May 2026

Coppola, the current treasurer-tax collector, said his top initiatives include customer service, modernizing efficiency and ensuring a high rate of investment return while safeguarding county dollars. —Corey Schmidt, Sacbee.com, 22 May 2026

Companies use a toolkit of CRMs, chatbots and call centers that frequently turn customer service into a maze of frustration. —Ellen Sheng, CNBC, 19 May 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1922, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Rhymes for customer service

• disservice
• preservice
• interservice
• nervous
• nervus