Work for a Call Center from Home

I love what I do, and I love working from home. 

Many work at home moms like the convenience of working from home for a call center. These call centers marry two important needs: the needs for women to work out of the home, and the need for companies to have polite and professional telephone customer service representatives. Virtual call centers help both the business and the work at home mom.

There are many wahms who are hired as customer service agents to inbound callers. They use their own home phone and computer to do their work, and are networked into the company’s customer service system and are known as cloud agents.

Virtual call centers are growing in popularity.

Today there are roughly 100,000 people working at home in the United States, and many of them work for virtual call centers. Virtual call centers allow large companies to save money by hiring people to work out of their homes. There is also a low turnover rate for work at home jobs, which makes it beneficial for the company to hire Wahms.

I enjoy working from home a virtual call center, many wahms enjoy their jobs because there is a flexibility that they just don’t get when working outside of the home. Most call centers allow their customer service agents to schedule their own work hours. This can be a great convenience to a mother who needs to arrange her work times around their child’s naps and/or school hours.

Getting started as a virtual call center customer service representative is fairly easy. There are currently over 1,000 companies in the U.S. who hire people to work from home, and most of them are virtual call centers. You’ll need a computer with a high-speed Internet connection and reliable landline phone. You’ll also need a quiet place to work. Beyond those things, there is nothing else that you need to be a successful virtual call center worker.

Applying for a call center position normally follows the same method. You visit the company’s website and fill out their online application. If your application meets their standards, the company will e-mail you to arrange a phone interview. The phone interview is your chance to show them your assets as a telephone customer service rep. 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 rep, 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.

Once you are hired, the company will have you download a piece of software that will analyze your computer. This analysis will tell you 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.

Typically, your calls will be scripted so you’ll never have to worry about what you have to say. The most successful customer service representatives take some time to practice their script so it sounds more conversational and less like they are reading. If you want 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.

Working for a virtual call center is not for everyone. But if you like steady money coming in then working for a virtual call center can earn you the extra money you need. Several companies that hire you to work from home are; www.sitel.com or www.teletechjobs.com.  Get started today!

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Five Signs Of A Legitimate Home Business Opportunity

Are you actively seeking out a legitimate home business opportunity? 

If so, you’re probably concerned about avoiding those options that are not on the “up and up”.

Here, I have compiled the top five signs of a legitimate home business opportunity to help you make the right decision.

#5: References are Readily Available

Any legitimate home business opportunity that you explore should be able to provide you with references from other franchisees or owners. Without such contacts, it would be quite difficult (if not impossible) for you to gauge what working with the business will be like.

Always ask for a list of at least five references; a legitimate home business opportunity won’t hesitate to comply. And make sure to follow-up with each person, asking pertinent questions about the organization and writing down each answer.

#4: Every Aspect of Ownership is Spelled Out

If you’re unclear about any aspect of the company, then you might not be working with a legitimate home business opportunity. Many shady operators work on the Internet, and they are quite adept at giving you only half the story.

A legitimate home business opportunity will spell out all the relevant data for you from the get-go. Consequently, you won’t be shocked down the road.

#3: You Can Talk to a Live Person

Even if you’re planning on embarking on a legitimate home business opportunity via the Internet, you still should always be able to connect with a real person.

This is a critical aspect of a legitimate home business opportunity, because sometimes emergencies arise, and email just isn’t fast enough. If you cannot ever “get through” to an individual, or if you seem to be getting the “run around” when you do, be warned – this is probably not a legitimate home business opportunity.

#2: There is a Proven Track Record

Though every legitimate home business opportunity was once a start-up, most now have proven track records that they are more than happy to share with you.

If you’re looking into an organization and thinking about investing money, make certain that you know how well it has performed in the past. And if that information isn’t available (or you feel it’s been “doctored”), run away!

#1: You Are Offered Support

Finally, one of the most important signs of a legitimate home business opportunity is the offer of mentorship and support.

Most of the legitimate home business opportunity franchises partner you with other successful investors, thereby creating a net of encouragement and ideas. This enables you to blossom and the legitimate home business opportunity to thrive on all levels.

By carefully doing a little investigation work, you’ll find the perfect legitimate home business opportunity for you!

WAHM 101: How to tell if you’re ready to become a WAHM

More and more women are choosing to stay home but still pursue a career. The old idea that women had to choose to be at home or away at work no longer applies. But if you currently work outside the home, you might wonder if you can take the plunge and become a WAHM.

