What does a Retention Specialist do?

Retention specialists communicate with customers, members, or employees to increase loyalty and retain businesses or services and quickly devise solutions to problems. They primarily communicate directly with employees, customers, or members who have issues with the organization or company. They gather information about the complaint and begin devising solutions and support for ongoing organizational improvement efforts.

Retention specialists may ask a series of questions related to the initial complaint, take notes, ask follow-up questions, and gather a complete picture of the issue. They develop and propose solutions including lower prices or incentives for a customer. They frequently provide reports to supervisors that highlight their activities and include detailed information related to the interaction, and outline steps taken to arrive at the solution and the outcome of conversations. They also compile reports monthly to help with organizational improvement and need at least a high school diploma or equivalency.

What responsibilities are common for Retention Specialist jobs?
  • Develop and manage the CRM, Email, and SMS programs.
  • Develop and automate end-to-end CRM strategies focused on retention and winback of existing customer.
  • vendor engagement and oversight and leads performance assessment of value benefit.
  • Provide leadership, direction, and functional guidance to junior team members.
  • Partner with other channels to ensure a seamless, holistic, and consumer experience.
  • Analyze client volumes and utilize the information to make needed adjustments and to develop strategic plans for the future.
  • Identify and support the use of current recruitment trends, vendors, and technologies.
  • Complete creative briefs and work with the appropriate teams (brand marketing, creative) to bring emails to execution.
  • Develop and execute test and learn initiatives, complete with detailed reporting for execution and rollout of plans.
  • Work as a consultant to drive business growth with product development, strategy, and management.
  • Work across the organization and collaborate with call center sales/operations team to develop and execute cancel-save strategies for call center agents.
  • Continually provide fresh ideas around improvements based on prevention/retention/saves trends and best-in-class benchmarks.
  • Achieve monthly targets in terms of renewal rates and other productivity metrics in maximizing revenue, minimizing cancellations and backlog.
What are the typical qualifications for Retention Specialist jobs?
  • Bachelor's Degree in business administration, computer science, information systems, or education.
  • Strong problem solving and decision making abilities.
  • Capable leader with excellent critical thinking skills.
  • Able to display confidence, strong work ethic, and positive attitude.
  • Quick learner who pays careful attention to detail.
  • Comfortable managing email and CRM systems.
EducationBachelor's Degree
Work/Life Balance
3.2 ★
Total Pay--
Career Opportunity
3.2 ★
Avg. Experience0-1 year

How much does a Retention Specialist make near United States?

Confident
$63,944 /yr
Total Pay
$44,370
 /yr

Base Pay

+
$19,574
 /yr

Additional Pay

$63,944

 / yr
$43K$98K
Most Likely Range
Possible Range
See More Insights

Retention Specialist Career Path

Learn how to become a Retention Specialist, what skills and education you need to succeed, and what level of pay to expect at each step on your career path.

Retention Specialist
$63,944/yr
Senior Retention Specialist
$64,485/yr
Retention Specialist

Years of Experience Distribution

0 - 1
46%
2 - 4
19%
5 - 7
1%
8+
34%
Not including years spent in education and/or training

Retention Specialist Insights

Read what Retention Specialist professionals have to say about their job experiences and view top companies for this career.
Achieve Test PrepAchieve Test Prep
Retention Team Leader
Apr 26, 2023

“I believe Achieve is a great opportunity for anyone looking to further their career in a remote setting.”

Specialized Staffing SolutionsSpecialized Staffing Solutions
Recruiting & Retention Specialist
Apr 11, 2022

“It's a great feeling knowing that I'm helping so many people find employment on a daily basis.”

Majik Rent-to-OwnMajik Rent-to-Own
Account Retention Manager
Jun 6, 2023

“The owner(Dan) wants us to succeed and grow and become the best version of ourselves(at work and our personal lives).”

AtlassianAtlassian
Customer Retention Specialist
Sep 1, 2022

“The company truly value work life balance and really supportive in terms of your career aspiration and your personal life goals.”

TELUSTELUS
Retention Specialist
Jun 9, 2021

“people you work with are great and pay is amazing.”

DIRECTVDIRECTV
Retention Specialist
Feb 13, 2022

“Flexible and good pay.”

American FrameAmerican Frame
Custom Framing Specialist
Jan 20, 2023

“I was hired in July as a permanent employee and then was immediately terminated after peak season ended.”

NordiaNordia
Retention Specialist
Nov 9, 2022

“My pay period is this week and conveniently if my computer isn’t received my pay will be affected.”

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Retention Specialist Interviews

Frequently asked questions about the roles and responsibilities of a Retention Specialist

When working as a Retention Specialist, the most common skills you will need to perform your job and for career success are Adobe Indesign, Service Cloud, CRM, Photoshop, and GOOD Communication.

The most similar professions to Retention Specialist are:
  • Sales Representative
  • Sales Manager
  • Regional Sales Manager
  • Customer Relations

The most common qualifications to become a Retention Specialist include a minimum of a Bachelor's Degree and an average of 0 - 1 years of experience not including years spent in education and/or training.

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