Service operator vs telephone operator

The differences between service operators and telephone operators can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a service operator has an average salary of $36,971, which is higher than the $31,168 average annual salary of a telephone operator.

The top three skills for a service operator include customer service, food handling and emergency calls. The most important skills for a telephone operator are patients, emergency calls, and customer service.

Service operator vs telephone operator overview

	Service Operator	Telephone Operator
Yearly salary	$36,971	$31,168
Hourly rate	$17.77	$14.98
Growth rate	-4%	-
Number of jobs	87,078	31,043
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 34%	High School Diploma, 34%
Average age	53	44
Years of experience	2	-

What does a service operator do?

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.

What does a telephone operator do?

A telephone operator is an employee who assists clients through transferring calls, answering questions, and providing information. In the case of a large volume of calls, telephone operators must operate a private branch exchange (PBX) system to enable them to manage several different calls with accuracy and efficiency. They help customers with special billing requests and people with physical disabilities to make telephone calls. Telephone operators also perform clerical duties such as typing, sorting mail, and updating directory information.

Service operator vs telephone operator salary

Service operators and telephone operators have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Service Operator	Telephone Operator
Average salary	$36,971	$31,168
Salary range	Between $19,000 And $71,000	Between $25,000 And $38,000
Highest paying City	Mountain View, CA	Rochester, NY
Highest paying state	New York	Minnesota
Best paying company	Google	Mount Auburn Hospital
Best paying industry	-	Telecommunication

Differences between service operator and telephone operator education

There are a few differences between a service operator and a telephone operator in terms of educational background:

	Service Operator	Telephone Operator
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 34%	High School Diploma, 34%
Most common major	Business	Business
Most common college	-	-

Service operator vs telephone operator demographics

Here are the differences between service operators' and telephone operators' demographics:

	Service Operator	Telephone Operator
Average age	53	44
Gender ratio	Male, 50.1% Female, 49.9%	Male, 22.4% Female, 77.6%
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, 13.4% Unknown, 8.1% Hispanic or Latino, 16.2% Asian, 3.6% White, 57.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.4%
LGBT Percentage	19%	9%

Differences between service operator and telephone operator duties and responsibilities

Service operator example responsibilities.

Manage incoming calls from patients and medical professionals by utilizing telephonic paging system and manual messaging.
Train to be CDL certify by PVTA.
Comply with HIPAA standards and procedures.
Operate and drive commercial HAZMAT liquid nitrogen transports.
Operate CDL trucks in a safe manner to and from location.
Hang drywall, painting; install windows, plumbing, and walls.

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Telephone operator example responsibilities.

Operate office equipment including, but not limit to, computers, PBX system, fax machine, e-mail.
Programme various PBX computer operate phone system base request such as wake up calls, flight reminders and tour times.
Provide access to telephone interpreters services for visitors and patients with limit English experience highlights.
Input patients personal information into a database, then contact physicians to give patient information.
Protect patient privacy by following HIPAA regulations, as well as maintaining confidential information within the hospital intranet.
Liaise directly with incoming guests, travel agents, VIP clients and in-house guests to meet guest needs and execute satisfaction.

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Service operator vs telephone operator skills

Common service operator skills

Customer Service, 19%
Food Handling, 18%
Emergency Calls, 9%
CDL, 7%
Inbound Calls, 4%
Service Calls, 3%

Common telephone operator skills

Patients, 21%
Emergency Calls, 9%
Customer Service, 8%
Phone Calls, 7%
Telephone Calls, 7%
Data Entry, 4%

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Updated January 8, 2025

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