Customer associate vs customer care associate

The differences between customer associates and customer care 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 customer associate and a customer care associate. Additionally, a customer care associate has an average salary of $33,115, which is higher than the $32,989 average annual salary of a customer associate.

The top three skills for a customer associate include sales floor, product knowledge and customer service. The most important skills for a customer care associate are customer care, patients, and customer service.

Customer associate vs customer care associate overview

	Customer Associate	Customer Care Associate
Yearly salary	$32,989	$33,115
Hourly rate	$15.86	$15.92
Growth rate	-4%	-4%
Number of jobs	191,027	250,296
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 43%	Bachelor's Degree, 39%
Average age	40	40
Years of experience	12	12

What does a customer associate do?

A customer associate is responsible for providing the best customer service by assisting the customers with their inquiries and concerns, as well as resolving their complaints, processing replacements, and issuing refunds as needed. Customer associates also sell products and services to the customers, demonstrating product features, and identifying business opportunities to drive more revenues and profits for the business. They must have excellent communication and organizational skills to process orders and payments timely and accurately.

What does a customer care associate do?

A customer care associate's role focuses on providing customer support and service, ensuring optimal services and client satisfaction. Their responsibilities typically revolve around assisting walk-in customers by answering inquiries, offering recommendations or alternatives, and informing them of any promos or discounts. It is essential to devise strategies to identify customer needs, providing them as needed. Furthermore, a customer care associate may answer inquiries made through calls or correspondence, make reservations, handle complaints or concerns, and resolve them according to the company's policies and regulations.

Customer associate vs customer care associate salary

Customer associates and customer care associates have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Customer Associate	Customer Care Associate
Average salary	$32,989	$33,115
Salary range	Between $21,000 And $51,000	Between $24,000 And $43,000
Highest paying City	Los Angeles, CA	San Diego, CA
Highest paying state	California	California
Best paying company	Udemy	Centennial Bank
Best paying industry	Telecommunication	Insurance

Differences between customer associate and customer care associate education

There are a few differences between a customer associate and a customer care associate in terms of educational background:

	Customer Associate	Customer Care Associate
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 43%	Bachelor's Degree, 39%
Most common major	Business	Business
Most common college	-	-

Customer associate vs customer care associate demographics

Here are the differences between customer associates' and customer care associates' demographics:

	Customer Associate	Customer Care Associate
Average age	40	40
Gender ratio	Male, 42.6% Female, 57.4%	Male, 30.1% Female, 69.9%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 12.1% Unknown, 5.6% Hispanic or Latino, 19.9% Asian, 6.9% White, 54.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7%	Black or African American, 12.4% Unknown, 5.3% Hispanic or Latino, 18.7% Asian, 6.7% White, 56.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7%
LGBT Percentage	7%	7%

Differences between customer associate and customer care associate duties and responsibilities

Customer associate example responsibilities.

Manage product queries, process orders and deliveries of medical devices to NHS and private hospitals in UK.
Collaborate with management to train new employees on company policies and procedures and manage customer concerns via LiveChat.
Provide troubleshooting steps to service apple products.
Answer phones, operate POS and collect payments of cash, credit/debit cards and checks.
Job duties include not only calls, but faxing, copying, outlook, multitasking.
Require to have above average language skills, phone, negotiating, collaboration, persuasion, innovation.

Customer care associate example responsibilities.

Continue to manage a high volume of customer calls relate to HMO, PPO and POS concerns.
Verify HIPAA member information, update members account, expedite payments, explain health and dental plan benefits options.
Answer inbound calls assisting customers with billing questions, troubleshoot for customers, and assist customers with service plans and upgrading packages
Receive inbound provider calls at a call center regarding patients medical insurance benefits and eligibility, edit and process Medicare claims.
Provide superior customer service to inbound calls from DirecTV customers regarding their schedule service/install appointment.

Customer associate vs customer care associate skills

Common customer associate skills

Sales Floor, 24%
Product Knowledge, 22%
Customer Service, 13%
Phone Calls, 7%
Customer Calls, 3%
Outbound Calls, 3%

Common customer care associate skills

Customer Care, 21%
Patients, 16%
Customer Service, 7%
Telephone Inquiries, 6%
Customer Support, 5%
Home Health, 3%

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Office and Administrative Industry
Customer Associate
Customer Associate vs Customer Care Associate

Updated January 8, 2025

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