Occupation · SOC 43-2011
Switchboard Operators, Including Answering Service
Operate telephone business systems equipment or switchboards to relay incoming, outgoing, and interoffice calls. May supply information to callers and record messages.
Median wage
$38,370
$29,820–$60,940
Projected growth
—
—
Annual openings
—
per year
Employed (US)
35,730
Job Zone 2
Typical preparation
Some preparation
Stackable credential programs
0 mapped
Core skills
Active ListeningSpeakingSocial PerceptivenessService OrientationReading ComprehensionCoordinationMonitoringWritingTime ManagementCritical ThinkingJudgment and Decision MakingComplex Problem SolvingActive LearningPersuasionNegotiationSystems AnalysisOperations MonitoringLearning StrategiesInstructingSystems EvaluationMathematicsManagement of Personnel ResourcesOperation and ControlQuality Control AnalysisTroubleshootingOperations AnalysisProgrammingTechnology DesignScienceRepairingManagement of Material ResourcesManagement of Financial ResourcesInstallationEquipment SelectionEquipment Maintenance
Knowledge areas
Customer and Personal ServiceEnglish LanguageAdministrativeComputers and ElectronicsTelecommunicationsAdministration and ManagementCommunications and MediaPublic Safety and SecurityPersonnel and Human ResourcesMathematicsPsychologyEconomics and AccountingLaw and GovernmentEducation and TrainingTherapy and CounselingMechanicalPhilosophy and TheologyForeign LanguageEngineering and TechnologySociology and AnthropologySales and MarketingProduction and ProcessingGeographyMedicine and DentistryTransportationFood ProductionHistory and ArcheologyChemistryPhysicsFine ArtsBuilding and ConstructionDesignBiology
Technology & tools
IBM NotesM-Tech Hotel Service Optimization System HotSOSMicrosoft AccessMicrosoft ExcelMicrosoft Office softwareMicrosoft OutlookMicrosoft PowerPointMicrosoft WindowsMicrosoft WordSAP softwareWord processing software
Representative tasks
Getting InformationIdentifying Objects, Actions, and EventsCommunicating with Supervisors, Peers, or SubordinatesPerforming for or Working Directly with the PublicWorking with ComputersPerforming Administrative ActivitiesEvaluating Information to Determine Compliance with StandardsProcessing InformationDocumenting/Recording InformationEstablishing and Maintaining Interpersonal RelationshipsUpdating and Using Relevant KnowledgeMonitoring Processes, Materials, or SurroundingsCommunicating with People Outside the OrganizationMaking Decisions and Solving ProblemsDeveloping and Building TeamsResolving Conflicts and Negotiating with OthersAssisting and Caring for OthersJudging the Qualities of Objects, Services, or PeopleAnalyzing Data or InformationTraining and Teaching OthersMonitoring and Controlling ResourcesOrganizing, Planning, and Prioritizing WorkInterpreting the Meaning of Information for OthersScheduling Work and ActivitiesCoaching and Developing OthersProviding Consultation and Advice to OthersGuiding, Directing, and Motivating SubordinatesCoordinating the Work and Activities of OthersInspecting Equipment, Structures, or MaterialsThinking CreativelyEstimating the Quantifiable Characteristics of Products, Events, or InformationStaffing Organizational UnitsDeveloping Objectives and StrategiesRepairing and Maintaining Electronic EquipmentPerforming General Physical ActivitiesSelling or Influencing OthersHandling and Moving ObjectsRepairing and Maintaining Mechanical EquipmentOperating Vehicles, Mechanized Devices, or EquipmentControlling Machines and Processes
Competency framework
Skill expectations by proficiency level.
emerging
Telephone switchboard equipment — operate under direct supervision to answer and route incoming calls at a multi-line front-desk console.Incoming caller greetings — deliver using approved scripts and protocols while supervised at an answering service workstation.Visitor log entries — complete accurately by recording names, arrival times, and destinations at a staffed reception desk.Security badges — assign and issue to visitors following established sign-in procedures at a building entrance.Emergency alarm indicators — recognize and report to a supervisor in a monitored communications room.Telephone messages — record caller information legibly using standardized message forms at an office switchboard.Paging equipment — use under guidance to notify individuals of waiting calls across a facility intercom system.Written and verbal messages — relay to designated recipients following step-by-step routing instructions in an office setting.Cash payments — collect from callers or visitors and issue receipts under supervisor review at a front-desk station.Basic office software — navigate email and word processing applications to support call-logging tasks at an administrative workstation.
