Post by montegobayjobs on Dec 14, 2019 5:21:06 GMT
May 6, 2019 By Josh Patoka
Some of the links included in this article are from our advertisers. Read about how we make money.
Man writing in a notebook working from home with his laptop nearby
Do you want a work from home job with consistent hours, but don’t want to talk on the phone? Online chat jobs are one possibility if you don’t have a quiet workspace and you want to work in the customer service industry.
As more customers go to the internet for help, customer service chat jobs are increasing in popularity.
In recent years, you have probably seen more brands you use on a regular basis offer chat support. Now is your chance to help others as a chat support agent.
Table of Contents [show]
Who Can Work Online Chat Jobs?
Online chat jobs can be a great work-from-home opportunity for the following entrepreneurs:
Report this ad
Parents of small children
People who don’t have a private workspace
Those who don’t want to talk on the phone
These online jobs are becoming more common as people prefer the instant communication of chat to a phone call. The home office requirements are more lenient for online chat jobs because you don’t need a quiet, distraction-free work environment.
Although you don’t want a house full of rowdy children that create constant distractions, online chat jobs are a possibility if you have small children or a noisy house. Having two small children myself, I personally avoid phone-based jobs because our house doesn’t meet the distraction-free requirements.
Another reason to consider online chat jobs is that you’re not required to talk on the phone to disgruntled customers. Ideal candidates will have previous customer service experience.
Whether it’s at-home customer service or driving to a call center, chatting with customers instead of having a phone conversation can be far less stressful.
How to Qualify for Online Chat Jobs
The qualification requirements for online chat jobs are usually less stringent than other customer service jobs, but not everybody can get a chat job.
You still need to meet some of these basic requirements:
Reliable internet connection of at least 5 Mbps download
Minimum 35 WPM typing speed
Minimal typos and clear communication
Handle multiple conversations at once
Friendly and professional attitude
Self-discipline to work from home
Report this ad
Some companies may require two years of previous customer service experience before you can qualify for these positions.
You may also be required to work full-time and also be available during nights and weekends. There are many part-time positions with flexible hours available too.
Where to Find the Best Online Chat Jobs
There are many fountains of opportunity to find an online chat job. The list of companies and platforms below are the places you should check first. Some companies might not be hiring at the moment, but you should check back regularly.
Also, you might be required to have a college degree or previous customer service experience to qualify for certain positions. Other companies might require you to live within driving distance of their regional office for regular office visits.
1. Fiverr
You can also post your profile on Fiverr offering live chat support where a basic gig costs $5. Of course, you can charge more for complex tasks like being a live chat agent. If there are other freelancing tasks you’re willing to perform online, you can post those services to increase your income potential.
For example, you might decide to become a virtual assistant or provide data entry services for business clients too.
2. Capital Typing
Capital Typing hires online customer service support representatives. They also offer transcription services and translation services that you might excel at too. Online chat can just be one income stream you pursue to replace your current daytime income.
3. Apple
Are you savvy with Apple devices? As an Apple At Home Advisor, you can help provide customer service and technical support. This job won’t exclusively be online chat, but it’s one of the better at-home customer service jobs available. You can get paid vacation and product discounts.
To become an Apple Advisor you will need to meet some of the following requirements:
Have a distraction-free workplace
Own a work desk that can house an Apple computer
Wear a headset
4. Arise
Arise hires online chat representatives for various Fortune 500 brands from the United States, United Kingdom, and Canada. You can begin chatting with customers in five days from your application date and you can set your own schedule.
Even though online chat jobs are still a relatively new career field, Arise boasts these three credentials:
In business since 1994
A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau (BBB)
Part of the White House Joining Forces Initiative
Some online chat jobs seem “too good to be true” but Arise is an established company with legit opportunities.
5. Best Buy
Electronics giant Best Buy periodically hires remote customer service agents. Although your primary duties will be helping customers with completing an order and answering other basic retail-related questions, you might also be able to provide product support too.
Report this ad
6. Convergys
If you want a full-time position with benefits, consider Convergys. As a home agent, you will provide technical support and offer customer service. Because Convergys partners with many companies, you will need to be available during your assigned company’s regular business hours.
7. Fancy Hands
Another place to try your hand is Fancy Hands which specializes in 20-minute micro tasks. Because Fancy Hands is mostly a one-time gig, you will want to consider one of the other suggestions for consistent work, but you might be able to chat or email on behalf of your client to solve their problem.
8. FlexJobs
FlexJobs is a job board that vets every posting to eliminate the scams. They post many flexible and remote jobs including online chat jobs.
You will have to pay a small subscription fee to view the full job postings, but it can be worth the small investment if you can connect with large companies instead of wondering if you’re wasting your time on a fake application.
With FlexJobs, you can search for part-time or full-time jobs. Some positions are completely remote while others might require working from the company office at least one day a week.
9. Ginger
Depending on the position, you might need a medical or counseling background to chat online at Ginger. This app provides the following services:
Emotional support services
Therapy
Psychiatry
Care is available 24/7 so if you have flexible work hours, you can truly work any hour of the day or night.
Report this ad
10. Indeed
As one of the largest online job boards, you can’t ignore Indeed. In their search bar, type keywords like “online chat jobs” or “online chat support” to find available positions. Your search results will populate with local and national companies that need remote chat agents.
Using job websites like Indeed also help you save time by not having to visit each company website to comb their open positions page. Time is money and saving times means the chance to make more money or enjoy a regular work-life balance.
