What Is Expected of Work From Home Virtual Call Center Agents

If you've ever thought you would enjoy working from home, a virtual call center agent might be a the job you're looking for. A lot of people are enjoying virtual call center positions while working from home. These customer service positions might not offer the highest hourly wage, but there is no travel time, wear and tear on your vehicle, and no out of pocket expenses for meals or three-piece suits.

Many moms earn a nice income without having to pay child care expenses. Virtual call center positions can also be great for retired people who are wanting to earn supplemental income with the convenience of working from home. Others love the freedom of working in comfortable attire, such as pajamas and slippers.

Work from home virtual call center agent positions are available with several reputable companies. Some of these companies advertise in local newspapers for seasonal help, while others post employment positions on their websites.

But, don't fool yourself into thinking that working from your home office is not a real job. Working on your own requires discipline, specific computer capabilities, interaction with people, and sales background experience. Reputable companies provide paid training to properly equip the agent with adequate software knowledge and professional expectations. Many do not require the employee to pay any fees, however, some require the applicant to pay for background checks.

Many virtual call center agents work long hours; eleven-hour shifts are not uncommon, especially during peak season timeframes. In addition, most companies offer 24-hour customer service, so don't expect a 9 to 5 work schedule. Schedules can vary and begin as early as 6 AM or as late as 5 PM. So, if your workday schedule is from 6 AM to 5 PM, you need to be able to spend a lot of time in a seated position, wearing a headphone, placing orders or providing customer service for extended periods. Of course, two 15-minute breaks and a lunch break is, usually, scheduled into your workday.

Although you are working from your home office, you are not alone or without help. Many virtual call center agents are in constant contact with their supervisors, mentors, and other agents through a chatroom. This provides the agent to get answers to questions or how-to instructions to complete orders or customer service actions.

Receiving orders is just one aspect of the virtual agent position. Customer service is another very important area within the job description. To assist the customer, the agent must be able to replace orders, attain dropship or backorder information, order missing or broken item parts, cancel orders, or track orders after shipping. Of course, placing orders are important, but customer service is the real bread-and-butter to any company.

A quiet work area is imperative to provide the best sales and customer service to first time or returning customers. How the customer views the experience determines whether they will be repeat buyers or leave with a negative feeling about the way they were treated by the agent.

A virtual call center agent promotes the company's image. Clear speaking, calm demeanor, and leaving the customer with a warm and fuzzy feeling is what customer service is all about.