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The differences between customer contact specialists and receptionist/customer services 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 contact specialist and a receptionist/customer service. Additionally, a customer contact specialist has an average salary of $35,056, which is higher than the $30,604 average annual salary of a receptionist/customer service.
The top three skills for a customer contact specialist include outbound calls, inbound calls and powerpoint. The most important skills for a receptionist/customer service are customer service, phone calls, and data entry.
| Customer Contact Specialist | Receptionist/Customer Service | |
| Yearly salary | $35,056 | $30,604 |
| Hourly rate | $16.85 | $14.71 |
| Growth rate | -4% | -4% |
| Number of jobs | 205,402 | 216,587 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 45% | High School Diploma, 35% |
| Average age | 40 | 40 |
| Years of experience | 12 | 12 |
A Customer Contact Specialist interacts with customers in providing information in response to product and service inquiries. They manage and provide resolution to client complaints. They respond to customer queries accurately and in time through email or phone. Part of their responsibilities is to develop corporate reputation thru excellent customer service. Customer Contact Specialist also coordinates front-desk activities like redirecting phone calls.
Receptionists or customer service professionals are considered as the first contact point of the clients. They usually greet and welcome guests visiting an office or organization. These are employees who serve as administrative or office support. They take responsibility for digital communication. It is their job to coordinate the front desk activities such as redirecting phone calls and distributing correspondence. They should be equipped with skills like attention to detail, dependability, and communication skills.
Customer contact specialists and receptionist/customer services have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Customer Contact Specialist | Receptionist/Customer Service | |
| Average salary | $35,056 | $30,604 |
| Salary range | Between $25,000 And $48,000 | Between $25,000 And $37,000 |
| Highest paying City | Quincy, MA | Billerica, MA |
| Highest paying state | Massachusetts | Minnesota |
| Best paying company | Deloitte | Uline |
| Best paying industry | Insurance | Manufacturing |
There are a few differences between a customer contact specialist and a receptionist/customer service in terms of educational background:
| Customer Contact Specialist | Receptionist/Customer Service | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 45% | High School Diploma, 35% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between customer contact specialists' and receptionist/customer services' demographics:
| Customer Contact Specialist | Receptionist/Customer Service | |
| Average age | 40 | 40 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 35.0% Female, 65.0% | Male, 8.0% Female, 92.0% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 10.3% Unknown, 5.7% Hispanic or Latino, 21.5% Asian, 6.5% White, 55.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% | Black or African American, 10.7% Unknown, 5.2% Hispanic or Latino, 25.4% Asian, 6.1% White, 51.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% |
| LGBT Percentage | 7% | 7% |