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 ComprehensionCoordination
Knowledge areas
Customer and Personal ServiceEnglish LanguageAdministrativeComputers and ElectronicsTelecommunications
Technology & tools
Electronic mail softwareFacilities management softwareData base user interface and query softwareSpreadsheet softwareOffice suite software
Representative tasks
Operate communication systems, such as telephone, switchboard, intercom, two-way radio, or public address.Answer incoming calls, greeting callers, providing information, transferring calls or taking messages as necessary.Greet visitors, log them in and out of the facility, assign them security badges, and contact employee escorts.Monitor emergency and code alarms, make emergency announcements, or route emergency calls to the appropriate location.Record messages, suggesting rewording for clarity or conciseness.Page individuals to inform them of telephone calls, using paging or interoffice communication equipment.Relay or route written or verbal messages.Perform various cash handling tasks, such as collecting payments, making bank deposits, or managing petty cash.Place telephone calls or arrange conference calls as instructed.Process incoming or outgoing mail, packages, or deliveries.Perform various data entry or word processing tasks, such as updating phone directories, typing or proofreading documents, or creating schedules.Perform administrative tasks, such as accepting orders, scheduling appointments or meeting rooms, or sending and receiving faxes.Monitor alarm systems to ensure that secure conditions are maintained.Contact security staff members when necessary, using radio-telephones.Complete forms for sales orders.Answer simple questions about clients' businesses, using reference files.Stamp messages with time and date and file them appropriately.Keep records of calls placed and charges incurred.Place orders, such as for equipment, supplies, or catering for meetings.
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
58 alternate job titles map to this occupation.
Telephone-Answering-Service OperatorBattle Management Operations Journeyman (Air Force 1C551)Communications OperatorService OperatorCommunications SpecialistSwitch TechnicianCommunication Center OperatorTest OperatorOperatorCommand and Control SpecialistPBX Operator (Private Branch Exchange Operator)Telephone Answering Service OperatorSwitching ClerkCentral Communications SpecialistTelegraph Office Telephone ClerkCommunications Technician (Navy 002790)Line TechnicianOperations Specialist (Navy OS)Telephone Switchboard Operator (Telephone SB Operator)Police Communications OperatorTelecommunications ClerkPBX Service Adviser (Private Branch Exchange Service Adviser)Traffic OperatorTelephone Service Representative (Telephone Service Rep)Battle Management Operations (Air Force 1C5X1)Communications CoordinatorOperations Specialist (Coast Guard OS)Communication-Center OperatorBattle Management Operations Manager (Air Force 1C500)Tandem OperatorThrough OperatorCommunications Specialist (Navy 002789)CBX Operator (Computerized Branch Exchange Operator)Telephone Clerk, Telegraph OfficeBattle Management Operations Journeyman, Weapons Director (Air Force 1C551D)Police District Switchboard Operator (Police District SB Operator)Complaint OperatorBattle Management Operations Apprentice, Weapons Director (Air Force 1C531D)Answering Service Telephone OperatorRoute Clerk