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All qualifications and part qualifications registered on the National Qualifications Framework are public property. Thus the only payment that can be made for them is for service and reproduction. It is illegal to sell this material for profit. If the material is reproduced or quoted, the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA) should be acknowledged as the source. |
| SOUTH AFRICAN QUALIFICATIONS AUTHORITY |
| REGISTERED QUALIFICATION: |
| Higher Occupational Certificate: Customer Service Manager |
| SAQA QUAL ID | QUALIFICATION TITLE | |||
| 125144 | Higher Occupational Certificate: Customer Service Manager | |||
| ORIGINATOR | ||||
| Development Quality Partner - SERVICES SETA | ||||
| PRIMARY OR DELEGATED QUALITY ASSURANCE FUNCTIONARY | NQF SUB-FRAMEWORK | |||
| QCTO - Quality Council for Trades and Occupations | OQSF - Occupational Qualifications Sub-framework | |||
| QUALIFICATION TYPE | FIELD | SUBFIELD | ||
| Higher Occupational Cert | Field 03 - Business, Commerce and Management Studies | Marketing | ||
| ABET BAND | MINIMUM CREDITS | PRE-2009 NQF LEVEL | NQF LEVEL | QUAL CLASS |
| Undefined | 128 | Not Applicable | NQF Level 05 | Regular-ELOAC |
| REGISTRATION STATUS | SAQA DECISION NUMBER | REGISTRATION START DATE | REGISTRATION END DATE | |
| Registered | EXCO 0936/25 | 2025-11-13 | 2029-11-13 | |
| LAST DATE FOR ENROLMENT | LAST DATE FOR ACHIEVEMENT | |||
| 2030-11-13 | 2033-11-13 | |||
| In all of the tables in this document, both the pre-2009 NQF Level and the NQF Level is shown. In the text (purpose statements, qualification rules, etc), any references to NQF Levels are to the pre-2009 levels unless specifically stated otherwise. |
This qualification replaces: |
| Qual ID | Qualification Title | Pre-2009 NQF Level | NQF Level | Min Credits | Replacement Status |
| 59201 | National Certificate: Generic Management | Level 5 | Level TBA: Pre-2009 was L5 | 162 | Complete |
| 20908 | National Diploma: Customer Management | Level 5 | NQF Level 05 | 243 | Complete |
| PURPOSE AND RATIONALE OF THE QUALIFICATION |
| Purpose:
The purpose of the Higher Occupational Certificate: Customer Service Manager is to prepare a learner to operate as a Customer Service Manager. A customer service manager oversees and enhances customer service operations, ensuring that customers receive excellent support and satisfaction. They develop and implement policies, manage teams, and address escalated issues to promote a customer centric culture within the organisation. Learners will be equipped with the practical knowledge, leadership skills, and strategic insight needed to manage and enhance customer service operations effectively. This qualification prepares learners to lead teams, resolve complex customer issues, implement service strategies, and drive continuous improvement, while aligning service excellence with organizational goals. Additionally, the qualification empowers learners to grow professionally in customer-centric environments, enhancing their employability and readiness for supervisory and management roles in a wide range of service-oriented industries. A qualified learner will be able to: Typical Graduate attributes: Rationale: The Higher Occupational Certificate: Customer Service Manager is critical to address the growing demand for professional and competent management in customer service functions across industries. This role ensures the delivery of exceptional customer experiences, thereby enhancing organizational competitiveness. In South Africa, this qualification plays a crucial role in addressing several key challenges and opportunities. By improving service delivery, it tackles the pervasive issue of poor customer service, which significantly impacts brand reputation and customer retention across various sectors. It also supports economic growth by enhancing business sustainability through improved customer satisfaction and loyalty, which are essential for driving long-term success. Furthermore, the qualification creates structured pathways for individuals to develop leadership skills, promoting employment opportunities and career progression. By aligning with industry needs, it bridges critical skills gaps, equipping professionals with the foundational and advanced competencies required to lead customer service teams effectively and drive excellence in service management. The qualification will benefit to the sector, society and the economy by enhancing service quality and operational efficiency, driving competitiveness within industries. Improves consumer experiences, fostering trust and satisfaction in public and private sector services. Furthermore, it aims to strengthens businesses by improving client retention and revenue, contributing to broader economic development goals. Customer service representatives or team leaders requiring formal training to progress into managerial roles. Aspiring Customer Service Managers: Individuals seeking career advancement in customer service. Professionals from related fields aiming to transition into customer service management. Stakeholders within the customer service environment such as Regulatory bodies, professional bodies, associations, labour or employer organisations and/or other stakeholders were involved during the development of this occupational qualification. Typical occupations for qualifying learners include: |
