Telephone Operators

Telephone operators provide information by accessing alphabetical, geographical, or other directories. They assist customers with special billing requests, such as charges to a third party and credits or refunds for incorrectly dialled numbers or bad connections. They may handle emergency calls and assist children or people with physical disabilities to make telephone calls.

Telephone operators' jobs are answering or re-directing incoming calls from customers, clients or the general public. They are expected to answer the phone courteously and be able to resolve the query asked of them.

They help callers resolve issues over the telephone by providing necessary information or guidance. Other responsibilities include taking messages, operating office equipment, maintaining contact directories, or providing other administrative assistance.

Phone operators are a common profession present in organizations such as hotels, customer care centres, offices, public places, parks, and emergency centres. Depending on the organization and job requirements, telephone operators' salary is set. These could be anything from providing advanced troubleshooting assistance to using software to dispatch emergency services while alerting relevant authorities.

While high school education is sufficient for a role as a telephone operator, past customer service or administrative experience may help in employment. Certifications in administrative or communications courses also help to bolster one’s profile for the job.

To be successful as a phone operator, one should have relevant skills and competencies of telephone operator such as active listening, critical thinking, problem-solving, coordination and time management. Working in emergency dispatch may also require one to be dependable, tolerate high levels of stress, and have self-control.