50+ Work from Home Call Center Jobs

The availability of work from home call center jobs increases as virtual call centers grow in popularity. 37% or more of working people in the United States work from home. Many of them work for virtual call centers.

Why Work from Home Call Center Jobs Are Popular

These work from home call center jobs fill two important needs. One, many women need work from home jobs. Two, companies need polite and professional telephone customer service representatives. Virtual call centers allow large companies to save money by hiring people to work from home. Virtual call centers help both the business and the work from home mom.

Get Started as a Service Agent

Work from home call center jobs involve working as service agents to inbound callers. Also, sale agents and technical support jobs are available with some companies that hire for work from home call center jobs. Agents use a computer and/or a home phone line to do their work. They are networked into the company’s customer service system.

Each company has standards they list with the job description. This can include the type of computer and internet speed you have. Some require you to have a dedicate phone line. Many want you to have your modem physically hooked with your computer because it is more reliable than wireless. The majority of companies require work from home call agents to work in a quiet environment.

Although some positions require prior call center or customer service experience, there are jobs available to people without experience. You need to be comfortable using a computer, following instructions, and able to overcome feeling nervous speaking with strangers on the phone.

The Application Process

Applying for work from call center jobs is the same as for many jobs. Visit the company’s website and locate the career or available jobs page. Fill out their online application and/or submit a resume and cover letter. If your application meets their standards, the company contacts you by emails to arrange a phone interview.

The phone interview gives you the opportunity to show them your assets as a telephone customer service agent. Schedule your phone interview for a time when you know your house will be quiet. Answer your phone in a professional manner and keep a light and friendly tone to your speaking. As a customer service agent, you’ll be challenged to sound helpful and agreeable on the phone at all times so this is your chance to display your communication skills.

You may also be required to pass a typing, writing and computer skills test on the company’s website. This will be used to test your ability to do the basic functions of the job. In some cases, you may also need to pass a drug and background screening as well before you are hired.

Getting Started

After hiring, the company will have you download a piece of software which analyzes your computer. This shows what you need to do to your computer to make it usable in their network. Most of the time, you’ll just need to update a few programs and add the virtual call center’s website to favorites folder. Once your computer is set up, you will be ready to begin training.

Typically, in work from home call center jobs the calls are scripted. The most successful customer service representatives take time to practice their script. This make it more conversational and less like just reading. To succeed in the long term, it’s well worth the effort to make your script sound conversational. Think about the worst experience you had with calling a company’s customer service department and then do the opposite.

The Pro’s

The big pro of work from home call center jobs is the ability to work with no commute. So, you can save money on car, gas, clothing, and food expenses. Plus, a number of companies allow their call center agents to choose their schedule, giving you flexibility to fit around other things in your life. It makes a lot easier for moms to fit work in while their children are in school or when a spouse is home to watch the children.

Another pro of work from call center jobs is having the benefits of a real job with the ease of working from home. Some companies do hire call center agents as employees and offer them a benefits package. Other companies hire employees are independent contractors. As a contracted employee you will need to keep track of your income for tax purposes, putting a portion aside for filing income tax. But, you may be eligible for tax deductions.

The Con’s

As for Con’s, working for a virtual call center is not for everyone. Because you need complete quiet, homes with small children and pets may make that difficult. While some companies allow for a flexibility schedule, there are those with stricter schedules. There may be times, such evening and weekends, you are required to work. Additionally, there are those which also require holiday hours.

The hiring phase varies greatly, I’ve experienced companies taking just a few days to hire me and another that took 3 months before I heard from them. I, also, witnessed companies over hiring, choosing a greater number than needed, followed by weeding out new hires. You might spend time and energy, looking forward to a new job, then be told you didn’t make cut sending you back into look for other work from home call center jobs.

And there’s the income cap, in which you don’t make much over minimum wage. Unless it’s sales with commission, the pay doesn’t goes beyond $12 or $15, with many in the $9 range. Even Though that a whole lot more than you can make with some work at home gigs, it is still in the lowest income range possible. It’s very hard to rely on it as a single income.

Now that we’ve learned about work from home call center jobs, here’s a list of companies that regularly hire virtual call center agents.