Perhaps you have the business idea, or you have the acumen to start something new, but you just aren’t sure that you can actually do it. How will you know when the time is right? There are a few things to consider.

Can you afford it?

First, consider finances. Depending on what business you plan to work at home, it might take some time for you to make money in your new venture. Can you afford to live on your spouse’s income only during that time?

To determine if you can afford your WAHM venture, first do a budget and figure out what your base living expenses are each month. Does one income cover that expense? If not, do you have enough in savings to cover the difference if need be for the first few months of your WAHM business?

If one salary isn’t enough to cover the expenses, do you have savings that you can pull from if necessary? If not, consider working a few more months while putting as much as possible in the bank.

Before you take the plunge, also consider what kinds of start-up expenses there will be for your business. Can you afford to make that investment? Remember that some start-up expenses are tax-deductible, but you still have to be able to make the purchases and investments now.

Can you handle it?

Working at home is often harder that it might appear initially. While the idea of working at home could hold some romance for you, the reality is that it’s much harder for most people than they initially realize, especially when there are child rein the house.

So ask yourself if you will be able to find the time and quiet to effectively work at home. Think about the kind of job you’ll be doing. If it requires phone work, consider that you need to have quiet in the house before you can do that work. If it requires computer time, is there a computer that you can use often for your work? Do you have a good area that you can claim as your workspace?

Once you have secured a spot and know what you’re going to do, think about the family arrangement. If you have very young children who aren’t even in preschool yet, do you have plans for how you will work around them? Do you have family who can help you or could you hire a babysitter? If you need to work full-time and your kids are in school, how will you handle your work time once they are home from school? How about holidays, days off and summer vacations?

Are you ready to make change?

Transitioning from being a mom who works outside the home to one who works at home can be tough. Or, if you’ve been at stay-at-home mom, it can be difficult on your family, who must make the transition from seeing you as very accessible to them to being concerned with other matters.

Ask yourself these hard questions about transition. Are you ready to work at home? Can you handle the isolation? Do you think you can be a work at home mom and still see to your family’s needs? Most moms decide to work at home because they want to be available to their children; if you plant your children in front of the television so you can work, you haven’t necessarily succeeded in your mission.

If you’ve been thinking about becoming a WAHM for some time, you likely know the answers to all of these questions already. Once you know that you’re ready for the change, the transition can be fairly simple because your confidence will help provide a good result.

Can You Really Find a Lucrative Work from Home Position?

Can You Really Find a Lucrative Work from Home Position?


Working from home seems like a luxury but it has become a necessity for many people. Economic downturn has led to more creative ways to make money. One that requires less to get started is a work from home position, either as your own boss or working for someone else. Is it truly possible to find a job this way?

In a word – yes, it is possible to work from home and make money. Those who are short of cash or need a second job but need flexibility can search for fresh cash infusions online. There are challenges associated with working from home to consider, as well as how to go about it.

Avoiding Becoming a Mark

For those who don’t know, a “mark” is the target for scammers. These people make money by preying on the desperate. When you need money to feed your family or keep your house, even too good to be true offers seem reasonable if it will ease the financial burden. Unfortunately, they only serve to strip you of what is left of your hard-earned money.

Here are a few things to watch out for when looking for legitimate work from home positions.

Avoid requests for money – Any opportunity that asks for you to pay them for the privilege is a waste of time. Once you give them the money, they send you information about possible jobs or simply tell you what you already know. But, there is no job waiting for you.

Avoid getting rich quick – If there was a way to make thousands of dollars a week stuffing envelopes, everyone would be doing it. Consider the source. If it is just a phone number without any other kind of contact, that’s suspicious. Besides, who would pay that type of money for that kind of work? Think realistically before taking the plunge.

Finding Work

Check freelance sites – One way to always make money is to freelance. Website businesses are always looking for writers to provide content for their sites and blogs. If you are a website programmer, designer or an expert in copywriting, you can find opportunities at sites like Elance, Freelancer, Guru, iFreelance and LogoMyWay.

Look in local papers – Companies hire for customer service jobs that can be done from home. As long as you have a computer and access to the internet, you can have calls routed to you for answering. It may require you to visit the main facility for training but then you can conduct other business from home. Medical offices hire freelance medical coders and transcriptionists. If you have the expertise, you can hire out to a number of offices.

