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The differences between service agents and 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 service agent and a service specialist. Additionally, a service specialist has an average salary of $44,150, which is higher than the $29,769 average annual salary of a service agent.
The top three skills for a service agent include regular maintenance, customer service and credit card. The most important skills for a service specialist are patients, social work, and criminal justice.
| Service Agent | Service Specialist | |
| Yearly salary | $29,769 | $44,150 |
| Hourly rate | $14.31 | $21.23 |
| Growth rate | -4% | -4% |
| Number of jobs | 218,795 | 207,020 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 36% | Bachelor's Degree, 53% |
| Average age | 40 | 40 |
| Years of experience | 12 | 12 |
A service agent is an individual whose primary function is to provide a friendly service to internal and external customers about the organization's products and services. An agent should be people-oriented, highly motivated with a positive and friendly attitude. Although an agent usually works in a call center, an agent can communicate in various ways, such as the telephone or often face to face. The minimum educational requirement of being a service agent is a high school diploma; however, the customer service experience is a plus.
A service specialist is responsible for assisting customers with their inquiries and concerns about the services offered by the organization. Service specialists' duties include responding to customers' requests, updating customers of promotional offers and new services, escalating high-level concerns to the appropriate department, and keeping accurate records of clients' issues and resolutions. Service specialists are also in charge of preparing customer surveys to rate their satisfaction and identifying opportunities for service improvement. A service specialist must display excellent customer service and communication skills to address clients' concerns efficiently and accurately.
Service agents and service specialists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Service Agent | Service Specialist | |
| Average salary | $29,769 | $44,150 |
| Salary range | Between $22,000 And $38,000 | Between $27,000 And $71,000 |
| Highest paying City | Boston, MA | Boston, MA |
| Highest paying state | Massachusetts | Massachusetts |
| Best paying company | Vestas Blades America | Ropes & Gray |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Technology |
There are a few differences between a service agent and a service specialist in terms of educational background:
| Service Agent | Service Specialist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 36% | Bachelor's Degree, 53% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between service agents' and service specialists' demographics:
| Service Agent | Service Specialist | |
| Average age | 40 | 40 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 61.5% Female, 38.5% | Male, 40.1% Female, 59.9% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 11.8% Unknown, 5.6% Hispanic or Latino, 20.6% Asian, 6.7% White, 54.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% | Black or African American, 11.2% Unknown, 5.4% Hispanic or Latino, 20.9% Asian, 7.5% White, 54.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% |
| LGBT Percentage | 7% | 7% |