Work From Home Customer Service
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Over the last few years, work from home customer service jobs have met increasing demand, and fortunately, the job market supply has risen as well. Whereas in previous years, the trend leant itself to outsourcing customer service professionals to countries overseas, where presumably the fee was lower and companies ended up saving money. After having many issues, especially with the satisfaction of their patrons, many of these businesses have decided the best option would be to begin bringing the jobs back into the country. Often, with the outsourced positions, customers had difficulty explaining specifics to the worker, largely due to cultural differences, and often both parties had difficulty understanding and communicating effectively with each other. In light of these difficulties, many major corporations are soliciting the help of telecommunications companies to hire agents to field these calls. This is good news for anyone wanting a work from home customer service job.
At first glance, the process in choosing what type of work from home customer service position suits one best may seem a bit overwhelming. To make matters simple, however, there are two basic types of customer services agents in this field: the employee and the independent contractor. The majority of telecommunication companies hire independent workers rather than signing people on as full-fledged employees. This means several different things. First, independent contractors are regarded as being self employed; financially, people will have to pay quarterly taxes and make sure that they keep up with their financial and legal records to protect themselves. Secondly, many companies require that their independent contractors foot a portion, or some times even a majority, of the costs involved in setting up and training.
Training for independent agents is also not always paid for. Some corporations will, of course, provide their workers with income during the training process, while others withhold money and sometimes even require that the worker pay a training fee. A downside to being an independent contractor rather than an employee is that most companies that are simply hiring on an independent basis do not pay hourly. Agents are only paid for the calls that they receive and for the time they spend on the phone with a customer. While in peak seasons, this would not pose a problem, but the work load is not always dependable in this business, and so the pay may fluctuate dramatically depending on the season.
A small handful of companies will hire individuals to do work from home customer service straight on as employees. Generally, although not exclusively, these businesses will pay their employees just like any other company would, by the hour. Regardless of whether calls are actually coming in, as long as the employee is logged in during his shift, those hours worked will be credited to him. This is especially helpful during slower periods where calls may be sporadic and unreliable. Even in this particular branch, however, paid training is not always guaranteed, although there are companies who will provide a salary during that time. Others may insist that employees participate in unpaid training but then not have to contribute to the cost either.
The decision to pursue a position as an independent contractor or as an employee must be left up to the person pursuing the work from home customer service position. In either situation, the general application and hiring practices will mirror each other similarly. The first step is submitting an application to the company or companies that a person finds to be of interest. If a business finds the application to be satisfactory and believes that the prospective hire will benefit its company, an interview may be scheduled. As one would expect, these interviews and screenings are primarily conducted via the telephone. If the interviewer is satisfied and impressed with the applicant, the applicant will be recommended for the next stage of the process.
Since these work from home customer service positions require a large amount of time spent on the computer, many businesses will require testing before they hire. This testing may include typing and/or basic computer skills. In addition, many also require voice and language tests as well. The extent and depth of these examinations are contingent on the specific desires of the hiring company. And while these may sound intimidating, they are simple assessments that are used, possibly because of the fact that the interview process itself differs so much from the norm.
After being hired, the then independent contractor or employee may still have to go through several checks before officially beginning a work from home customer service position. Depending on what company a person is hired by, these may include a drug test, and a background and/or credit check. As with nearly every other factor, individual businesses will vary on their policies. Some will require that the employee or agent pay for all of the tests required, and others will provide them all as a free service. Or many will fall some where in between; regardless, it is not unusual or fraudulent to have to pay a small fee for these services.
After an individual is hired, there are just a few more things to consider before embarking on this exciting opportunity. While it may seem tedious, it is best to be prepared for any new venture as "the soul of the sluggard desireth, and [hath] nothing: but the soul of the diligent shall be made fat" (Proverbs 13:4). It is vital for a person to make sure they have the appropriate tools before beginning. The standard for most companies is a traditional land line phone, a high speed Internet connection, a headset, a computer, and a quiet atmosphere. These items, coupled with a willing and excited attitude, will help make anyone comfortable and at ease in a work from home customer service position.
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