| LEARNING ASSUMED TO BE IN PLACE AND RECOGNITION OF PRIOR LEARNING |
| Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL):
RPL for Access: Learners may use the RPL process to gain access to training opportunities for a qualification, if they do not meet the formal, minimum entry requirements for admission. RPL assessment provides an alternative access route into a qualification. Such an RPL assessment may be developed, moderated and conducted by the accredited Skills Development Provider which offers that specific qualification. Such an assessment must ensure that the learner is able to display the equivalent level of competencies required for access, based on the NQF level descriptors. RPL for credits: For exemption from modules through RPL, learners who have gained the stipulated competencies of the modules of a qualification through any means of formal, informal or nonformal learning and/or work experience, may be awarded credits towards relevant modules, and gaps identified for training, which is then concluded. RPL for Access to the External Integrated Summative Assessment (EISA): Learners who have gained the stipulated competencies of the modules of a qualification through any means of formal, informal or non-formal learning and/or work experience, may be awarded credits towards relevant modules, and gaps identified for training, which is then concluded.Upon successful completion of the EISA, RPL learners will be issued with the QCTO certificate for the qualification. Quality Partners are responsible for ensuring the RPL mechanism and process for qualifications and part-qualification is approved by the QCTO. Entry Requirements: An NQF Level 4 qualification with Communication and Mathematical Literacy. |
| RECOGNISE PREVIOUS LEARNING? |
| N |
| QUALIFICATION RULES |
| This qualification is made up of compulsory Knowledge, Practical Skill and Work Experience Modules:
Knowledge Modules: Total number of credits for Knowledge Modules: 32 Practical Skill Modules: Total number of credits for Practical Skill Modules: 56 Work Experience Modules: Total number of credits for Work Experience Modules: 40 |
| EXIT LEVEL OUTCOMES |
| 1. Implement comprehensive customer service policies, procedures and strategies.
2. Manage customer interactions across multiple channels for customer satisfaction and loyalty. 3. Investigate and resolve customer complaints and improve service processes. 4. Lead and manage customer service teams. |
| ASSOCIATED ASSESSMENT CRITERIA |
| Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 1:
ELO 1: Implement comprehensive customer service policies, procedures and strategies Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 2: ELO 2: Manage customer interactions across multiple channels for customer satisfaction and loyalty Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 3: ELO 3: Investigate and resolve customer complaints and improve service processes Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 4: ELO 4: Lead and manage customer service teams Integrated Assessment: Integrated Formative Assessments: Formative assessments are conducted throughout the training of learners. A range of formal, non-formal, and informal ongoing assessment activities are used to focus on teaching and learning outcomes to improve learner attainment. Formative assessments are conducted continuously by the facilitator to feed into further learning, to identify strengths and weakness, and to ensure the learner's ability to apply knowledge, skills and workplace experience gained. They are also conducted by the accredited Skills Development Provider (SDP), and a variety of ongoing assessment methods may be used, for example: Continuous feedback must be provided. Integrated Summative Assessments: Integrated Assessment involves all the different types of assessment tasks required for a particular qualification such as written assessment of theory and practical demonstration of competence. To achieve this, the Internal Assessment Criteria (IAC) for all modules as found in the QCTO curriculum document must be followed. An accredited SDP should implement a well-designed, formal, relevant, final internal Summative Assessment strategy for all modules to prepare learners for the EISA. These assessments evaluate learning achievements relating to the achievement of each module of the relevant components of the qualification. Internal Summative Assessments