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The differences between call agents and customer service-call center managers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 6-12 months to become a call agent, becoming a customer service-call center manager takes usually requires 4-6 years. Additionally, a customer service-call center manager has an average salary of $33,476, which is higher than the $28,192 average annual salary of a call agent.
The top three skills for a call agent include customer service, inbound calls and telephone calls. The most important skills for a customer service-call center manager are inbound calls, data entry, and customer care.
| Call Agent | Customer Service-Call Center Manager | |
| Yearly salary | $28,192 | $33,476 |
| Hourly rate | $13.55 | $16.09 |
| Growth rate | -4% | 6% |
| Number of jobs | 208,872 | 189,413 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 38% | High School Diploma, 31% |
| Average age | 40 | 44 |
| Years of experience | 12 | 6 |
A call agent works at call centers where they are primarily in charge of handling inbound and outbound calls. They are usually responsible for offering products and services to clients, answering questions, discussing product specifications, arranging payment plans, and negotiating contracts, building positive relationships in the process. They may also handle complaints, troubleshoot issues, provide step-by-step instructions, and refer them to other services when necessary. Moreover, a call agent maintains records of all transactions and produces detailed reports, coordinating with managers regularly.
A customer service/call center manager is responsible for monitoring the operations of a call center department, ensuring that the team members provide excellent customer service to the clients by responding quickly to their inquiries and concerns and providing immediate resolutions for complaints. Customer service/call center managers keep track of the staff's performance, analyzing metrics, and developing strategies to maximize productivity. They also assist the representatives in handling difficult calls and escalated complaints, authorizing refunds, and replacing products as needed. To perform these tasks, a customer service/call center manager must have excellent leadership and communication skills.
Call agents and customer service-call center managers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Call Agent | Customer Service-Call Center Manager | |
| Average salary | $28,192 | $33,476 |
| Salary range | Between $22,000 And $35,000 | Between $27,000 And $40,000 |
| Highest paying City | New York, NY | Wallingford, CT |
| Highest paying state | New York | Connecticut |
| Best paying company | Chewy | CENTER FOR SIGHT |
| Best paying industry | Finance | Telecommunication |
There are a few differences between a call agent and a customer service-call center manager in terms of educational background:
| Call Agent | Customer Service-Call Center Manager | |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 38% | High School Diploma, 31% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | - | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between call agents' and customer service-call center managers' demographics:
| Call Agent | Customer Service-Call Center Manager | |
| Average age | 40 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 33.4% Female, 66.6% | Male, 29.3% Female, 70.7% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 11.6% Unknown, 5.3% Hispanic or Latino, 20.4% Asian, 6.7% White, 55.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% | Black or African American, 6.3% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 15.4% Asian, 6.4% White, 67.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5% |
| LGBT Percentage | 7% | 10% |