Side Hustle Spotlight: Customer Service Rep from Home

Working from the comfort of your own home has its perks. There’s no commute and think of the money you’ll save on costs such as a work wardrobe and lunches out. One of the most popular ways to work from home is as a customer service representative.  

What Does a Customer Service Rep Do?  

Customer service representatives who work from home have duties similar to those who work from a call center or office. Work-from-home customer service representatives answer customer calls, confirm orders, give them needed information and respond to their feedback over the phone as well as through emails and on chat functions on the company website.   

Some customer service reps specialize in orders, billing, product support, or technical help. CSRs must be knowledgeable about the companies they work for, but if they don’t have the answers, they connect callers to their supervisor or a manager.   

Job Opportunities – How Do I Get Started?

Searching for jobs on platforms such as Indeed, FlexJobs, and LinkedIn should result in multiple remote customer service representative positions. You should also have some essentials in your home, such as a computer and a high-speed internet connection, and phone-based customer service reps may also need a landline phone.  

It’s also essential to have quiet hours for working for phone-based remote CSRs, who should sound just like a customer service representative in a professional office setting. Even though remote CSRs work from home, they must be professional while on duty.   

Is Training or Certification Required?  

Most customer service representatives are only required to have a high school diploma or GED certificate. Those who serve IT customers or provide technical support may need an associate degree or technical training.  

Having CSR experience is always a plus for being hired as a work-from-home customer service representative. After hiring, expect a training period to cover company policies and procedures.  

Expected Returns

Customer service representatives don’t have to work in an office or call center to provide the information customers need. Customer service representative is now a job that is available from home. The median pay is more than $17 an hour, making remote CSR an attractive work-from-home job that doesn’t require extensive training or education.   

Can You Set Your Own Hours?  

As a work-from-home customer service representative, you will likely have a set schedule of when you need to answer customers’ calls, emails, or chats. Since your employer will need to staff customer service 24 hours a day, seven days a week, you will have a set schedule.  

However, as you apply for customer service representative positions, you can ask about the hours required. Some CSRs prefer to know when they’re on duty, so they have a schedule that works around other responsibilities.

Some work while their children are in school. Other remote CSRs like having the job as a side hustle and look for a schedule that coincides with their off hours.

The Bottom Line  

There are many advantages to working from home, and the flexibility of a customer service representative position may be the side hustle you’re looking for.

Related: How to Take your Side Hustle to the Next Level