How To
This series of articles provides how-to steps for getting started in a variety of home jobs.
How To: Become a Customer Service Agent @ Home
One of the most popular home based job searches is for Customer Service positions. These jobs can offer some great benefits to someone who wants a steady income with an hourly wage and the ability to work from home. Many positions offer set hours each week, providing you with a stability that is often difficult to find with home income opportunities. And alot of these positions are with big-name companies.
What you can expect
When you work from home as a Customer Service Agent, you’ll be dealing with a wide-variety of calls. You may be taking orders for floral arrangements, or responding to requests for automobile towing, or helping a new customer signup for a membership to a website.
Most customer service jobs require a set schedule. Usually during business hours, but some jobs may require people to work late-night or overnight shifts. It can be difficult to find a position that offers full-time work, which is why many home agents end up working for a couple companies part-time each.
Usually these jobs will be paid on an hourly wage, and tend to range from $7.00 – $15.00 / hour. However, there are some jobs that pay for “talk-time.” That means that you are only paid for the time spent on the phone with customers, and not for the time waiting for calls. Make sure to understand the compensation details so there aren’t any surprises.
What you’ll need
In order to be a Customer Service Agent, you’ll need a home-office with a few basics:
Quiet Place to work: Your workspace needs to be free from interruptions, background noise, kids. Your employer will expect the same level of quality they can achieve from a traditional office setting. They don’t want their customers to know that you are working from home.
Quality Phone Line: You’ll need a phone line for this work, and probably a dedicated line. That means a line that isn’t receiving personal calls. Consider it your work line. Don’t go super-cheap, but there are ways to save. A quality VOIP service like Vonage is a good solution. Most cable companies are offering a quality digital phone line too.
Phone Equipment: You’ll need a good phone and a quality headset. Its quite likely you’ll be needing to type while on the phone, so a hands-free headset is a must-have.
High Speed Internet: You’ll need to have a high-speed internet connection. Often you’ll need to be on a secured-website entering the customer’s payment information and other details while on phone calls. A quality, dedicated internet connection is another must-have.
What they are looking for
Companies that hire for Customer Service Agents are looking for dependability, experience, and professionalism. If you want one of these jobs, you must be ready to demonstrate your commitment to your new employer.
First, make sure to be available when you are supposed to be. There are a lot of people who want these jobs, but it isn’t easy for the employers to find people they can consistently depend upon. If you can be trusted and counted on, you’ll be valuable to your employer.
The interviewer will also be likely looking for people with some customer service experience. Be sure to take into account your employment history… there are lots of jobs where customer service is a responsibility, and chances are you have lots of background from which you can pull for your application and interview.
Where to look for Customer Service Jobs@Home
At The HIB: We love to come across these job listings because we know how important they are to our readers. Make sure to view our Customer Service Jobs category for a quick review of these posts.
HomeJobster: The premium home-jobs site has lots of great job leads for customer service agents. Some of their positions are local, so look for jobs in your town. Many jobs are available to anyone throughout the country. Check out the HomeJobster site for fresh, active customer service job listings.
Also do searches on Google and your local Craiglist.org listing for “work at home customer service” or “customer service home agent” or other similar terms. Just remember, research each position thoroughly. Be careful to avoid any scams… there are a lot of unscrupulous people ready to take advantage of people looking for home customer service jobs. You should not have to pay an employer for a job, and make sure you understand the compensation and have the details in writing before you begin work.
A great way to work at home
It may take some time to find the right Customer Service position, but once you do, it can be a great way to earn a good living from home. Remember, there are always more people looking for these types of positions, so be persistent and patient. Continue applying for jobs that look like a good fit, and follow through promptly when a company returns your contact.
Categories: Customer Service, How To Tags: Customer Service, Home Income Tips, How To
How To: Become a Virtual Office Assistant
By far, the job title that encompasses the widest variety of job duties is a Virtual Assistant. A Virtual Assistant works from home providing a wide variety of tasks. These tasks range from general in nature (customer support, receptionist, correspondence) to very specialized (web design, bookkeeping, technical support.) A career in this field can be very fulfilling, providing you with a sense of accomplishment and a nice income!
