Unless you’re one of the small percentage of people who are independently wealthy, the vast majority of folks need to work. While there’s no doubt that you’d rather spend your days exploring the world, investigating curiosities, tinkering with around with newfound hobbies (and figuring out what hobbies might interest you in the first place), and just lounging about, if it weren’t for work, you wouldn’t be able to cover the cost of life’s myriad of expenses (you might say that working is a necessary evil). For your time, manual and/or mental labor, when you work, you’re rewarded financially; plus, no matter what type of position you fill, you play a key part in keeping the keeping the world running.
It used to be that in order to earn a paycheck, you had to seek employment outside of the house – and for many jobs, it still does; however, thanks to the advent of technology, in the 21st century, remote job opportunities abound, which is certainly a plus. In fact, it’s never been easier to find a work-from-home job, as the list of opportunities is growing at a rapid rate. Of all the different types of work-from-home job categories, customer service is, hands-down, one of the most desirable categories. There are a lot of reasons why this gig is appealing. You don’t need a degree or any other credentials, really, nor do you need a long list of qualifications. So long as you have access to a computer, a phone, a reliable internet connection, a quite space you can retreat to, and the ability effectively manage your time, chances are good that you can successfully earn an income from home working as a customer service rep.
Interested in finding a work-from-home customer service job? If so, read on for some helpful information, including tips that you can use to help increase your chances of landing a position in this high-demand position, and examples of some companies that are actively seeking home-based customer service agents.
Benefits of Working from Home
What are the benefits of working from home? There are many, and below, we’ll take a look at just a few of the perks, and why a home-based job might be the right option for you.
No commute. When you work out of the house, you need to travel to get there, and for many, the commute to and from work can take hours out of their days. If the thought of spending countless hours stuck behind the wheel of a car while sitting in bumper-to-bumper traffic gives you agitation, working from home should definitely appeal to you. Your commute will consist of walking into your home office – and you won’t even need to put on shoes! Now that’s a beautiful thing.
Fulfill other responsibilities. Whether you’re a mom, a dad, you take care of an aged parent, or a caregiver in any other capacity, working outside of the house and tending to the needs of your dependents can be hard. When you work from home, you can provide for your family financially while still tending to other priorities, which is definitely a huge plus.
Increased comfort. Wearing a shirt, tie, and slacks, or a skirt, heels, and pantyhose several hours a day, several days a week isn’t exactly comfortable; neither is sitting in a cubicle or office where the AC or heat is set too high. When you work from home, you’ll be able to work in more comfortable clothing and in an environment that’s customized to meet your needs.
Cost savings. The whole reason why you’re working is to earn a paycheck, right? Well, when you work from home, you’ll be able to keep more of your income because you won’t have to worry about filling up your gas tank as often, purchasing professional attire, buying lunch, or any of the other expenses that are associated with working outside of the house.
Increased flexibility. Often, working remotely means that you can create a routine that works for you instead of creating a routine that works around, well, work. For instance, you can eat lunch and take breaks when you’d like to, attend functions at your kid’s school in the middle of the day, and schedule mid-day appointments, like doctor or dentist visits, or even coffee or lunch dates with loved ones.
The above are just some of the benefits of working from home, and based on these benefits alone, it’s easy to see the appeal of working remotely as a customer service agent.
What Do Customer Service Reps Do?
OK, so now that you know some of the perks of working from home, you might be wondering what you’d be doing if you’re working as a remote customer service rep. Though the specific duties vary from industry to industry and company to company, the following outlines just some of the responsibilities this job might entail:
Listen and respond to customer questions, concerns, and comments
Take orders, calculate charges, and process billing and/or payments for the products or services the company you’re working for offers
Refer customers to employees or supervisors who can assist with their inquiries and needs
Handle complaints and returns
Review and make changes to customer accounts, when necessary
Offer details about the products or services the company provides
How to Find a Job as a Remote Customer Service Agent
To find a job as a remote customer service agent, you need to be patient and persistent. You need to know where to look, too. So, how do you find work as an at-home customer service rep? Here are some handy tips to help point you in the right direction:
Ask the people you know. Do you know anyone who has or who is currently working as a remote customer service agent? If so, ask them what company the work for and if they know whether or not they are hiring. You can also ask the people you know how they found the position in the first place and apply the tips they provide to your search.
Check online job boards. A quick search for “online job boards” or “remote customer service jobs” will undoubtedly reveal dozens of openings. Take the time to look through the results. View job descriptions for more information, such as what the positions entail, what skills are required, payment, etc. The following are just a few examples of some reliable job boards that frequently post openings for home-based customer service reps:
We Work Remotely
Working Nomads
Support Driven
Indeed
FlexJobs
With patience, persistence, and perseverance, you should be able to find a list of companies that employ remote customer service reps.
