Agent vs call center agent

The differences between agents and call center agents can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, an agent has an average salary of $37,864, which is higher than the $31,180 average annual salary of a call center agent.

The top three skills for an agent include insurance products, customer service and life insurance. The most important skills for a call center agent are customer service, strong customer service, and data entry.

Agent vs call center agent overview

	Agent	Call Center Agent
Yearly salary	$37,864	$31,180
Hourly rate	$18.20	$14.99
Growth rate	6%	-4%
Number of jobs	184,325	131,722
Job satisfaction	2	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 44%	High School Diploma, 35%
Average age	46	40
Years of experience	-	12

What does an agent do?

Agents are individuals who are employed by their clients to represent them in various dealings. Agents are usually employed by people in the show business industry, such as actors, writers, or directors. They meet people who are interested in dealing with their clients. They listen to the plans and vision for the project and assess if the project fits their clients' interests or public image. In the case of agents whose clients are actors, they send their clients to auditions upon review of the project details. Agents are also responsible for negotiating terms on behalf of their clients, such as salary, royalties, and set benefits, among others. They also inform the project leaders of their clients' demands on set. Agents are expected to be business-savvy and good negotiators.

What does a call center agent do?

A call center agent is responsible for answering calls and assisting clients by responding to inquiries. They also handle complaints and resolve issues, troubleshoot errors, and process applications. The tasks of a call center agent will vary on the directives of supervisors. There are instances when they must make calls to gather or give information, sell products, and discuss a particular subject. Furthermore, most of the duties take place in a team setting, which is why it is essential to coordinate with colleagues and adhere to the company's policies and regulations at all times.

Agent vs call center agent salary

Agents and call center agents have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Agent	Call Center Agent
Average salary	$37,864	$31,180
Salary range	Between $19,000 And $72,000	Between $23,000 And $41,000
Highest paying City	New York, NY	New York, NY
Highest paying state	New York	Minnesota
Best paying company	Latham & Watkins	University of California, Berkeley
Best paying industry	-	Finance

Differences between agent and call center agent education

There are a few differences between an agent and a call center agent in terms of educational background:

	Agent	Call Center Agent
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 44%	High School Diploma, 35%
Most common major	Business	Business
Most common college	University of Pennsylvania	-

Agent vs call center agent demographics

Here are the differences between agents' and call center agents' demographics:

	Agent	Call Center Agent
Average age	46	40
Gender ratio	Male, 50.5% Female, 49.5%	Male, 30.8% Female, 69.2%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 9.2% Unknown, 3.6% Hispanic or Latino, 15.8% Asian, 4.9% White, 66.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1%	Black or African American, 12.1% Unknown, 5.4% Hispanic or Latino, 21.0% Asian, 5.9% White, 55.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7%
LGBT Percentage	7%	7%

Differences between agent and call center agent duties and responsibilities

Agent example responsibilities.

Schedule and meet individuals\groups for assign or self-generate leads, assist and enroll eligible individuals in suitable Medicare product.
Verify documentation and coding using CPT and ICD-9 correct coding standards.
Assist TANF customers with obtaining employment.
Direct compliance with all CPT and Medicare guidelines.
Train BDC representatives on phone skills and CRM use.
Bill appropriate ICD-9 codes to the correct insurance companies.

Call center agent example responsibilities.

Submit bills for reimbursement to private insurers Medicaid and Medicare.
Provide excellent customer service by helping customer troubleshoot technical needs for Internet services.
Assist customers with any technical issues experience with website and escalate any issues to management appropriately.
Maintain personal computer and troubleshoot computer software problems.
Familiarize and provide information on general Medicare eligibility and information.
Verify information and input information concerning the conversation and escalate if need.

Agent vs call center agent skills

Common agent skills

Insurance Products, 11%
Customer Service, 10%
Life Insurance, 8%
HR, 6%
Inbound Calls, 6%
Financial Services, 6%

Common call center agent skills

Customer Service, 20%
Strong Customer Service, 15%
Data Entry, 9%
Telephone Calls, 7%
Inbound Phone Calls, 5%
Customer Care, 5%

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Agent vs Call Center Agent

Updated January 8, 2025

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