Customer care agent vs customer care associate

The differences between customer care agents 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 care agent and a customer care associate. Additionally, a customer care associate has an average salary of $33,115, which is higher than the $31,774 average annual salary of a customer care agent.

The top three skills for a customer care agent include customer care, customer service and work ethic. The most important skills for a customer care associate are customer care, patients, and customer service.

Customer care agent vs customer care associate overview

	Customer Care Agent	Customer Care Associate
Yearly salary	$31,774	$33,115
Hourly rate	$15.28	$15.92
Growth rate	-4%	-4%
Number of jobs	268,932	250,296
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 35%	Bachelor's Degree, 39%
Average age	40	40
Years of experience	12	12

What does a customer care agent do?

A customer care agent is responsible for assisting the customers' inquiries and concerns regarding the goods and services of the company, as well as resolving and escalating complaints, ensuring that the needs of customers are addressed timely and accurately. Customer care agents also take customers' orders, process their payments, and set delivery or shipment schedules. They assist with the development of strategic procedures, as well as operational techniques, to increase productivity and generate more revenues and profits for the business.

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 care agent vs customer care associate salary

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

	Customer Care Agent	Customer Care Associate
Average salary	$31,774	$33,115
Salary range	Between $26,000 And $38,000	Between $24,000 And $43,000
Highest paying City	Santa Clara, CA	San Diego, CA
Highest paying state	Washington	California
Best paying company	Bassett Furniture Industries	Centennial Bank
Best paying industry	Retail	Insurance

Differences between customer care agent and customer care associate education

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

	Customer Care Agent	Customer Care Associate
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 35%	Bachelor's Degree, 39%
Most common major	Business	Business
Most common college	-	-

Customer care agent vs customer care associate demographics

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

	Customer Care Agent	Customer Care Associate
Average age	40	40
Gender ratio	Male, 34.7% Female, 65.3%	Male, 30.1% Female, 69.9%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 12.8% Unknown, 5.4% Hispanic or Latino, 19.5% Asian, 6.4% White, 55.2% 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 care agent and customer care associate duties and responsibilities

Customer care agent example responsibilities.

Manage and plan escalations; assure HIPPA guidelines are followed for confidentially and privacy.
Apply excellent upselling techniques to increase company profits.
Answer all inquiries and concerns relate to a participant's account with the upselling of products and services.
Demonstrate superb organizational and multitasking abilities
Provide superior customer service to inbound calls from DirecTV customers regarding their schedule service/install appointment.

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 care agent vs customer care associate skills

Common customer care agent skills

Customer Care, 22%
Customer Service, 12%
Work Ethic, 9%
Excellent Interpersonal, 6%
Customer Interaction, 5%
Excellent Organizational, 5%

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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Zippia Careers
Office and Administrative Industry
Customer Care Agent
Customer Care Agent vs Customer Care Associate

Updated January 8, 2025

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