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The differences between service operators and operators 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 operator, becoming an operator takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, an operator has an average salary of $37,928, which is higher than the $36,971 average annual salary of a service operator.
The top three skills for a service operator include customer service, food handling and emergency calls. The most important skills for an operator are safety procedures, CDL, and emergency calls.
| Service Operator | Operator | |
| Yearly salary | $36,971 | $37,928 |
| Hourly rate | $17.77 | $18.23 |
| Growth rate | -4% | 7% |
| Number of jobs | 87,078 | 159,077 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 34% | High School Diploma, 40% |
| Average age | 53 | 43 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 4 |
A service operator is responsible for providing the best customer service by responding to the callers' inquiries and concerns, depending on which business they are employed. Service operators process callers' requests by directing them to specific resources or coordinate with the appropriate person to resolve callers' issues. They also keep an organized record of resolutions for the business reference, as well as for immediate callbacks as needed. A service operator must have excellent knowledge of the industry they are working for, as well as impeccable communication skills to verify and address the callers' needs.
Operators are skilled workers who are in charge of working on an industrial machine or a specific aspect of the manufacturing business. They are trained to operate machines, learning how to use them. They are also responsible for the maintenance and repair of the machine, and they should be able to troubleshoot problems and provide remedies to them. They must be knowledgeable about the different parts of the machine and how to mitigate any challenges that may arise. Operators should be alert, detail-oriented, and familiar with safety and health guidelines.
Service operators and operators have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Service Operator | Operator | |
| Average salary | $36,971 | $37,928 |
| Salary range | Between $19,000 And $71,000 | Between $27,000 And $53,000 |
| Highest paying City | Mountain View, CA | San Jose, CA |
| Highest paying state | New York | North Dakota |
| Best paying company | Microsoft | |
| Best paying industry | - | Technology |
There are a few differences between a service operator and an operator in terms of educational background:
| Service Operator | Operator | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 34% | High School Diploma, 40% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between service operators' and operators' demographics:
| Service Operator | Operator | |
| Average age | 53 | 43 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 50.1% Female, 49.9% | Male, 73.0% Female, 27.0% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 14.2% Unknown, 3.6% Hispanic or Latino, 18.4% Asian, 3.5% White, 59.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.2% | Black or African American, 16.2% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 18.6% Asian, 2.5% White, 57.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% |
| LGBT Percentage | 19% | 4% |