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The differences between center specialists and call center associates can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 6-12 months to become both a center specialist and a call center associate. Additionally, a center specialist has an average salary of $33,648, which is higher than the $31,363 average annual salary of a call center associate.
The top three skills for a center specialist include patients, customer service and necessary paperwork. The most important skills for a call center associate are patients, inbound calls, and customer service.
| Center Specialist | Call Center Associate | |
| Yearly salary | $33,648 | $31,363 |
| Hourly rate | $16.18 | $15.08 |
| Growth rate | -4% | -4% |
| Number of jobs | 226,751 | 198,167 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 47% | Bachelor's Degree, 39% |
| Average age | 40 | 40 |
| Years of experience | 12 | 12 |
A call center specialist is an individual who interacts with customers over the phone to ensure smooth transactions and answer customer queries. Call center specialists provide customer service through the phone and handle complaints under the company's guidance and with professionalism and courtesy. They must verify the information for incoming orders and enter them into the database with accuracy. Call center specialists should maintain the call center database and must regularly update the contact log. They must also report malfunctioning equipment and software to their supervisors.
Call center associates are professionals who are responsible for taking inbound and outbound customer calls and handle responsibilities that include account inquiries, customer complaints, or product and support issues. These associates are required to provide quality assistance and customer service so that they can receive positive reviews from their customers. They must assist customers with technical support issues, which include updating product documentation and training materials. Call center associates must also accurately identify their customers' needs and objectives so that they can achieve the organization's sales goals.
Center specialists and call center associates have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Center Specialist | Call Center Associate | |
| Average salary | $33,648 | $31,363 |
| Salary range | Between $24,000 And $46,000 | Between $22,000 And $43,000 |
| Highest paying City | Boston, MA | Albany, NY |
| Highest paying state | New Hampshire | New York |
| Best paying company | BP America Inc | Spectrum |
| Best paying industry | Finance | Finance |
There are a few differences between a center specialist and a call center associate in terms of educational background:
| Center Specialist | Call Center Associate | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 47% | Bachelor's Degree, 39% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between center specialists' and call center associates' demographics:
| Center Specialist | Call Center Associate | |
| Average age | 40 | 40 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 46.4% Female, 53.6% | Male, 35.0% Female, 65.0% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 11.4% Unknown, 5.2% Hispanic or Latino, 20.0% Asian, 7.1% White, 55.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% | Black or African American, 11.3% Unknown, 5.3% Hispanic or Latino, 19.3% Asian, 6.3% White, 57.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% |
| LGBT Percentage | 7% | 7% |