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The differences between customer service 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 service associate and a customer care associate. Additionally, a customer care associate has an average salary of $33,115, which is higher than the $31,709 average annual salary of a customer service associate.
The top three skills for a customer service associate include patients, sales floor and plumbing. The most important skills for a customer care associate are customer care, patients, and customer service.
| Customer Service Associate | Customer Care Associate | |
| Yearly salary | $31,709 | $33,115 |
| Hourly rate | $15.24 | $15.92 |
| Growth rate | -4% | -4% |
| Number of jobs | 380,943 | 250,296 |
| Job satisfaction | 5 | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 35% | Bachelor's Degree, 39% |
| Average age | 40 | 40 |
| Years of experience | 12 | 12 |
Customer service associates are representatives of the company who are responsible for solving customer concerns. They provide exceptional service to clients to ensure that their problems are solved and that the relationship between the client and the company remains strong. Customer service associates are in-charge of processing transactions, maintaining a good working relationship between the client and the company, ensuring that the client remains loyal to the company, and working on the requests of the client. Through all of this, customer service associates must keep any information they may encounter confidential. They should also have time management skills, problem-solving skills, and customer service skills.
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 service associates and customer care associates have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Customer Service Associate | Customer Care Associate | |
| Average salary | $31,709 | $33,115 |
| Salary range | Between $24,000 And $40,000 | Between $24,000 And $43,000 |
| Highest paying City | Richmond, CA | San Diego, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | Fidelity Investments | Centennial Bank |
| Best paying industry | Finance | Insurance |
There are a few differences between a customer service associate and a customer care associate in terms of educational background:
| Customer Service Associate | Customer Care Associate | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 35% | Bachelor's Degree, 39% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between customer service associates' and customer care associates' demographics:
| Customer Service Associate | Customer Care Associate | |
| Average age | 40 | 40 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 38.4% Female, 61.6% | Male, 30.1% Female, 69.9% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 11.8% Unknown, 5.4% Hispanic or Latino, 19.5% Asian, 6.6% White, 55.9% 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% |