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The differences between customer associates and customer relations 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 relations associate. Additionally, a customer relations associate has an average salary of $35,656, 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 relations associate are customer relations, processing orders, and problem resolution.
| Customer Associate | Customer Relations Associate | |
| Yearly salary | $32,989 | $35,656 |
| Hourly rate | $15.86 | $17.14 |
| Growth rate | -4% | -4% |
| Number of jobs | 191,027 | 187,813 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 43% | Bachelor's Degree, 57% |
| Average age | 40 | 40 |
| Years of experience | 12 | 12 |
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.
A Customer Relations Associate is primarily in charge of assisting clients by answering inquiries, troubleshooting problems, and promptly and efficiently resolving issues to ensure client satisfaction. They typically communicate with clients through calls, correspondence, or even through appointments. There are also instances where they may refer them to other specialists, offer products and services, discuss product specifications, arrange payment plans, and negotiate contracts, building positive relationships along the way. Moreover, a customer relations associate maintains records of all transactions, reporting to managers regularly.
Customer associates and customer relations associates have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Customer Associate | Customer Relations Associate | |
| Average salary | $32,989 | $35,656 |
| Salary range | Between $21,000 And $51,000 | Between $26,000 And $47,000 |
| Highest paying City | Los Angeles, CA | - |
| Highest paying state | California | - |
| Best paying company | Udemy | - |
| Best paying industry | Telecommunication | - |
There are a few differences between a customer associate and a customer relations associate in terms of educational background:
| Customer Associate | Customer Relations Associate | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 43% | Bachelor's Degree, 57% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between customer associates' and customer relations associates' demographics:
| Customer Associate | Customer Relations Associate | |
| Average age | 40 | 40 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 42.6% Female, 57.4% | Male, 37.4% Female, 62.6% |
| 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, 12.6% Unknown, 5.5% Hispanic or Latino, 18.4% Asian, 7.8% White, 55.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% |
| LGBT Percentage | 7% | 7% |