Call centers are currently one of the most popular sources of employment. They operate by making outbound calls, accepting inbound calls, or a combination of the two.
The salary is good, and the opportunities are plenty. Experienced employees are usually promoted to supervisors, team leaders, and department managers.
However, if you cannot work as a full-time call center agent because of your schedule, do not worry because you may still work as a stay-at-home agent. Work from home call centers are becoming more and more popular with stay-at-home mothers, military spouses, and physically challenged or disabled men and women.
Work from home call centers offer great benefits plus flexibility. Home-based customer service representatives can handle requests and take incoming calls right in the comfort of their own home. They have the advantage of controlling their own work hours, and they no longer have to worry about getting stuck in traffic or being out in the rain.
Home-based customer service representatives can earn decent money without having to neglect or sacrifice time with their family. They can still take care of their children and do house chores efficiently. They should, however, be able to balance their work hours and personal time.
Aside from being able to choose their own work hours, they may also choose which clients to serve. This gives them the opportunity to showcase their knowledge and skills. For instance, those who know a lot about financial matters can choose a financial institution as a client.
Work from home call centers are really beneficial to people who cannot work in office buildings. In the United States, there are around a hundred thousand home-based call center employees who handle customer service requests, sales, and tech support in their homes. These people either work full-time or part-time.
Home-based call center employees are generally paid based on their talk time with clients. They are paid depending on how many calls they receive, although some call center companies pay employees by the hour. Fifteen to twenty hours per week is the average work hours; but if you are not very busy and can handle more volume, you may work forty to sixty hours per week.
Aside from talk time, the salaries of home-based agents may also depend on how many items they have sold or how high their performance scores are. Those who sell more items and get high performance scores usually receive higher salaries.
If you are in sales, you should be persuasive but not annoying. You should be able to pique the interests of your clients. Successful sales can earn you good commissions. You can expect to earn $8 to $15 per hour. This is, of course, based on your call volume, experience, and type of client.
If you want to be a home-based employee, see to it that you have the skills necessary for the job. Call center agents are required to have excellent listening and communication skills. They need to have a strong grasp of grammar, spelling, and e-mail etiquettes. They also have to be able to resolve issues and complaints immediately.
In addition, they have to have a lot of patience since some clients tend to be rude. Since this is a home-based job, employees are also expected to be able to work without supervision. When you work at home, you become your own boss. So, you should be able to gain motivation without a manager having to motivate you.
You should be organized and punctual. Even though you are home-based, you still need to log in at a specific time. You should also be able to handle your own taxes. Of course, you should also have the right tools. Basically, home-based agents are required to have a computer with high speed Internet connection and a line phone for handling incoming calls.
Make sure that your phone has a headset jack. Take note that most phones do not include a headset jack. Hence, you should consider business phones instead of regular phones. Also, make sure that the headset is of good quality. Keep in mind that you will be using this everyday, so it has to be durable and easy to use.
As for your computer, you may be required to use a certain operating system. Most call center companies, nonetheless, require their home-based employees to use Windows XP and Windows Vista. The same thing goes with Internet connection. They will tell you what they require; but most likely, they will prefer those with a wired connection.
To be more organized and efficient, you should set up your own workspace. Use your den or convert one of the rooms in your house to an office. If there are pets or children in your household, see to it that they will not be able to access your workspace. Keep important files and items out of their reach.
Then again, although work from home call centers may seem very appealing, they also have some drawbacks. Since you will be working from home, you may feel isolated and lonely. Fortunately, there are call center companies that encourage camaraderie through conference calls, events, and contests.