The means by which you can become a customer advocate can vary quite a bit, though there are a few basic methods you can use to help you get into customer advocacy. In general, you should take an approach similar to working in customer service, which means you should have a background in business and in a particular product or industry. If you want to become a customer advocate at a software company, for example, it can be beneficial to have a background in computer science or interactive design. As you are just getting started, you might look for positions in quality assurance (QA) or customer service, though sales can also be an effective route into customer advocacy.
To become a customer advocate, you should typically begin with an education in a particular field in which you are interested in working. If you do not have any particular industry in mind, then you might consider receiving a degree in business or marketing. While a degree is not absolutely necessary to become a customer advocate, it can make it easier for you to transition into customer advocacy more easily. This is especially true if you are already working in customer service or QA and want to be promoted into a customer advocate position.
Since a customer advocate works for a company but acts as a representative for customer needs and concerns, you should have extensive customer service experience and understanding. Even retail work can help prepare you for work as a customer advocate, especially if you are able to work in a management position or at a customer service desk. In certain industries, you may need a fair amount of technical knowledge, so background in such knowledge can help you become a customer advocate. It can be easier to explain ways to improve customer interaction with a phone’s user interface, for example, if you understand concepts related to interactive technology and interface usability.
Once you have the education and background you may need to become a customer advocate, then you can look for customer advocacy positions at various companies. If you have training in a certain field, then you may find it easiest to find work in that field. You may not be able to immediately find a position in customer advocacy, in which case it may be advantageous to work in customer service or QA at a company to build more professional experience. This can help you become a customer advocate at that company, or have a more robust résumé for future applications at other companies.