How to Land a Remote Customer Service Gig
Once you find a position that piques your interests, you’ll need to apply for the gig. To increase your chances of landing a job, you need to make yourself as appealing as possible. Why? Well, because while it’s true that at-home customer service reps are in high-demand, the competition is steep. That’s because you don’t need a long-list of qualifications or credentials, and in fact, many companies that hire remote agents don’t require any previous experience, so it’s easy to see why it’s such a highly competitive field. With that said, to increase your chances of getting noticed and landing the position, here are some tips that you can use to stand out and catch the attention of prospective employers:
Highlight keywords and key skills. A lot of hiring managers utilize applicant-tracking systems to scan resumes for keywords and phrases, so when you’re writing up your resume, including keywords that are mentioned in the job positing or job description is highly advisable. Often, these keywords are related to key skills, such as:
Self-motivated
Flexible
Adaptable
Organized
Independent
Dependable
Self-starter
Self-sufficient
Highlight past experience. Though many companies that employ remote customer service reps don’t require specific credentials or qualifications, if you have any previous customer service or work-from-home experience, including these things in your resume can certainly help you land a job. That said, if you have worked from home in any capacity, make sure to include the names of the companies you worked for and what your duties entailed.
Summary. You don’t have to include an objective on your resume; however, it’s a good idea to include a summary that details why you’d be a good fit. Include some key points that highlight why you are qualified for the job and explain why you would be an asset to the team.
Education. Of course, if there’s a certain level of education required for the job, you’ll want to include that information on your resume; however, even if an education isn’t needed, it’s a good idea to include this information on your resume, if you can. Applicants that have degree in secondary or post-secondary education tend to stand out from the crowd.
Contact details. Of course, you’ll want to include your first and last name (make sure you use your legal names and not nicknames) on your resume, but it’s also important to include your contact information – your email address and your phone number – so the hiring manager can get in touch with you to set up an interview. If you have a website or an online portfolio, you may want to include a link to that, as well.
Companies that Hire Remote Customer Service Agents
To get you started, we’ve compiled a list of companies that are known to employ customer service reps who work remotely. While this list is by no means comprehensive and we definitely encourage you to do your own research, it can certainly help to get the ball rolling.
Ajilon
Specializing in placing administration, marketing, customer service, management, human resources, and other operations professionals in some of the best-known companies, Ajilon is a great place to start your search for a work-from-home customer service rep. In fact, the company posts job listings for this very position on a regular basis.
CVS Health
With more than 9,500 pharmacy stores, an expansive online pharmacy, and more 1,100 MinuteClinic locations, CVS is the largest provider of health-related services and prescription drugs in the United States. To satisfy customer needs, the company frequently looks for remote customer service agents, such as call center representatives and patient advocates.
Progressive
Progressive is one of the biggest auto insurance companies in the United States. Not only do they offer insurance policies for cars, but they also offer policies for boats, RVs, motorcycles, mobile homes – and even houses – and they largely rely on remote customer service agents to deliver the products and services they provide. Examples of some of the work-from-home customer service gigs that Progressive offers include claims agents and centralized support.
Lincoln Financial Group
Offering financial products that intend to assist customers with achieving their retirement income goals, Lincoln Financial Group offers annuities, life insurance, and long-term care protection. They are regularly looking to hire home-based workers to service their customers, such as claims care associates, case managers, and TeleApp specialists
Robert Half International
Robert Half International is a professional staffing and consulting firm that is comprised of eight different divisions, which include:
Executive Search
Accountemps
Finance and Accounting
Legal
Technology
Office Team
The Creative Group
Management Resources
Robert Half International often employs remote customer service workers, including customer service representatives, service desk, and customer service insurance agents.
Transcom
A global company, Transcom offers customer care, sales, credit management, and technical support services to clients across the world. The company employs about 30,000 employees and serves more than 350 international brands in a broad-spectrum of industries, such as media, telecommunications, financial services, retail, and travel. Customer service, technical support representative, and technical support advisor are just some of the remote customer service positions that Transcom often needs to fill.
UnitedHealth Group
A diversified healthcare company, United Health Group is comprised of two businesses: United Healthcare, which offers insurance coverage, and Optum, which specializes in technology and information-enabled health services. They, too, regularly need to fill home-based customer service positions, such as client service managers, clinical administration coordinators, and senior customer service reps.
