Find a Job You Really Want In
Many have often referred to working from home as the ultimate goal. Being able to set your own hours and simply roll out of bed and into the office is something that some can only dream of.
Remote work offers an employee the flexibility to set their own hours. Working in an office environment can sometimes be constricting and stressful, causing many to feel burned out. By allowing their employees to work from home, many employers have noticed a rise in company morale.
One of the most common at-home jobs is a call center representative. To learn more about this position, continue reading below. Here you will understand what this job entails, how much you can earn by working the phones, and where to start looking.
Key Takeaways:
-
Remote jobs have been on the rise, and working from home helps create a healthy work-life balance, cuts costs for both the employer and employees, and prompts more productivity.
-
The top three call center representative companies to work for are The University of Michigan, Children’s National Medical Center, and Comcast.
-
Some skills needed to work at a call center are customer service, communication, and the ability to multitask.
What Is An At-Home Call Center Job?
A call center representative is a person who answers incoming calls for a company or organization. This person is in charge of providing customer support.
As a call center representative, you are the first line of defense for a company or organization regarding customer service. Many representatives oversee customer assistance, address concerns, and transfer their calls to someone who can better serve their needs. Here are the duties and responsibilities that a call center representative is likely to perform in their role:
-
Receive calls from customers and upper management.
-
Handle multiple phone calls
-
Aid customers in troubleshooting problems and answer general questions customers might have.
-
Process all inter-office communication, which includes emails, chats, and calls.
-
Maintain the company, customer, and employee confidentiality.
-
Collect customer data.
-
Handle customer complaints and redirect calls to a specialist.
-
Call potential customers and provide information on products.
-
Ensuring customer satisfaction.
Where Can You Find Work As A Call Center Representative?
Now that you have a better idea of what you will need to consider to work as a call center representative—the next thing for you to do is finding the right company to work for. Here is a list of companies and organization where you can work as a representative:
-
The University of Michigan. Like many educational institutions, the University of Michigan has a high volume of incoming calls. They are currently searching for someone to work at the Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (PMR) call center.
-
Children’s National Medical Center. Located in Washington DC, the Children’s National Medical Center is ranked among the top 6 children’s hospitals in the country. As a call center representative, you will be registering and scheduling appointments over the phone. Here you will also be expected to have computer and customer service skills .
-
Kph Healthcare Services, Inc. Known as the leading national healthcare provider, Kph Healthcare Services Inc. is currently looking for someone who can effectively provide top of the line customer care. If you choose to work here, you will be asked to provide service to both customers and your peers.
-
Aerotek. This company is considered to be the leading recruitment and staffing agency in the world. Their mission is to ensure that people are capable of working well together. They are looking for someone to provide excellent customer service from the comfort of their own home. They are also offering recruits the opportunity to receive proper training for three whole weeks.
-
Great Lakes. This organization is dedicated to helping out students who have needed to take out a student loan. They offer to help the students learn how to borrow responsibly to lower the burden of the loan. Currently, they are searching for someone fully bilingual to work at their call center.
-
Comcast. This is a telecommunications company that provides people with internet, telephone and television services. They are looking for someone that is savvy with computers and can also promote and sell company products. If you believe you are blessed with the gift of gab, perhaps this is the place for you.
-
Randstad. This company is dedicated to helping individuals find temporary or full-time employment. They are currently seeking people to work in the Downey, California area. You will need at least one year of experience handling a large volume of calls to be considered.
-
Carchex. The company is considered to be a premier provider of automotive products and services. They are searching for people with strong communication skills and are highly motivated to work as a call center representative in the Hunt Valley, Maryland area.
-
Kelly Services. Kelly Services is an American staffing agency that operates globally. Their company helps employ people with diverse backgrounds and qualifications. In their call center, you would be in charge of handling all of their inbound and outbound calls.
-
Rocky Mountain ATV, Inc. If you are looking for somewhere fun and adventurous to work at, Rocky Mountain ATV is the right place. Rocky Mountain ATV values their employees and what to make sure they are always taken care of. They are looking for energetic, motivated, and excellent problem solvers to work for their call center.
Skills Needed to Become a Call Center Representative
Like in any profession, you will need to have a certain amount of skills. The same can be said for a call center representative. As a representative, you will need to possess the following skills in order to guarantee both customer satisfaction and success:
-
Customer service. As a call center representative, you will need to assist and advise both existing and prospective customers to ensure complete satisfaction.
-
Communication. As a call center representative, you will be spending a significant amount of your time answering incoming calls and speaking to both existing and prospective customers. It would be best if you remembered to be upbeat, charming, and overall professional.
Keep in mind that when a customer first calls a company, you will most likely be the first person they will be talking to. It is essential that as a call center representative, you can express yourself well, whether it is spoken or written.
