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Field support specialist vs support lead

The differences between field support specialists and support leads can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 1-2 years to become both a field support specialist and a support lead. Additionally, a support lead has an average salary of $86,816, which is higher than the $42,023 average annual salary of a field support specialist.

The top three skills for a field support specialist include technical support, customer satisfaction and customer service. The most important skills for a support lead are customer service, cash management, and POS.

Field support specialist vs support lead overview

Field Support SpecialistSupport Lead
Yearly salary$42,023$86,816
Hourly rate$20.20$41.74
Growth rate10%10%
Number of jobs147,62998,872
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 51%Bachelor's Degree, 58%
Average age4242
Years of experience22

What does a field support specialist do?

Field support specialists are expert professionals who are involved in performing duties related to on-site support. These specialists are required to provide technical support and solutions for technicians working on commercial job sites as well as customers in their homes or companies. They must work with team members to set up new office equipment and workstation and resolve any outstanding concerns surrounding the product setup. Field support specialists must also train new employees on the process of customer service to retain customers.

What does a support lead do?

A support lead is typically in charge of overseeing the performance of a technical support team, ensuring efficiency and customer satisfaction. Their responsibilities revolve around assessing the performance of the workforce, resolving complex issues, identifying customer needs and sales opportunities, and training new team members. They may also perform calls and correspondence, respond to inquiries, and resolve issues promptly. Furthermore, as a support lead, it is essential to perform clerical tasks such as preparing progress reports, managing schedules, and maintaining records of transactions.

Field support specialist vs support lead salary

Field support specialists and support leads have different pay scales, as shown below.

Field Support SpecialistSupport Lead
Average salary$42,023$86,816
Salary rangeBetween $26,000 And $66,000Between $63,000 And $118,000
Highest paying CityNew York, NYSan Francisco, CA
Highest paying stateNew JerseyCalifornia
Best paying companyContinental ResourcesApple
Best paying industryTechnology-

Differences between field support specialist and support lead education

There are a few differences between a field support specialist and a support lead in terms of educational background:

Field Support SpecialistSupport Lead
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 51%Bachelor's Degree, 58%
Most common majorBusinessBusiness
Most common collegeStanford UniversityStanford University

Field support specialist vs support lead demographics

Here are the differences between field support specialists' and support leads' demographics:

Field Support SpecialistSupport Lead
Average age4242
Gender ratioMale, 55.8% Female, 44.2%Male, 52.3% Female, 47.7%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 12.0% Unknown, 5.3% Hispanic or Latino, 15.5% Asian, 10.6% White, 56.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4%Black or African American, 10.5% Unknown, 5.3% Hispanic or Latino, 15.1% Asian, 14.6% White, 54.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4%
LGBT Percentage11%11%

Differences between field support specialist and support lead duties and responsibilities

Field support specialist example responsibilities.

  • Manage UNIX OS technical documentation and marketing materials.
  • Provide quick response and maintenance through the use of SMS and TCP/IP while maintaining SLA's.
  • Configure and install Cisco switches and routers.
  • Voice over IP (VOIP) system installations.
  • Uphold all EPA standards and MSHA environmental laws.
  • Coordinate migration of users to new AVAYA VOIP phones.
  • Show more

Support lead example responsibilities.

  • Manage chemical and gas specifications, ensuring they are in line with ISO requirements.
  • Lead a team of services professionals to provide store operations and point-of-sale (POS) hardware and software solutions.
  • Develop and manage a unify desktop/notebook PC image.
  • Manage ticket queues and prioritize escalations base on establish SLA's and resource availability.
  • Manage data mapping from legacy CRM systems, including creating data mapping documentation in preparation for migration to Salesforce.com.
  • Develop and maintain UNIX / Linux shell scripts to ensure smooth system operations and to facilitate critical reporting to security teams.
  • Show more

Field support specialist vs support lead skills

Common field support specialist skills
  • Technical Support, 15%
  • Customer Satisfaction, 15%
  • Customer Service, 8%
  • PowerPoint, 8%
  • Customer Support, 6%
  • Troubleshoot, 5%
Common support lead skills
  • Customer Service, 12%
  • Cash Management, 12%
  • POS, 7%
  • Sales Floor, 7%
  • Payroll, 5%
  • Infrastructure, 5%

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