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The differences between service support specialists and support representatives 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 support specialist, becoming a support representative takes usually requires 6-12 months. Additionally, a service support specialist has an average salary of $43,538, which is higher than the $33,372 average annual salary of a support representative.
The top three skills for a service support specialist include customer service, support services and social work. The most important skills for a support representative are patients, customer service, and troubleshoot.
| Service Support Specialist | Support Representative | |
| Yearly salary | $43,538 | $33,372 |
| Hourly rate | $20.93 | $16.04 |
| Growth rate | 10% | -4% |
| Number of jobs | 125,209 | 246,710 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 4 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 50% | Bachelor's Degree, 52% |
| Average age | 42 | 40 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 12 |
A service support specialist's role is to assist clients by addressing and resolving their inquiries, concerns, and complaints. Their responsibilities typically revolve around responding to calls and correspondence, troubleshooting, analyzing customer needs, identifying the root of issues, and providing the necessary corrective measures, all to ensure efficiency and client satisfaction. There are also instances when they must perform follow-up calls, offer products and services, process payments, and even manage accounts. Furthermore, as a service support analyst, it is essential to engage with clients in a friendly yet professional approach, in adherence to the company's policies and regulations.
The primary job of technical support representatives is to answer incoming calls and resolve customer problems or complaints related to computer hardware and software. They typically work in team environments and report directly to the technical department manager. Aside from answering phone calls, they also maintain the solutions database and respond to online chat requests and technical support emails. A successful technical support representative should have an in-depth knowledge of diagnosing and fixing computer problems, customer service skills, and problem-solving skills.
Service support specialists and support representatives have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Service Support Specialist | Support Representative | |
| Average salary | $43,538 | $33,372 |
| Salary range | Between $26,000 And $72,000 | Between $26,000 And $42,000 |
| Highest paying City | New York, NY | Santa Barbara, CA |
| Highest paying state | Connecticut | Alaska |
| Best paying company | Cheniere Energy | Accenture |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Technology |
There are a few differences between a service support specialist and a support representative in terms of educational background:
| Service Support Specialist | Support Representative | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 50% | Bachelor's Degree, 52% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | Stanford University | - |
Here are the differences between service support specialists' and support representatives' demographics:
| Service Support Specialist | Support Representative | |
| Average age | 42 | 40 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 39.2% Female, 60.8% | Male, 44.4% Female, 55.6% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 11.8% Unknown, 5.3% Hispanic or Latino, 15.6% Asian, 10.6% White, 56.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% | Black or African American, 11.5% Unknown, 5.4% Hispanic or Latino, 19.6% Asian, 7.0% White, 55.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% |
| LGBT Percentage | 11% | 7% |