The position of the customer service department in the organizational structure has 3 main models: directly under Sales, directly under Operations (Operations), or directly under customer experience (CX) independently. There is no absolutely correct model. The correct model depends on your business's goals: earn more revenue is placed under Sales, maintain service quality is placed under Operations. For most small businesses, Customer Service is usually under Operations but works closely with Sales, because small teams need to be consistent instead of chasing sales (Zenify internal experience).
TL;DR
- 3 models: under Sales, under Operation, or independent (CX).
- Revenue target → under Sales; quality target → under Operations.
- Small business: should be put under Operation, closely coordinated with Sales.
- More important than location: Clear KPIs and share data between the two departments.
- Mistake: Customer care was forced → to oversell the service quality.
3 organizational models of customer service department
1. Customer service under Sales
This model puts customer service under the sales director , KPIs associated with sales: closing rate, upsell, single value.
Advantages | Disadvantages
Fast response, mounted switch | Easy to sacrifice service quality
Customer service clearly knows sales goals | Old regular customers are easily "forgotten" when they have little potential
One clue from lead to customer | Complaints can be avoided
Suitable: small business where employees cum both sales and care advice, or a period of strong sales need.
2. Customer Service under Operations
This model puts customer care under the operation director , KPIs associated with quality: CSAT, SLA, resolution time.
Advantages | Disadvantages
Focus on service quality | Can deviate from sales goals
Handle complaints objectively | Need a clear coordination process with Sales
Standardize good processes | There are no outstanding disadvantages
Suitable for: complex product businesses, repeat guests, or sensitive complaints.
3. Independent customer service (CX)
This model has its own chief experience officer (CCO/Head of CX) , balancing revenue and quality, multi-dimensional KPIs.
Relevance: larger enterprises see CX as a competitive advantage; small teams are unlikely to have enough resources for this model.
How to choose the right model
Choose from 3 questions:
What more does your business need: revenue or quality?
- Growing, need to → close sales.
- Guests come back a lot, complaints are more → inclined to operate.
How many people are on the team?
- Less than 10 people: almost cum, so the process is clearly more valuable than the structure.
What is the goal for the next 3 years?
- Want to build a service brand → towards an independent CX model.
For small businesses, the most practical: put Customer Service under Operation, deliver quality KPIs, but have a clear→ Customer Service Sales handover process so as not to break the journey.
What's more important than location: KPIs and general data
Wherever you are located, the two determinants are clear KPIs and shared data. If Sales and Customer Service look at two different guest profiles, the departmental boundaries will create a neglected "low-lying area." Should:
Both departments look at the same 360 client profile (see 360 Client Profile).
Customer care KPIs should include both quality and “retention value”, in recognition of their revenue contribution.
Have a clear handover process: when customers from Sales move to Customer Service, who is responsible for which stage (see Handing over Sales → Customer Service).