Online Customer Service Jobs: Your Comprehensive Guide to Excelling In the Field
Looking for a flexible, rewarding job that lets you work from the comfort of your home? The demand for online customer service jobs is skyrocketing.
Businesses are realizing the potential of remote work and its benefits, such as increased productivity, efficiency, and significant cost savings.
In addition, employees are embracing the flexibility and convenience of remote work. Online customer service jobs, in particular, offer a unique blend of customer interaction and problem-solving. Not to mention, all of the work can be done from the comfort of your home making this a perfect option for parents trying to work around their kids’ schedules, students, professionals, and more.
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What Do Online Customer Service Jobs Involve?
Online customer service is the process of responding to consumer inquiries online via digital channels like email, social media, live chat, and messaging apps. A headset is also necessary for some online customer service positions so you can answer and make calls.
Customers will receive more prompt, on-the-spot assistance as a result, cutting down on wait times and raising customer satisfaction. Support teams can handle more requests in less time thanks to it as well.
As a customer service representative online, you can expect to manage large amounts of incoming phone calls, emails, or chats, identify and assess customers’ needs, build sustainable relationships and trust with customers, and provide accurate, valid, and complete information to solve their problems.
You may also handle customer complaints, and process customer information, including their accounts. You’ll need to have a customer-oriented mindset, communication skills, time management skills, and usually, a quiet place to work.
Just a few titles for these types of positions include:
- Customer Experience Agent
- Customer Success Advisor
- Customer Service Representative
- Customer Experience Specialist
- Customer Care Specialist
- Call Center Agent
How Much You Can Make
When it comes to online customer service roles, you can expect to make around $36,000 and $50,000 per year. That’s around $17 to $20 per hour.
Pros and Cons of Online Customer Service Jobs
As with any job, there are pros and cons to online customer service jobs. Here’s what you need to know.
Pros
- Better access to customers. Instead of just inbound calls, you may work with customers via email, live chat, or messaging apps. This can be great if you prefer to not work with phone calls.
- Growth opportunities. Many online customer service roles offer opportunities for growth, including promotions, bonuses, and commissions.
- Work from home. Of course, one of the biggest benefits is that you can work from home, allowing you to save money and have more flexibility in your home and work tasks.
Cons
- Different time zones. Since you’ll be working online, you may have to work shifts that work for the customers and company, which may include overnights or weekends.
- Frequent changes. While constantly learning new things can seem fun, it may be harder to do if you can’t reach a supervisor immediately if you need to. You’ll have quite a few times where you don’t know the answer but have to figure it out.
- Workload. Within their company, a lot of customer service representatives are tasked with helping customers and making sure they are satisfied. Striking a balance between the workload and the amount of responsibility may be stressful, especially if you’re not used to the array of tasks.
5 Companies Hiring for Remote Customer Service Positions
Companies such as Amazon, American Express, and Apple, known for their exceptional customer service, are all examples of organizations seeking remote customer service professionals.
1. Amazon Customer Service Jobs
Amazon, the world’s largest online retailer, has ample opportunities for remote work, including customer service. The company offers a flexible schedule and provides an opportunity for advancement within. The hiring process involves submitting a resume online, followed by phone and video interviews.
The company takes care of its employees by offering a comprehensive list of employee benefits including health insurance, 401(k) plan, and employee discounts.
2. American Express Customer Service Jobs
American Express, a multinational financial services corporation, provides virtual customer service jobs as part of its customer care team. The process of securing a position involves submitting an online application, completing an assessment, and then potentially one or two rounds of interviews.
As part of the American Express team, remote customer service employees enjoy benefits such as competitive pay, generous vacation time, and a wide range of healthcare options.
3. Apple Customer Service Jobs
Apple, one of the largest tech companies worldwide, hires remote customer service agents (called “At Home Advisors”) who provide support for their products. This job typically requires some level of tech savviness and a passion for Apple products.
The hiring process is rigorous including a detailed resume submission, followed by several interview stages. Once hired, Apple provides its remote workers with an iMac, a headset, and training resources. They also provide robust employee benefits such as product discounts and time off.
4. Walgreens Customer Service Roles
Employees at Walgreens’ call center can work from home while answering incoming and outgoing service calls. You will handle incoming and outgoing calls from clients, doctor offices, and patients who require assistance finding products or filling prescriptions as one of its call center specialists. This job has an hourly base pay of $16.
You’ll also get access to a few different benefits, including paid holidays, paid time off, health insurance (including vision and dental), and profit-sharing/stock purchase programs.
5. Kelly Services
Kelly Services specializes in placing people in a range of industries, such as call centers, administrative, engineering, financial services, automotive, and life sciences. Executive coaching, career transition, executive search, and business process outsourcing are examples of outsourcing and consulting services. There are many roles you may qualify for, including Customer Service Representative or Helpdesk Tier 1.
Tips for Securing an Online Customer Service Job
Securing an online customer service job may seem daunting at first, but with the right approach and skills, it becomes an achievable goal. Here are some useful tips to increase your chances of getting hired.
Upgrade Your Resume
First and foremost, ensure your resume is updated and tailored to the customer service job you’re applying for. Highlight any relevant experience you have in customer service, and be sure to include any customer service training or certifications you possess. Also, don’t forget to list any tools or software you’re familiar with that are often used in customer service roles.
Hone Your Communication Skills
As a customer service representative, your main role is to assist customers, which requires excellent communication skills. Practice empathy in your responses and demonstrate active listening when dealing with customers. These are key skills employers look for in this role.
Prepare For Interviews
Prepare for potential interview questions related to customer service situations. Think of times when you’ve assisted a frustrated or difficult customer and turned things around. Being able to demonstrate your problem-solving skills and how you handle stress will make you a strong candidate.
Get Comfortable With Technology
Today, customer service roles often involve using chat features, email, and sometimes social media to communicate with customers. Familiarize yourself with common platforms and stay up to date with the latest digital communication tools.
Highlight Your Availability
One of the benefits to employers of having remote customer service teams is that they can handle requests beyond typical office hours. If you are open to working night shifts or weekends, make sure to highlight this in your application.
Securing an online customer service job requires a blend of the right skills, a customer-first mindset, and the ability to showcase these qualities to prospective employers. With these tips in mind, you’ll be well on your way to landing your next job in online customer service.
Looking for other flexible ways to make money? Check out these ideas:
- 20 Ways to Make Extra Money Today
- 15 Side Income Ideas You Can Start (With No Special Skills)
- Side Hustles Explored: Simple, Low Effort Ways to Make Money
- How to Make Extra Money Renting Out Space in Your Home
- How to Make Money With Focus Groups
Summary
There are a variety of top online customer service jobs to consider, each with unique responsibilities and benefits. You don’t have to have lots of experience or a degree to get a remote customer service job that pays well.
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