Career As a PBX Operator
Private branch exchange (PBX) operators provide an integral service to large companies and organizations that receive large volumes of telephone calls, such as hospitals, hotels and resorts, schools, business firms and government offices. Depending on the industry, PBX operators may be referred to as directory assistance operators, customer service representatives, telecommunications operators, communications operators, police or ambulance dispatchers, long-distance operators, switchboard operators and receptionists.
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Responsibilities
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The primary responsibility of operators is to respond to incoming telephone calls in a professional and courteous manner and address the needs of the caller. Depending on the nature of the employer, the operator may have to respond to inquiries or provide information, redirect the caller to the appropriate destination, assist the caller with billing or invoicing issues, take messages, perform general clerical tasks (such as typing or sorting mail), handle emergency calls or assist people with disabilities with their communication needs.
Work Environment
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Although PBX operators are employed by a wide variety of businesses, they generally work sitting down in an environmentally controlled indoor office setting. They spend much of their shift in front of a video monitor and keyboard at workstations that are typically designed to decrease the physical discomfort of being seated for long periods of time. Some operators (such as emergency operators and dispatchers) work in very stressful, high-pressure environments, while other operators (such as customer service representatives) must regularly interact with angry and discourteous callers.
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Qualifications
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Most employers require at least a high school diploma or its equivalent. In addition, operators should have good verbal, written and customer service skills, be able to sit for long periods of time, work varying shifts and have basic computer skills. Operators generally receive on-the-job training specific to the nature of their employer's business.
Wages
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The median annual wage for telephone operators is $30,570 ($14.70 per hour) according to data published by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The highest paying employers (mean hourly wage of $17 or more) were local government and telecommunications businesses. Elementary and secondary schools also ranked above average, with a mean hourly wage of $16.15.
Job Outlook
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Employment of PBX operators is expected to decline through the year 2018. The rapid increase of technological advances in PBX systems, voice-recognition technology, voicemail and paging services, computerized directory assistance services, as well as the proliferation of electronic communication technology (such as the Internet, e-mail and cellular phones) will reduce the demand for communication operators. In addition, many employers have begun to outsource jobs in this area to foreign countries. However, job prospects should continue to remain good as existing employees who are retiring or leaving the workforce need to be replaced.
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References
- Photo Credit A friendly telephone operator in an office image by Christopher Meder from Fotolia.com