are developed, moderated and conducted by the SDP at the end of each module or after integration of relevant modules, e.g. applied knowledge tests, workplace tasks, practical demonstrations, simulated tasks/demonstrations, projects, case studies, etc. The results of these final formal summative assessments must be recorded. These results, which include the Statement of Work Experience results, where applicable, contribute to the Statement of Results (SoR) that is a requirement for admission to the EISA. An SoR, using the template provided by the Quality Partner, is issued by the accredited SDP for qualifications. The SDP must produce a valid Statement of Results for each learner, indicating the final result and the date on which the competence in each module, of each component, was achieved. Learners are required to produce this SoR, together with their ID document or alternative ID document, at the point of the EISA. External Integrated Summative Assessment (EISA): The Quality Partner is responsible for the management, conduct and implementation of the External Integrated Summative Assessment (EISA), in accordance with QCTO set standards. Competence in the EISA is a requirement for certificating a learner. For entrance into the EISA, the learner requires a valid Statement of Results issued by the accredited institution indicating: The attainment of all modules for the Knowledge, Practical and Work Experience modules. Or The attainment of all modules for the Knowledge and Application Components. |
| INTERNATIONAL COMPARABILITY |
| This qualification was compared to the following international qualifications:
Country: India Institution name: Indian Institute of Customer Experience Qualification title: Advanced Diploma in Customer Relationship Management Level: Level 5 on India's National Skills Qualification Framework (NSQF). Duration: 12 Months (Full-Time) Entry Requirements: Core Competencies Compared: Knowledge, Skills, and Competencies Compared: Similarities: Differences: Country: Canada Institution name: George Brown College, Toronto Qualification title: Diploma in Customer Experience Management Level: Level 5 on Canada's National Occupational Classification (NOC) Duration: 16 Months Entry Requirements: Core Competencies Compared: Knowledge, Skills, and Competencies Compared: Similarities: Differences: The SA qualification emphasises a balance between managerial and operational aspects, whereas the GBC qualification incorporates a more advanced use of data analytics and innovative practices in customer experience design. Conclusion: The Higher Occupational Certificate: Customer Service Manager (NQF Level 5) aligns well with international standards in customer service management education. Both Indian and Canadian qualifications emphasise the importance of customer-centric strategies, leadership, and data-driven decision-making. While South Africa's qualification provides a robust foundation in policy development and stakeholder collaboration, the international counterparts leverage advanced technologies and customer experience analytics. |
| ARTICULATION OPTIONS |
| This qualification provides opportunities for horizontal, vertical and diagonal articulation options.
Horizontal Articulation: Vertical Articulation: Diagonal Articulation: |
| MODERATION OPTIONS |
| N/A. |
| CRITERIA FOR THE REGISTRATION OF ASSESSORS |
| N/A. |
| NOTES |
| Additional Legal or Physical Entry Requirements:
Criteria for the accreditation of providers: Curriculum code and title: Encompassed Trade: Assessment Quality Partner (AQP): |
| LEARNING PROGRAMMES RECORDED AGAINST THIS QUALIFICATION: |
| When qualifications are replaced, some (but not all) of their learning programmes are moved to the replacement qualifications. If a learning programme appears to be missing from here, please check the replaced qualification. |
| NONE |
| PROVIDERS CURRENTLY ACCREDITED TO OFFER THIS QUALIFICATION: |
| This information shows the current accreditations (i.e. those not past their accreditation end dates), and is the most complete record available to SAQA as of today. Some Primary or Delegated Quality Assurance Functionaries have a lag in their recording systems for provider accreditation, in turn leading to a lag in notifying SAQA of all the providers that they have accredited to offer qualifications and unit standards, as well as any extensions to accreditation end dates. The relevant Primary or Delegated Quality Assurance Functionary should be notified if a record appears to be missing from here. |
| NONE |
| All qualifications and part qualifications registered on the National Qualifications Framework are public property. Thus the only payment that can be made for them is for service and reproduction. It is illegal to sell this material for profit. If the material is reproduced or quoted, the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA) should be acknowledged as the source. |