developing
Multi-line communication systems — manage simultaneously, including telephone, intercom, and two-way radio, during a standard shift at a busy switchboard console.Caller inquiries — handle routinely by providing accurate information, transferring calls, or taking messages with minimal oversight in an answering service environment.Visitor check-in process — coordinate independently, logging arrivals, issuing badges, and contacting employee escorts at a corporate reception desk.Emergency announcements — broadcast over public address systems and route emergency calls to appropriate personnel in a healthcare or institutional facility.Message clarity — review and suggest rewording to improve conciseness before relaying recorded messages on behalf of callers or staff.Paging and interoffice equipment — operate proficiently to locate and notify personnel across a large multi-department building.Verbal and written message routing — prioritize and direct communications to correct departments based on established organizational protocols.Petty cash fund — manage daily transactions, maintain accurate count, and reconcile balances at the end of each shift.Database and facilities management software — enter and retrieve caller and visitor records accurately within an integrated office administration system.Active listening techniques — apply consistently to identify caller needs and reduce miscommunication during high-volume call periods.
proficient
Full switchboard operations — oversee independently across telephone, intercom, two-way radio, and public address systems throughout an entire facility without supervisory prompting.Complex caller situations — resolve autonomously, including misdirected calls, upset callers, and multi-step transfer scenarios, at a high-traffic answering service center.Visitor security protocols — enforce comprehensively, managing badge issuance, escort coordination, and access logs in compliance with facility security policies.Emergency communication procedures — execute without hesitation, coordinating code announcements, alarm monitoring, and emergency routing across all available systems.Message documentation — produce precise and professionally worded records, editing caller-provided content for clarity and organizational standards in a professional office.Interoffice paging systems — utilize strategically to locate hard-to-reach personnel and maintain uninterrupted communication flow across a large campus.Information routing decisions — make independently, determining the correct recipient and channel for written and verbal communications under time pressure.Cash handling and bank deposits — perform accurately, including reconciliation and reporting of daily transactions in compliance with financial procedures at an administrative site.ERP and spreadsheet software — use proficiently to generate call logs, visitor reports, and administrative summaries for management review.Social perceptiveness — apply to adapt communication style and tone to diverse callers and visitors, including those in distress, across a varied client-facing environment.
advanced
Switchboard and communications infrastructure — evaluate and recommend upgrades or policy changes to leadership based on observed operational gaps across a multi-site organization.Answering service standards — establish and document call-handling protocols, greeting scripts, and escalation procedures adopted organization-wide.New operator onboarding — design and lead structured training programs that build competency across all switchboard functions for incoming staff.Emergency communication plans — develop and maintain facility-wide emergency announcement and routing procedures in coordination with safety and facilities management teams.Quality assurance for message handling — implement review systems that monitor accuracy, tone, and turnaround time for all recorded and relayed communications.Visitor management policy — author and enforce facility access and security badge procedures aligned with organizational compliance and risk management requirements.Cash handling controls — oversee petty cash and payment collection practices across multiple front-desk locations, ensuring audit-ready recordkeeping.Technology adoption — lead the evaluation and implementation of new telecommunications, facilities management, and office suite software for the administrative support team.Performance metrics — define key indicators for switchboard and answering service operations and present dashboards to administrative leadership for continuous improvement.Cross-functional coordination — serve as the primary liaison between front-desk operations, IT, security, and executive leadership to align communication systems with organizational goals.
Also known as
36 alternate job titles map to this occupation.
Answering Service Telephone OperatorCBX Operator (Computerized Branch Exchange Operator)Central Communications SpecialistCombination OperatorCommand and Control SpecialistCommunication Center OperatorCommunications CoordinatorCommunications OperatorCommunications SpecialistComplaint OperatorDesk OperatorExchange OperatorInformation SpecialistLine TechnicianOperatorPBX Operator (Private Branch Exchange Operator)PBX Service Adviser (Private Branch Exchange Service Adviser)Police Communications OperatorPolice District Switchboard Operator (Police District SB Operator)Private Branch Exchange Switchboard Operator (PBX Switchboard Operator)Route ClerkService OperatorSwitch TechnicianSwitchboard Operator (SB Operator)Switchboard Receptionist (SB Receptionist)Switching ClerkTandem OperatorTelecommunications ClerkTelecommunications OperatorTelegraph Office Telephone ClerkTelephone Answering Service OperatorTelephone Service Representative (Telephone Service Rep)Telephone Switchboard Operator (Telephone SB Operator)Test OperatorThrough OperatorTraffic Operator