Communication center operator vs answering service telephone operator

The differences between communication center operators and answering service telephone operators can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 1-2 years to become both a communication center operator and an answering service telephone operator. Additionally, an answering service telephone operator has an average salary of $35,244, which is higher than the $30,490 average annual salary of a communication center operator.

The top three skills for a communication center operator include customer service, emergency situations and CCTV. The most important skills for an answering service telephone operator are customer service, appointment scheduling, and transferring calls.

Communication center operator vs answering service telephone operator overview

	Communication Center Operator	Answering Service Telephone Operator
Yearly salary	$30,490	$35,244
Hourly rate	$14.66	$16.94
Growth rate	4%	-
Number of jobs	55,730	26,945
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 43%	Associate Degree, 32%
Average age	53	53
Years of experience	2	2

Communication center operator vs answering service telephone operator salary

Communication center operators and answering service telephone operators have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Communication Center Operator	Answering Service Telephone Operator
Average salary	$30,490	$35,244
Salary range	Between $23,000 And $39,000	Between $23,000 And $52,000
Highest paying City	Los Gatos, CA	-
Highest paying state	Minnesota	-
Best paying company	Rockwell Collins	-
Best paying industry	Technology	-

Differences between communication center operator and answering service telephone operator education

There are a few differences between a communication center operator and an answering service telephone operator in terms of educational background:

	Communication Center Operator	Answering Service Telephone Operator
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 43%	Associate Degree, 32%
Most common major	Criminal Justice	Health Care Administration
Most common college	-	-

Communication center operator vs answering service telephone operator demographics

Here are the differences between communication center operators' and answering service telephone operators' demographics:

	Communication Center Operator	Answering Service Telephone Operator
Average age	53	53
Gender ratio	Male, 60.2% Female, 39.8%	Male, 14.6% Female, 85.4%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 14.3% Unknown, 4.0% Hispanic or Latino, 17.6% Asian, 3.7% White, 59.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.4%	Black or African American, 13.0% Unknown, 3.5% Hispanic or Latino, 13.3% Asian, 4.4% White, 64.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.2%
LGBT Percentage	19%	19%

Differences between communication center operator and answering service telephone operator duties and responsibilities

Communication center operator example responsibilities.

Interpret and respond to system messages through use of JES2, MVS, SDSF and automate commands.
Utilize Microsoft PowerPoint to create visual representations of banker diagrams; and graphic objects.
Maintain the mainframe job scheduling system monitoring CA7 production support, filling customer request for change orders.
Answer Lenel alarms, monitor CCTVs, conduct camera audits, conduct incidents reports and submit work orders.
Perform UNIX backups and report any necessary abnormalities.
Train new console operators on new Honeywell security system.

Answering service telephone operator example responsibilities.

Protect patient privacy by following HIPAA regulations, as well as maintaining confidential information within the hospital intranet.
Maintain great customer relations with VIP arrivals

Communication center operator vs answering service telephone operator skills

Common communication center operator skills

Customer Service, 26%
Emergency Situations, 8%
CCTV, 6%
Incident Reports, 6%
Security Systems, 4%
Background Checks, 4%

Common answering service telephone operator skills

Customer Service, 38%
Appointment Scheduling, 12%
Transferring Calls, 12%
Two-Way Radio, 10%
Switchboards, 9%
Computer System, 7%

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Office and Administrative Industry
Communication Center Operator
Communication Center Operator vs Answering Service Telephone Operator

Updated January 8, 2025

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