In this infographic, we took a look at working in a call center vs. working as a home based customer service agent, and compared the pros and cons for each. Read on to see which side of the fence you would want to be – or work – on!

Home Based Customer Service Job Pros

• You get to work from the comfort of your own home: How many times have you woken up and wished you could stay in bed? While some home based customer service jobs require you to be visible on camera from a designated work space, many work from home agents can work from the comfort of their bed, couch, kitchen table, or wherever they feel  most comfortable!
• You don’t have to worry about driving in traffic every day: Getting stuck in the daily traffic jam stinks, and can cause a lot of stress and aggravation, which is not a great start to a day for any employee, let alone a call center representative who needs to have a calm demeanor through rough situations. Not only would you not have to worry about driving, you’ll also save a bunch of gas money.
• You can work in your pajamas: When you work from home, you can kiss “business casual” goodbye. Work from home agents can work in their jammies, their underwear, or whatever they feel most comfortable in, whereas in-house call center reps would have to stick to the status quo. Just be careful of your call center requires you to be on camera during your shift!
• You can hang out with your pets while you work: The worst part of going to work every day is leaving your four legged friends behind. Unless a call center has a bring your pet to work day everyday, remote agents never have to leave their furry family members’ side when working from home.
• It’s quiet: A quiet environment is an essential ingredient to being a productive call center representative, and having a great conversation with the other person on the line. The quiet of your home can allow you to concentrate on assisting customers peacefully, and you won’t have to worry about getting caught up in any call center drama.
• You can listen to music: Whenever remote agents are not on the phone, they can turn on some music and jam out while they work, whereas in-house agents have to be respectful of their peers at all times.

Home Based Customer Service Job Cons

• You may get cabin fever: While working from home sounds ideal, staying in your house all day every day can start to take a toll on your mental, which could wind up affecting the customers you’re assisting. However, if the call center you’re working at is local, they may allow you to pop-in and work from there once and a while to break the monotony!
• You may have a hard time unwinding: If you had a stressful day at work, coming home can often help you unwind. However, if you’re a work at home agent, you may not be able to fully decompress.
• You may get lonely: Working from home means you’re alone all day, and not having anyone to talk to (aside from your callers) could make you go stir crazy.
• You miss out on fun activities: Because you’re not in the call center, you miss out on playing games with your coworkers, gossiping around the office, or participating in fun activities like Employee of the Month.
• It may be harder to stay in the loop: Whenever policies and procedures change within the call center, you may be the last to learn of them since you aren’t there.

Working in a Call Center Pros

• You get to socialize with your peers: One of the best parts of coming into work at a call center is getting to see your fellow support friends, and bonding over common annoyances. If you work in a large call center with hundreds of employees, you’re sure to find a friend with common interests.
• You can take advantage of free snacks in the break room: Often, larger customers will send in treats or catered lunch to keep the customer service reps happy and on brand. So, if you’re in the office, you get access to any free snacks that may be in the break room.
• You can participate in office activities: Coming into work at the call center means you can participate in activities like Employee of the Month or other bonus incentives.
• You can easily reach out to  coworkers if you need help: If you have a question or need help, you can simply get up and ask another customer service rep in the cubicle next to you or knock on your team leaders door. Often face to face communication for issues and questions is better than trying to communicate from your house.
• You can customize your desk space: There’s something cool about tricking out your cubicle. While you can definitely still do this at home, making your desk space  your own can help alleviate stress, give an added sense of comfort, and show your personality to the rest of the call center agents.

Working in a Call Center Cons

• It’s loud and you may get distracted: With thousands of phone calls being processed every hour, call centers can get pretty loud, so it may be easier to get distracted and make mistakes.
• Your desk chair may be uncomfortable: In a call center environment, you’re going to have the same equipment, like chairs, computers, and headphones, as your coworkers. If the stock chairs aren’t very snuggly, your performance may be affected, which could cause you to skimp on your customer service duties. And, because you’re in a team, you most likely won’t be able to upgrade to a Cesar level chair without causing major office fights.
• There might not be any free snacks: Maybe the call center customers aren’t sending in any freebies and there are no free snacks. So unless you’re raiding your coworkers brown bags, you might be sad.
• There may not be any fun activities to participate in: INot all call centers are created equal and yours may not offer any fun incentives or activities, so you could lose interest in your job quickly.
• You may have to abide by a dress code: Having to wear professional clothes 8 hours a day, every day, might affect your work performance. If you find it’s easier to be friendly on the phone if you’re in sweats, you’re going to suffer in a call center.
• No pets: This one can speak for itself.

