Work from Home Call Center
Setting up your own home call center is easy and affordable. You can save time and money since you won’t have to make constant trips to an office, and you can enjoy a flexible schedule. All you need is a computer, a phone line and a nice, quiet space in the house.
What is a Home Call Center?
Companies hire thousands of individuals to garner sales or offer their customers with technical support, verification and other related duties. Call center agents are the ones who interact directly with customers through telephone conversations.
To save on office space and other expenses, some companies hire agents who are willing to do their tasks from home.
How much will you be paid?
A call center agent’s salary depends on the client, not on the call center agency. Also, some clients may pay agents per minute, while others might pay per hour or per call. Many call center agents work for more than one client, so it’s hard to give a clear-cut average salary. But, if we were to make a very rough estimate, we’d say that an average call center agent might make $30,000* per year, give or take.
How long will you have to work?
The amount of time you’ll spend working also depends on the client you work for. While most clients won’t require a set number of hours from you, some may ask you to clock in a minimum amount of time. To have a more flexible work schedule, it’s recommended that you sign up for an agency as an independent contractor. This way, you’ll have more control over how many hours you will work.
What are the qualifications?
Agencies prefer people with customer service experience and those that have at least a high school diploma or GED.
These are just preferred factors, though, so they aren’t necessarily required. The qualities they are mostly interested in are dependability, detail-oriented, courteous and professional phone presence and basic software knowledge of word processors.
What sort of equipment will you need?
You will need a PC (desktops are preferred by most agencies) and access to a landline phone. You will also need a stable broadband internet connection.
Hardware and Software specifications are as follows:
• 1Ghz – 2 GHz processor
• Windows XP, Vista or Windows 7 operating system
• Sound card with speakers output and microphone input
• A headset with microphone
• Microsoft Office software (Word, Excel, etc.)
Will you have to go through training?
Yes, some training is required from almost all agencies. They will teach you basic phone etiquette and how to create and deliver call reports. Different clients have different needs, so you might undergo additional training when you are moved from one client to another. Reputable agencies will pay you while you train.
An agency is asking for a fee, what should you do?
You should be very careful when dealing with agencies. Those that ask for a membership or training fee may be scams.
Some legitimate companies may charge for a background check fee. If an agency clearly outlines that they are charging you for a background and nothing else, you can rest assured that it’s a legitimate company. But to be on the safe side, it’s best to find an agency that doesn’t charge any fees whatsoever.
Where can you start?
Some agencies are limited to a certain location, so the number of agencies you can apply for depends on where you live.
Be sure to check local job listings such as the newspaper, craigslist, etc.
Here are some reputable agencies that operate across the country:
• Affiliated Computer Service Inc.
• AdviseTech
• Convergys Home Agent Program
• Extended Presence
• GE Retail Finance
• Kelly Services
• Stewart Response Group
• TeleTech@Home
• U-Haul