Service dispatcher vs receptionist/customer service

The differences between service dispatchers and receptionist/customer services can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 1-2 years to become a service dispatcher, becoming a receptionist/customer service takes usually requires 6-12 months. Additionally, a service dispatcher has an average salary of $33,663, which is higher than the $30,604 average annual salary of a receptionist/customer service.

The top three skills for a service dispatcher include HVAC, data entry and phone calls. The most important skills for a receptionist/customer service are customer service, phone calls, and data entry.

Service dispatcher vs receptionist/customer service overview

	Service Dispatcher	Receptionist/Customer Service
Yearly salary	$33,663	$30,604
Hourly rate	$16.18	$14.71
Growth rate	-4%	-4%
Number of jobs	74,936	216,587
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 30%	High School Diploma, 35%
Average age	43	40
Years of experience	2	12

What does a service dispatcher do?

Service dispatchers are professionals who are responsible for answering the calls of customers while creating dispatch tickets for each service call. These dispatchers must gather detailed address information from their customers and acquire a basic overview of their service issues. They must dispatch service crews to their scheduled appointments and emergency situations while using maps and GPS programs to plan routes for their destination. Service dispatchers must also use digital filing systems to add customer information and log into their files when scheduling service calls.

What does a receptionist/customer service do?

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.

Service dispatcher vs receptionist/customer service salary

Service dispatchers and receptionist/customer services have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Service Dispatcher	Receptionist/Customer Service
Average salary	$33,663	$30,604
Salary range	Between $26,000 And $42,000	Between $25,000 And $37,000
Highest paying City	Kent, WA	Billerica, MA
Highest paying state	Washington	Minnesota
Best paying company	Basin Electric Power Cooperative	Uline
Best paying industry	Government	Manufacturing

Differences between service dispatcher and receptionist/customer service education

There are a few differences between a service dispatcher and a receptionist/customer service in terms of educational background:

	Service Dispatcher	Receptionist/Customer Service
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 30%	High School Diploma, 35%
Most common major	Business	Business
Most common college	-	-

Service dispatcher vs receptionist/customer service demographics

Here are the differences between service dispatchers' and receptionist/customer services' demographics:

	Service Dispatcher	Receptionist/Customer Service
Average age	43	40
Gender ratio	Male, 33.6% Female, 66.4%	Male, 8.0% Female, 92.0%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 10.3% Unknown, 5.1% Hispanic or Latino, 17.5% Asian, 3.8% White, 62.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9%	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%
LGBT Percentage	7%	7%

Differences between service dispatcher and receptionist/customer service duties and responsibilities

Service dispatcher example responsibilities.

Achieve certification in service writer sales (upselling )
Make contact with police, ems, and fire.
Scan and register documents for the CMMS system
Enter and transcribe accurately and completely information into the CMMS.
Dispatch police, fire, and ems, to residential and commercial accounts.
Operate right cad emergency dispatch program for entry of all pertinent information dealing with emergency and non emergency calls.

Receptionist/customer service example responsibilities.

Assist office management and staff with administrative projects/responsibilities such as managing time-sensitive projects, filing, copying, and collating materials.
Assist office management and staff with administrative projects/responsibilities such as managing time-sensitive projects, filing, copying, and collating materials.
Bill and collect from private pay, Medicare, Medicaid and private insurance companies.
Doctor authorization for treatments, understanding of Medicare and Medicaid, prior authorizations (if need).
Resolve problems with the buyers concerning invoices that do not match in the AS400 system.
Receive and apply checks into AS400 accounting database and scan checks into bank, on a daily basis.

Service dispatcher vs receptionist/customer service skills

Common service dispatcher skills

HVAC, 8%
Data Entry, 8%
Phone Calls, 7%
Customer Complaints, 6%
Strong Customer Service, 5%
Outbound Calls, 4%

Common receptionist/customer service skills

Customer Service, 16%
Phone Calls, 15%
Data Entry, 14%
Telephone Calls, 8%
Front Desk, 8%
Scheduling Appointments, 8%

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Service Dispatcher
Service Dispatcher vs Receptionist/Customer Service

Updated January 8, 2025

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