While most PBX operators work for medium and large sized businesses and offices, the past 10 years has seen an increase in PBX operators employed by small businesses and entrepreneurs. One reason for the new job market is the lowered cost of owning a PBX system since digital options were offered. However, another is the expansion of small and individual businesses thanks to the Internet. Websites have allowed the reach of small businesses expands beyond their local area to become worldwide entities, requiring more support and efficiency on the part of the owners.

The advent of the computerized and digitized PBX systems has created fierce competition for the human operators from automated exchange systems that threaten to replace them. Electronic systems have the ability to be programmed to perform all the duties of a human operator as well as some duties human’s can’t do, such as automatically dial and distribute calls, offer callers an automated directory, and electronic voice mail and voice paging services. VoIPs and ISDNs can also run consistently for 24 hours a day, seven days a week.