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Adjustment Clerks

THE JOB

ADJUSTMENT CLERKS investigate and resolve customer complaints about 
merchandise, service, billing, or credit rating.  They may work for banks, 
department stores, utility companies, and other large organizations selling 
products and services to the public.  Sometimes, they are called Customer 
Service Representatives or Customer Complaint Clerks.

Adjustment Clerks examine relevant information to determine the accuracy of 
a customer complaint.  In a bank, a complaint may involve an ATM withdrawal 
made from a customer's account but the customer never withdrew the money. 
An Adjustment Clerk would look through videotapes of ATM transactions and 
review customer and bank records for the error.  After an investigation, 
Adjustment Clerks report their findings, adjustments, or recommendations.  
These may include merchandise exchanges, money refunds, account credits, or 
bill adjustments.

An important part of an Adjustment Clerk's job is to maintain customer 
satisfaction.  An Adjustment Clerk will check to see if the appropriate 
changes were made to a customer's account and send a follow up letter to 
the customer. In order to avoid future complaints, they also make 
recommendations to management to change a company's policy or procedure.

Adjustment Clerks also respond to inquiries from customers.  Often, they can 
answer these inquiries with a letter.  Sometimes customers make requests 
that Adjustment Clerks can process quickly such as requests for additional 
credit cards for banks and department stores.


WORKING CONDITIONS

Adjustment Clerks work in an office setting and spend most of their time 
sitting behind a desk and a computer Researching complaints.  Offices are 
well lighted and provide a comfortable atmosphere for work.  Office size 
can range from a small bank to a large department store or a public utility 
company.  An Adjustment Clerk can spend a good amount of time getting 
information over the telephone.  But, they may also get the information 
needed by conducting personal interviews or through written correspondence.  
Adjustment Clerks frequently deal with angry or upset customers which can 
make the job stressful at times.


EMPLOYMENT OUTLOOK

The following information is from the California Projections of Employment 
published by the Labor Market Information Division.

Estimated number of workers in 1993:            40,120
Estimated number of workers in 2005:            63,190
Projected Growth 1993-2005:                        58%
Estimated openings due to separations by 2005:   6,600

(These figures do not include self-employment nor openings due to turnover.)

The employment for Adjustment Clerks is expected to grow much faster than 
the average as business establishments place an increased emphasis on 
maintaining good customer relations.  An important part of providing good 
customer service is resolving customers' complaints in a friendly and 
timely manner.  The demand for Adjustment Clerks is expected to keep pace 
with the growth in the number of customers.


WAGES, HOURS, AND FRINGE BENEFITS

Wages for Adjustment Clerks are determined by experience.  Beginning 
Adjustment Clerks can earn $5.75 to $13.00 per hour.  Those with some 
experience earn $7.00 to $14.00 per hour.  Fully experienced Adjustment 
Clerks can earn $8.50 to $15.00 per hour.

Adjustment Clerks work a forty-hour week.  They typically work 8-to-5 shifts 
but may work 11-to-7 in order to help customers after normal business hours. 

Fringe benefits may include paid vacations, holidays, sick leave, and health 
and dental insurance.


ENTRANCE REQUIREMENTS AND TRAINING

Many employers do not require any formal education, but applicants should 
have at least a high school education.  Applicants should possess basic 
skills in English, mathematics, and computers and have good communication 
and interpersonal skills.  High schools, adult education, and community 
colleges offer courses in word processing and computers that are helpful 
in getting a job as an Adjustment Clerk but are not required.  Many 
companies give on-the-job training.

Adjustment Clerks must be able to keep accurate and detailed records and 
work well with numbers.  They should also have good negotiation skills to 
handle stressful situations since they frequently deal with angry clients.  
They must be able to make decisions using facts and perform tasks in a 
limited amount of time.


ADVANCEMENT

Advancement opportunities are better in larger offices or utility companies 
than in small offices.  Adjustment Clerks can be promoted based on 
experience and skill.  They can become administrative assistants, office 
managers, or records managers.  Additional education is necessary to advance 
to professional positions.  College courses in accounting, mathematics, 
English, and computer programming can lead to more employment opportunities 
within this field.


FINDING THE JOB

Those interested in a job as an Adjustment Clerk should begin their job 
search at wholesale and retail stores, service agencies such as doctors' 
offices, dentist offices, and public utilities.  Job seekers should look at 
classified ads in newspapers under headings such as "Clerks" and "Billing".  
Job postings may also be available at local Employment Development 
Department Workforce Services Offices.


ADDITIONAL SOURCES OF INFORMATION

Alliance of American Insurers
1501 Woodfield Road, Suite 400 West
Schaumburg, IL 60173-4980
(847) 330-8500


RELATED OCCUPATIONAL GUIDES

Data Entry Keyers                           No.  16
File Clerks                                 No. 261
Clerks, General Office                      No. 295


OCCUPATIONAL CODE REFERENCES

DOT(Dictionary of Occupational Titles, 4th ed., Rev. 1)
Administrative Clerk                    219.362-010
Customer Service Representative         239.362-014
Utility-Bill Complaints Investigator    241.267-034
Customer-Complaint Clerk                241.367-014

OES (Occupational Employment Statistics) System
Adjustment Clerks                            531230


Source:  State of California, Employment Development Department,
         Labor Market Information Division, Information Services Group,
         (916) 262-2162.