Desk clerk vs customer service clerk

The differences between desk clerks and customer service clerks can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a customer service clerk has an average salary of $33,566, which is higher than the $29,096 average annual salary of a desk clerk.

The top three skills for a desk clerk include reservations, front desk and customer service. The most important skills for a customer service clerk are customer service, basic math, and front end.

Desk clerk vs customer service clerk overview

	Desk Clerk	Customer Service Clerk
Yearly salary	$29,096	$33,566
Hourly rate	$13.99	$16.14
Growth rate	-	-4%
Number of jobs	113,183	361,383
Job satisfaction	5	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 35%	High School Diploma, 32%
Average age	37	40
Years of experience	-	12

What does a desk clerk do?

The desk clerk or general office clerk is an employee who works with little supervision from the manager. The duties and responsibilities of desk clerks vary depending on the industry they belong to. These may include but are not limited to answering phone calls, electronic correspondence, filing paperwork, taking and maintaining inventory levels, and setting calendars and schedules. They are expected to always offer excellent customer service. In hotels, they check-in and check-out their guests.

What does a customer service clerk do?

A customer service clerk is responsible for resolving client issues, giving requested information, and providing clients high-quality customer service. Customer service clerks' tasks include sharing information, responding to and recording requests, collecting payments, and resolving billing disputes. Also, they ensure that products or services are delivered promptly to customers. Applicants to the job must be able to listen and communicate well. They must have excellent customer service skills and be able to multitask. Skills in conflict resolution and problem-solving will also give them an edge.

Desk clerk vs customer service clerk salary

Desk clerks and customer service clerks have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Desk Clerk	Customer Service Clerk
Average salary	$29,096	$33,566
Salary range	Between $23,000 And $36,000	Between $26,000 And $42,000
Highest paying City	San Francisco, CA	Anchorage, AK
Highest paying state	California	Alaska
Best paying company	Deborah's Place	United States Courts
Best paying industry	Manufacturing	Retail

Differences between desk clerk and customer service clerk education

There are a few differences between a desk clerk and a customer service clerk in terms of educational background:

	Desk Clerk	Customer Service Clerk
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 35%	High School Diploma, 32%
Most common major	Business	Business
Most common college	-	-

Desk clerk vs customer service clerk demographics

Here are the differences between desk clerks' and customer service clerks' demographics:

	Desk Clerk	Customer Service Clerk
Average age	37	40
Gender ratio	Male, 30.0% Female, 70.0%	Male, 33.0% Female, 67.0%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 10.6% Unknown, 6.5% Hispanic or Latino, 16.5% Asian, 10.0% White, 55.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.3%	Black or African American, 11.6% Unknown, 5.3% Hispanic or Latino, 22.3% Asian, 6.4% White, 53.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7%
LGBT Percentage	13%	7%

Differences between desk clerk and customer service clerk duties and responsibilities

Desk clerk example responsibilities.

Manage customer service issues with ease and charm and train other co workers in daily operations.
Assist with setting up meetings using PowerPoint presentations.
Book keeping, check ins, paperwork, PowerPoint, enter information into database.
Communicate with previous shift, organize shift and review reservations and update contingency
Position require guest reservations to be coordinate with housekeeping and maintenance needs.
Register new patients and updates existing patient demographics by collecting patient detail patient information including personal and financial information.

Customer service clerk example responsibilities.

Manage cash balances and inventory stock accurately; ensure cleanliness of all work stations and guarantee excellent customer service.
Show excellence in providing customer service satisfaction by packing then delivering groceries to customers' vehicles.
Hone in on and strengthen problem solving, quick thinking, and math skills.
Support RSA authentication service for remote customer using VPN access, with RSA token.
Help clients identify and resolve issues pertaining, but not limit to, VPN configuration, web hosting and domain registration.
Operate cash register, processing transactions with cash, credit card, debit, check, food stamp and WIC coupons.

Desk clerk vs customer service clerk skills

Common desk clerk skills

Reservations, 22%
Front Desk, 14%
Customer Service, 12%
Room Availability, 11%
Direct Calls, 6%
Telephone Calls, 5%

Common customer service clerk skills

Customer Service, 13%
Basic Math, 12%
Front End, 11%
Math, 10%
Cash Handling, 9%
Customer Inquiries, 8%

Desk Clerk vs. similar jobs

Desk Clerk related careers

Desk Clerk related jobs

What similar roles do

Zippia Careers
Office and Administrative Industry
Desk Clerk
Desk Clerk vs Customer Service Clerk

Updated January 8, 2025

Browse office and administrative jobs