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

More competition is always good though, yielding quicker product releases and better customer service. —Rachyl Jones, semafor.com, 6 May 2026

After Leo, who was born Robert Prevost, answered a series of security questions, the customer service representative offered him a seemingly straightforward solution. —Melina Khan, USA Today, 6 May 2026

In April, the company brought together store directors from across the country for training focused on improving customer service, which analysts and shoppers alike agree has slipped since the pandemic. —Star Tribune, Chicago Tribune, 4 May 2026

Spirit was doomed to fail because of mismanagement, deep financial problems, and – crucially – its reputation for poor customer service. —Chris Isidore, CNN Money, 4 May 2026

By implementing a customer service survey system allowing the public to provide prompt feedback on their interactions with department personnel, LASD will have clear directions on where improvements are needed. —Sierra Van Der Brug, Daily News, 4 May 2026

But many customers will also travel out of their way if a store offers a better selection of products, greater customer service, lower prices, and if a shopper can consistently rely on a grocer for a good experience that builds brand loyalty. —Michele Laufik, Martha Stewart, 4 May 2026

Instead, lower operating costs allowed banks to open more branches, and tellers were redeployed into sales and customer service. —Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 4 May 2026

In the case of emotion AI, that problem appears largely, so far, to be worker performance and productivity, especially in customer service and blue-collar labor. —Ellen Cushing, The Atlantic, 3 May 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1922, in the meaning defined at sense 1a