A service supervisor is a lower-level or front-line supervisor who helps to lead operations and delegate responsibilities in many businesses and corporations. Because they are first in the chain of command, people in this position are usually the first members of management to whom an employee or customer would express a concern or complaint before going to higher-level management team members. They would usually have a working supervisory position, which meant that they would work and be responsible for their own tasks while also overseeing the tasks of non-supervisory employees.
A service supervisor in a retail store might collaborate with non-supervisory employees and other members of management to keep the store profitable and running smoothly. He or she may be in charge of ensuring that cashiers and shelf-stocking workers complete their tasks in a timely and satisfactory manner. In a retail store, the service supervisor may be in charge of training employees and overseeing operations, and must report to upper management, such as the assistant manager and general manager. Customer complaints and concerns would also be handled by a retail store service supervisor. This position does not require a formal education, and the supervisor is usually promoted from the ranks of lower-level employees.
A service supervisor may be in charge of overseeing the quality of customer service provided by phone operators at a call center for customer service, such as one run by a large corporation. The operators, or customer service representatives, would take and collect payments as well as handle incoming calls from customers about their accounts. The service supervisor would take over if a customer had a serious complaint, was dissatisfied with how the customer service representative attempted to resolve his or her problem, or had a request that required a supervisor’s permission. Depending on the nature of the company, a position like this may or may not require formal education.
A health service supervisor would play a different role in a medical setting, such as a physician’s office or a hospital department. In this case, the service supervisor would most likely have a master’s degree in a health-related field and would have more responsibilities than the service supervisors previously mentioned. A health service supervisor’s responsibilities may include hiring, training, and, if necessary, firing office and nursing staff members. He or she may also be responsible for ensuring that medical records are properly maintained and streamlining communication between office staff, nurses, physician assistants, and doctors so that patients receive the best possible care.