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The differences between service operators and service dispatchers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 1-2 years to become both a service operator and a service dispatcher. Additionally, a service operator has an average salary of $36,971, which is higher than the $33,663 average annual salary of a service dispatcher.
The top three skills for a service operator include customer service, food handling and emergency calls. The most important skills for a service dispatcher are HVAC, data entry, and phone calls.
| Service Operator | Service Dispatcher | |
| Yearly salary | $36,971 | $33,663 |
| Hourly rate | $17.77 | $16.18 |
| Growth rate | -4% | -4% |
| Number of jobs | 87,078 | 74,936 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 34% | High School Diploma, 30% |
| Average age | 53 | 43 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
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.
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.
Service operators and service dispatchers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Service Operator | Service Dispatcher | |
| Average salary | $36,971 | $33,663 |
| Salary range | Between $19,000 And $71,000 | Between $26,000 And $42,000 |
| Highest paying City | Mountain View, CA | Kent, WA |
| Highest paying state | New York | Washington |
| Best paying company | Basin Electric Power Cooperative | |
| Best paying industry | - | Government |
There are a few differences between a service operator and a service dispatcher in terms of educational background:
| Service Operator | Service Dispatcher | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 34% | High School Diploma, 30% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between service operators' and service dispatchers' demographics:
| Service Operator | Service Dispatcher | |
| Average age | 53 | 43 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 50.1% Female, 49.9% | Male, 33.6% Female, 66.4% |
| 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, 10.3% Unknown, 5.1% Hispanic or Latino, 17.5% Asian, 3.8% White, 62.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9% |
| LGBT Percentage | 19% | 7% |