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The differences between receptionist/customer services and customer service specialists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 6-12 months to become both a receptionist/customer service and a customer service specialist. Additionally, a customer service specialist has an average salary of $33,238, which is higher than the $30,604 average annual salary of a receptionist/customer service.
The top three skills for a receptionist/customer service include customer service, phone calls and data entry. The most important skills for a customer service specialist are customer service, strong customer service, and cleanliness.
| Receptionist/Customer Service | Customer Service Specialist | |
| Yearly salary | $30,604 | $33,238 |
| Hourly rate | $14.71 | $15.98 |
| Growth rate | -4% | -4% |
| Number of jobs | 216,587 | 223,323 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 4 |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 35% | Bachelor's Degree, 43% |
| Average age | 40 | 40 |
| Years of experience | 12 | 12 |
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 service specialists are employees who are responsible for providing the best customer experience to customers, usually for after-sales transactions. They attend to customers' inquiries and provide answers to their questions on products or services that the company offers. They also address customer complaints and help mitigate the concerns by offering solutions such as instructions on how to fix defects, or processing replacements or refunds. Customer service specialists also listen to customer feedback and ensure that these are logged properly so that proper departments will be able to receive them.
Receptionist/customer services and customer service specialists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Receptionist/Customer Service | Customer Service Specialist | |
| Average salary | $30,604 | $33,238 |
| Salary range | Between $25,000 And $37,000 | Between $26,000 And $42,000 |
| Highest paying City | Billerica, MA | Boston, MA |
| Highest paying state | Minnesota | Massachusetts |
| Best paying company | Uline | Dell |
| Best paying industry | Manufacturing | Finance |
There are a few differences between a receptionist/customer service and a customer service specialist in terms of educational background:
| Receptionist/Customer Service | Customer Service Specialist | |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 35% | Bachelor's Degree, 43% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between receptionist/customer services' and customer service specialists' demographics:
| Receptionist/Customer Service | Customer Service Specialist | |
| Average age | 40 | 40 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 8.0% Female, 92.0% | Male, 32.0% Female, 68.0% |
| Race ratio | 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% | Black or African American, 11.6% Unknown, 5.4% Hispanic or Latino, 20.0% Asian, 6.8% White, 55.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% |
| LGBT Percentage | 7% | 7% |