What does a Virtual Assistant do?
As a Virtual Assistant, the tasks you complete will vary based on the needs of your client or employer. It goes without saying, the more skills you have, the more in-demand you’ll be. Here’s a few common skills that are useful when looking at entering the Virtual Assistant field… remember, you don’t need to know how to do all theses things, but the more you do know, the more work will be available to you!
Customer Support: You may be responsible for handling customer support issues for your client, both over the phone and by email. You’ll need to portray a professional manner, and be able to think on your feet! Excellent written and verbal skills are required.
Executive Support: Many company executives hire Virtual Assistants to help them with day-to-day operations. This may include managing their appointment calendar, scheduling meetings, taking messages, sorting e-mail, and handling their travel arrangements.
Virtual Receptionist: Many organizations are taking advantage of hiring Virtual Assistants to act as a receptionist for their virtual work-force. Sales teams and on-site support groups often utilize a virtual receptionist to take their incoming calls, route to the appropriate person, or take messages.
Website Management: Many Virtual Assistants are savvy website designers. They are able to provide small business owners with a hands-on, personalized approach to managing their online presence. Great skills to have include website design, blog management, Internet promotion, and social network marketing.
What do you need to be a Virtual Assistant?
A Virtual Assistant is usually an independent contractor, someone who provides all their own tools and resources in the line of working for a client. Creating a professional image is critical… nobody wants to hire a Virtual Assistant who works in their living room with the TV on and kids in the background!
You need a home office space, equipped with everything you necessary to succeed. This includes a quiet workspace that is free from interruptions. If you have kids, make sure you have office hours where you can work without background noise.
Your office will also need a quality computer system. If you have a family computer, make sure your machine is cleaned of all viruses and temporary files. You don’t want a slow computer to slow down your chances at finding work! Make sure you have a quality, dedicated high-speed internet connection.
A quality phone line and equipment are important too. Make sure that you have a separate line for your clients or employer to reach you on… a business line that isn’t busy with personal calls, or being answered by your teenage son!
Who is looking for Virtual Assistants?
The types of people hiring Virtual Assistants is just as varied as the tasks you’ll be completing. Individual professionals, business owners, executives, small business, non-profit organizations, sales teams, corporations… all are joining the Virtual Assistant movement. By outsourcing administrative support services, a business can save money while maintaining a flexible workforce.
We’ve divided up the types of people who may hire you as a Virtual Assistant in three categories, described below:
Company positions: You may be able to find a position as a Virtual Assistant directly with a company, where you’ll be a home-based employee. These tend to be more customer-service oriented jobs that essentially extend the company’s call center through their virtual employees.
Virtual Assistant organizations: There are lots of companies that promote Virtual Assistant services, then essentially outsource the work to their team of VAs. If you get listed with one or more of these organizations, you can begin accepting tasks right away. Just search online for Virtual Assistants, and see who is hiring.
Personal clients: Most successful VAs will find and develop their own clients. These range from individual professionals to small business owners. You may need to hit the pavement and promote your service to local companies. If you can build a professional website, you’ll also have more luck if you can build a professional online presence.
Where to look for Virtual Assistant Jobs@Home
At The HIB: We’re always on the lookout for these positions. Make sure to take a look at our Virtual Assistant category to find any job leads.
HomeJobster: The premium home-jobs site has lots of great job leads for Virtual Assistants. Some of their positions are local, so look for jobs in your town. Many jobs are available to anyone throughout the country. Check out the HomeJobster site for fresh, active Virtual Assistant job listings.
A rewarding home career
If you can become a Virtual Assistant, you’ll find it can be a very rewarding home based career. The flexibility it provides you may be exactly what you need to juggle a home based career, family, and the rest of your life! The wide variety of tasks you’ll be completing keeps your days exciting.
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