The post Working From Home vs. Working in a Call Center Service Infographic appeared first on SAS Call Center.

If you’re interested in a career as a call center representative, but don’t know if it’s the right fit for you, then you’re in luck. We’ve analyzed hundreds of job posts on the top 5 job posting sites and consolidated all possible requirements, responsibilities, and benefits all in one spot. You can read through the general data from each website, compare qualifications and requirements, and determine if this line of work is something you’d want to pursue. Each site is broken down into Responsibilities, Qualifications, and Benefits, and then broken down again into the following:

Most: Includes items that are prevalent among many job postings within the site.

Some: Includes items that are somewhat prevalent among job postings within the site.

Few: Include items that are sparse among job postings within the site.

#1. Indeed.com

Responsibilities

Most:

• Handle inbound and outbound calls as well as electronic referrals in a professional manner
• Open new cases accurately according to policy and procedures
• Develop and maintain professional relationships with customers
• Perform data entry by updating customer accounts and editing information
• Deliver exceptional service and 100% customer satisfaction
• Provide our clients with timely and accurate information, and take appropriate corrective actions regarding our services to ensure the customer’s complete satisfaction
• Process telephone calls and triage problems in accordance with company standards and other verbal and written training policies
• Ability to quickly learn and navigate new computer software
• Ability to multitask

Some:

• Must be proficient in Microsoft Office
• Ability to utilize up-sell and cross-sell techniques
• Ability to work on a team and thrive in a team environment

Few:

• Must participate in employee activities
• Must possess strong geography skills
• Able to work overtime with little or no notice, as needed

Qualifications

Most:

• 1-3 years of experience in the customer service field
• Maintain at least a high school diploma
• Excellent time-management skills
• Proficient with relevant computer programs
• Must be able to work in a fast paced environment
• Enthusiastic and positive attitude
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills

Some:

• Must be proficient in Microsoft Office
• 1-5 years of call center experience preferred
• Ability to utilize up-sell and cross-sell techniques
• A college education (Associate’s or Bachelor’s degree) is preferred

Few:

• 1-5 years of call center experience required
• A college education is required
• Must be detail-oriented with proven problem-solving skills
• Experience in the medical field is strongly preferred

Benefits

Most:

• Healthcare for associates, eligible dependents, and partners
• Paid time off, including vacations and holidays
• Dental insurance

Some:

• 401(k) plan
• Life insurance and disability protection
• Potential to reach and receive bonuses

Few:

• Pet insurance
• Paid volunteer time off
• Casual work environment

#2. CareerBuilder.com

Responsibilities

Most:

• Continually maintain a working knowledge of our client’s products, services and promotions
• Maintain high quality standards while making recommendations according to customer’s needs
• Keep records of customer interactions, recording details of inquiries, complaints, and comments as well as actions taken
• Consulting with existing customers to recommend a variety of products and services to meet their needs
• Ensure a positive customer experience by educating customers on the features and benefits of additional services.
• Listen and respond to customers to resolve issues in a friendly and professional manner
• Ability to work well in a dynamic, fast changing environment
• Update customer accounts accurately and efficiently

Some:

• Must be available to work weekends
• Be able to handle incoming calls, outgoing calls, emails and live chats sometimes simultaneously
• Communicate professionally via phone for the majority of the day

Few:

• Must be available to work night shifts
• Ability to speak multiple languages preferred

Qualifications

Most:

• Reliable and dependable work habits
• Proficient computer and data entry skills
• High school diploma or equivalent
• Friendly, conversational and engaging phone presence
•  Previous customer service experience

Some:

• Must be at least 18 years of age
• Flexible availability
• Previous call center experience

Few:

• Sales or retail experience required
• Must have a college degree
• Must be able to pass a typing test

Benefits

Most:

• Paid on the job training
• Health care coverage available after 3 months
• Growth opportunities

Some:

• Guaranteed weekly pay plus performance incentives
• Paid holidays
• Performance based reviews
• Referral bonus offered

Few:

• Free parking
• Full cafeteria
• Casual dress code

#3. LinkedIn.com

Responsibilities

Most:

• Responds to incoming calls from both internal and external customers
• Researches and resolves customer issues; manages difficult situations
• Identifies and escalates difficult customer situations to the appropriate party
• Follow proper procedures for accurate and timely documentation of referral source or patient concerns, and most importantly, take appropriate corrective actions
• Ability to work in team environment
• Ability to multi-task
• Follows through with all customer issues and provides ongoing assistance as needed
• Ability to elicit customer needs with speed and composure

