Customer service started out as help offered at a desk at the back of a department store, and evolved with the invention of the telephone. In today’s hyperconnected world, customer service is more than just the helpdesk agent that answers your questions when you call an 800 number for help. It’s grown to encompass every interaction that a customer has with a brand. It includes phone, email, chat, web forms, and social communications, as well as self-service support sites. And it happens before, during, and after a sale.