-
Data entry. Data entry is the process of entering, or transcribing, information into a database or standard format for further analysis. You will need to be well organized, self-motivated, and have extreme attention to detail.
-
The ability to manage multiple inbound calls. One of the essential skills a representative must have is the ability to handle numerous calls while attending to customer’s needs. Keep in mind that you might be handling an average of 50 to 70 calls a day.
-
Computer skills. Keep in mind that a high volume of calls means you will also be entering the information on to the company’s database. Because of this, you will need to be fast and proficient at typing. If you choose to become a call center representative, you will also need to have a working knowledge of the customer relationship management software (CRM). This software is used in companies for the representative to create, analyze, and manage tickets.
-
Problem-solving skills. Because you will be the first line of defense, you will need to be prepared to help solve the customer’s problems. In this position, you must be able to do research, analysis, and overall decision making.
-
Attention to detail. Having strong attention to detail means that you are able to catch even the smallest errors in your job. Because you will be handling many phone calls, having an active listening skill is a must. Attention to detail also refers to a person that is observant and efficient. This person is also able to exhibit exceptional time management and organizational skills.
Benefits of Working-From-Home
-
Better Work-life balance. Working-from-home also means having a flexible schedule. This means that workers can start their day and end their day as they choose, as long as their work get done. This is especially important for anyone who is a caretaker and the regular 9-5 work hours don’t work for them.
-
No commute. Lets be honest, without a commute to and from work, going to the office would be better. Depending on how far away the office is from your house, you could be spending an extra two hours in traffic instead of spending it with your family. Working-from-home means your commute turns into walking from your bed to your office.
-
Saves money. Working in an office means spending more money from gas, eating lunch out, and work clothes. When you work-from-home, most of those expenses decrease, meaning you are able to save more money.
-
Customizable workspace. A big benefit of working from home means you aren’t stuck in a cubicle or office. You can work from the couch if that’s more comfortable. You are also able to decorate your space how you want, without anyone in the office being offended. Just make sure your background is appropriate if you need to take video calls.
-
Increased productivity. When working form home, people are often more productive because there are less distractions. When you are alone in your space or have your designated work hours, you are able to focus more. You no longer have people ten feet away from you gossiping loudly, or you won’t have someone’s music playing.
-
Increased job satisfaction. When you no longer have the commute and annoying coworkers to deal with, the job tends to become more enjoyable. With having more time to focus on your personal life as well, you are not as stressed when thinking about your job and what needs to be done.
-
Location independence. Working remote means you can work where ever you want. If working in your living room doesn’t work for you, consider going to the public library or renting a workspace.
This also means that you can work on the beach or in the mountains on vacation. As long as you are getting your work done, most companies don’t have a problem of where you are.
Work-From-Home Call Representative FAQ
-
How much can some one earn while working as a call center representative?
According to our research, the average salary for a call center representative in the United States is around $29,000 per year or $14.02 per hour. The lowest a person can make as a representative is roughly $24,000 per year, while the highest ranges around $35,000 per year.
Now keep in mind that you will need to consider three primary factors when looking to get into any profession. These three factors will determine what the salary for this position will be. Remember that business runs on supply and demand, and how much you get paid will depend on the location, the company, and the industry you choose to be a part of.
Take location, for example. The states that will provide the highest call center representative salaries are California, Maine, Minnesota, North Dakota, and Vermont. These locations offer employees the opportunity to earn up to $36,000 per year.
Companies such as ATT and Northrop Grumman offer some of the highest-paid positions for a call center representative, offering up to $76,000 per year.
The third thing you need to consider is the industry you will be working in. Studies show that telecommunication, health care, and finance are among the highest paying industries. As a call center representative, you can be making close to $30,000 to $40,000 per year.
-
Working from home provides flexibility with your schedule because most companies allow you to create a schedule that works best for you. A benefit of having this type of flexible schedule is that it will grant you the opportunity to spend more time with your loved ones.
Working from home takes a lot of motivation and self-control. You will need to wake up every day and be your own supervisor. If you choose to work from home, many recommend that you create your schedule similar to an office. By doing this, you will be creating a professional environment within your own home.
One of the things that can make working from home difficult from time to time is that there is no physical separation between your workspace and your living space. Be sure you create an area that is solely dedicated to work. By doing this, you are making a change in scenery from one room to the next.
-
Many companies only require you to have a General Education Development (GED) or a high school diploma. However, keep in mind that there are companies that might ask you for a four-year degree. The reason for this is because there are companies that might need you to answer more technical questions.
Author
Chris Kolmar is a co-founder of Zippia and the editor-in-chief of the Zippia career advice blog. He has hired over 50 people in his career, been hired five times, and wants to help you land your next job. His research has been featured on the New York Times, Thrillist, VOX, The Atlantic, and a host of local news. More recently, he's been quoted on USA Today, BusinessInsider, and CNBC.