Some:

• Must be able to handle escalated situations from upset customers
• Accurately post payments to accounts entering credits and debits
• Must be able to use some sales techniques

Few:

• Help find and replace lost equipment
• Track shipments
• Must be able to troubleshoot technical issues

Qualifications

Most:

• Excellent customer service skills
• Must be able to learn and use various computer programs
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills
• High school diploma or equivalent required
• Excellent telephone and active listening skills
• Some customer service experience required

Some:

• Must be able to pass a background screening and drug test
• Must be proficient in Excel
• Must be at least 18 years old
• Must dress professionally

Few:

• Insurance or banking experience is preferred
• Must have over 2 years customer service experience
• Must have zero absences during training
• Previous call center experience

Benefits

Most:

• Full time and part time positions available
• Paid time off
• Dental and vision coverage available

Some:

• Paid 401k matched up to 3%
• Casual dress code
• Paid holidays

Few:

• Opportunity to work from home
• Ability to receive bonus if you are bilingual

#4. Monster.com

Responsibilities

Most:

• Receives approx. 150-200 inbound calls daily from technicians and customers
• Handle all calls with “one call” resolution with minimal transfers to resolve requests
• Make the necessary and appropriate decision to dispatch an authorized service provider when on-site service is required.
• Effectively utilize customer service skills, technical abilities and resources to satisfy customer needs.
• Provides quality service to increase customer satisfaction.
• Schedule a technician for customer when necessary when over the phone troubleshooting cannot be resolved.
• Comprehends and learns department practices, rules and regulations.

Some:

• Ability to work independently and as part of a team.
• Meet personal/team qualitative and quantitative sales goals and targets
• Produce and/or complete call center and other reports as required

Few:

• Analyze and research more in-depth data of information requested, utilizing resources
• Ability to operate a photocopier, scanner and facsimile which often requires dexterity of hands and fingers with repetitive wrist and hand motion.
• Occasional lifting 15 – 20 lbs. (e.g., files, boxes, equipment)

Qualifications

Most:

• Problem solving skills
• Comfortable with ongoing change and learning new technology/processes.
• Ability to navigate multiple computer systems while interacting with the customer
• Dependable, reliable, with a strong attention to detail
• High school or equivalent degree required, college degree preferred.

Some:

• Must be able to type at least 30WPM
• Passion for helping people
• Minimum of (1) year of customer service  experience required

Few:

• 4 year degree required
• 2+ years of sales experience with cross-selling, up-selling, and/or referring products
• Background and/or drug test may be required

Benefits

Most:

• Healthcare coverage and 401K
• Paid time off
• Set schedule

Some:

• Competitive compensation
• Fun working environment
• Full time or part time positions available

Few:

• Opportunity for incentive pay
• Occasional company retreats

#5. Glassdoor.com

Responsibilities

Most::

• Answer inbound customer service questions from existing clientele
• Follow guidelines regarding goals, attendance, policies and procedures
• Ability to work in an above average paced environment with minimal supervision
• Record keeping skills and attention to detail a must
• Work diligently and consistently through 8-hour day
• Use computers, automated systems and a variety of company software
• Display a courteous and empathetic attitude to all customers
• Escalate inquires and requests as necessary to the appropriate department or person following outlined guidelines

Some:

• Identify customers’ needs, clarify information, research every issue and provide solutions and/or alternatives
• Meet personal/team qualitative and quantitative targets
• Grow existing customer accounts through exceptional customer service and effective sales techniques

Few:

• Dealing with customers by phone, email or in person in a professional manner
• Providing customers with discounts, refunds, exchanges or other offers in regards to their purchase
• Complete records of telephonic interactions

Qualifications

Most:

• Ability to think on your feet and improvise quickly while maintaining composure
• High school diploma
• Intermediate to advanced computer skills with the ability to navigate multiple computer screens.

Some:

• Minimum 1+ years telemarketing experience
• Familiarity with CRM systems and practices
• Must have customer service background

Few:

• Able to read maps.
• Must be able and willing to work nights and weekends
• Must have experience in sales

Benefits

Most:

• Healthcare benefits for employees, dependents and spouses
• Holiday pay
• Paid time off
• 401k

Some:

• Commission and monthly bonus opportunities
• Advancement opportunities for top performers

Few:

• Disability
• Weekly employee activities

The post Customer Service Call Center Job Descriptions From Top 5 Job Sites appeared first on SAS Call Center.