Use your creativity – Some work from home positions can stem from your talents and interests. If you can sew, set up shop as a seamstress. People have been setting up stores on eBay for years now. Sell items you make yourself in an online store or auction.

It is possible to find ways to work from home and make money. Watch out for scams but be diligent in pursuing opportunities and gaining the knowledge to expand and take advantage of other lucrative propositions.

Be careful to avoid WAHM scams

If you really want to work at home, you might be tempted by the many ads online and even in newspapers that promise easy work and good money.

It’s hard not to be tempted by these ads and promises. But there are many scams out there, and they can strip you of money, reputation and, at the very least, your confidence.

The most common scam

Yes, this one is still around. You might remember seeing these ads in newspapers years ago, promising “easy money!” for stuffing envelopes. The ads are generally targeted to moms at home, students and retired people. It’s easy to get sucked into the idea that you can make money by stuffing envelopes for businesses, but in reality, you don’t.

You are asked to send money (usually $29.99) and in return, you will get a list if of businesses you might contact to try and get their envelope stuffing business. The reality is that few, if any, companies hire people to stuff their envelopes. And these days, with more and more people relying on online methods to contact potential customers and clients, they need this service even less.

Sometimes people who pay the money will be given information on how to advertise in newspapers and online for people to start an envelope stuffing business. You make $29.99 off these poor people as they contact you for more information.

If you see this offer, or it’s sent to you directly, it’s best to ignore it, no matter how tempting.

How to spot a scam

It’s not easy to spot a scam. If you are desperate to work at home and looking for something that’s already set up for you (in that you don’t have to actually start your own business), you might be tempted by these offers to work at home.

There are several criteria to help you determine if you are dealing with unscrupulous people who are tying to scam you.

First, if an offer promises big pay for easy work, it might be a scam. The reality is that few people can get paid big dollars for easy work and little work. Big pay usually is a reward for big work, so while it might be temping to think that you can get paid big dollars for little work, you have to objectively consider the possibilities there.

Any offer that promises you a lot of work for a fee is likely not on the up and up. You shouldn’t have to pay to work. You shouldn’t have to pay for a job. Of course, some businesses (like businesses where you sell products as a consultant for a company) will require a small up-front investment. In that case, however, you are investing in your own business, not the business of others. You are investing to get the products you need to run your business and that is decidedly different than paying to get a job.

Ask questions. If you get vague answers, or your questions are ignored completely, that should set off a few warning bells with you. You should be able to dig up a street address for the company, the names of the relevant players in the company and you should be able to check the company’s history with the Better Business Bureau and other such agencies.

Don’t sign up for a job or to work with a company without talking to someone on the phone or person. Don’t settle for the information available on a website in the FAQs. Instead, make sure you can make contact with someone you can talk to one-on-one (not in email). If you can’t do that, you might want to look elsewhere.

If you do need to make an investment in product or materials (not for the job itself) use your credit card. Don’t write a check or use a debit card because those will be harder to get protection with. If you use a credit card, you get protection from the credit card company if things go wrong.

Do your research and understand the various risks and rewards of the company you are considering there are many bad deals out there and many scams, but if you do your research, you should be able to find the right opportunity for you.

Dress for Success Even When Working from Home

As a work from home mom, you are a professional. Just because your home base isn’t an office building doesn’t make you any less serious about your business venture. One way to “get into character” is to look the part.

Getting into Character

You are playing a part – the part of a business entrepreneur. Internet marketers, freelance writers, bloggers, online coaches and virtual assistants (to name a few) are professional people who happen to be fortunate enough to conduct their businesses by making their own hours. This brings with it a lot of responsibility that those who work in offices might not experience. For one, motivation comes from within instead of without. 

Motivation, focus and discipline are all challenges for the working at home mother. With small children under foot, the line between business and family can get blurred. That is not the way that your business and your dreams will grow. 

What can you do? Get out of those pajamas and do your hair. Changing your frame of mind is simpler when you are dressed for success. Remember how you prepared when you worked in the office? Do the same at home. The one advantage is that you don’t have to get up so early and you won’t be required to spend gas getting to your destination.

Dress for Success

What will make you feel like you are at work? It all depends on the nature of your business. Let’s begin with enterprises that are conducted solely online. Most of the time, you do not have direct face-to-face contact with clients. Your dress code can be business casual. If a teleconference comes up, you don’t have to rush and change. This look is also appropriate for promotional videos that you create for the internet.