11. Live Person
Live Person represents many large companies in multiple niches. In addition to chat and phone support, you might even have the opportunity to communicate through text messages or Facebook Messenger. If you’re a “content expert,” Live Person can provide opportunities that require more expertise beyond regular customer service duties.
12. LiveWorld
For social media and messaging support, consider LiveWorld. You can work part-time and get involved with non-sales conversations. Instead, you might respond to social media comments or answer questions through online chat or messaging apps. If you enjoy having a conversation while helping people, LiveWorld can be more rewarding than other chat support opportunities.
13. ModSquad
As Mod with ModSquad, you get to pick the projects you want based on your passion. You can work from any private location with a high-speed internet connection, which also makes ModSquad more flexible than other chat support companies that might require you to periodically visit their regional office.
Report this ad
Each brand and project requires different responsibilities, but you can also moderate forums and interact with others on social media.
14. Needle
As a Needle Advocate, you can represent the brands you like most. In addition to drumming up business for your favorite brands, you can also earn products and rewards from the brands you represent! Because you choose the hours you want to work, you paid on a per chat basis.
All positions are chat-only (yeah!) and you have flexible working hours. The initial application process only takes 30 minutes to complete and up to two days to review your profile information.
15. Operator
Operator is a shopping app where online shoppers have an “operator” research and make an online shopping recommendation. If you can become an operator, you can guide shoppers through the process and even share your personal experience with the product. Because you help encourage sales, you can even earn a small commission for each completed sale.
16. Paperless Pipeline
Paperless Pipeline occasionally hires online chat agents to help their business customers send digital documents to other businesses. When a customer can’t figure out how to complete a task, you will walk them through the process. And, you can also help answer the questions of other prospective clients too.
17. Presto Experts
Another multi-purpose freelance platform is Presto Experts. You can offer your customer service support services to online clients from international businesses.
18. Sedgwick
If you’re comfortable handling insurance and compensation claims, you can be a support agent for Sedgwick. Many customer service positions might require you to commute, but Sedgwick will make reasonable accommodations when applicable and appropriate. Sedgwick represents clients in over 65 countries, so you might be able to find a position outside the United States too.
Report this ad
19. Sutherland Global
Sutherland Global represents businesses with virtual customer service agents. Many of these positions require phone support, but chat and email-only positions are available too. Because Sutherland supports many companies, there are constantly new positions available that let you work part-time or full-time.
20. Upwork
Upwork is a popular platform for budding freelancers starting a side hustle. You can search for online chat jobs with part-time or full-time hours and place a bid. Speaking from personal experience, only apply for jobs from clients with a “Payment Verified” status. Most listings with unverified payments are scams and they will try to send you a virus-embedded document or (even worse) not pay you for the work you do.
21. SimplyHired
Another online job search engine is SimplyHired. Like Indeed, you can search for “online chat jobs” or “online chat agents” to find open positions for online companies.
22. Site5
For those familiar with web hosting and support, Site5 might be in need of your services. Your potential chat responsibilities might include helping prospective Site5 clients and providing technical support to existing clients. Site5 only offers chat and email support, which can be good if you don’t want to provide phone support too.
Report this ad
23. SiteStaff
SiteStaff requires you to manage three to four separate conversations at once. If you can multitask, send your resume to SiteStaff. Even if they aren’t hiring at the moment, your application will remain on file for future openings as a Chat Host to help SiteStaff customers take their service to the next level.
24. Support.com
If you don’t mind providing tech support for electronic devices like computers and printers, you can apply for a remote chat support position with Support.com. As more data moves to the cloud, you might also be able to join Support’s cloud team too. You only need to have basic technology skills for most of these support positions.
25. Talk2Rep
Talk2Rep will hire you to either be a sales chat agent or a customer service representative. Although Talk2Rep has locations in the U.S. and the Dominican Republic, their work at home jobs are for U.S. applicants only. These positions can be chat-only or also offer phone support too.
In addition to hiring native English speakers, you should also consider Talk2Rep if you speak Spanish or French too!
26. TeleTech
You can be a Home Associate with TeleTech, although you will need to own a headset as this position isn’t chat-only. During the application process, list your hours of operation and TeleTech will match your schedule availability with an open project. Most projects require you to work at least 20 hours a week.
Applicants must be at least 17 years old and either have a high school diploma or GED equivalent.
27. Televated
Televated offers many customer service positions including live chat agents for the following tasks:
Report this ad
Customer service inquiries
Input orders
Verify order status
Tech support questions
In addition to providing live chat support, you might also provide email support too.
FAQs About Online Chat Jobs
There are a lot of questions about working in an Online Chat job, here are the questions as well as the answers.
How Much Do Online Chat Jobs Pay?
Most online chat jobs pay between $8 and $15 an hour. For entry-level positions, you can expect to earn up to $10 an hour.
While this wage isn’t as high as other home-based business, you save money by not having to commute. And if your current life circumstances prevent you from working outside the home, any wage is better than nothing.
What Tasks Do Work from Home Chat Jobs Require?
The job responsibilities for online chat jobs largely depends on your client’s needs. It’s possible that you may perform one task, or a combination of the following:
Customer service
Sales agent
Email support
Technical support
As a sales agent, you can earn a base salary (i.e. $10 an hour) plus a commission if your client makes a sale. Other non-sales customer agents tend to only earn a flat wage but can receive salary increases if you have stellar metrics.
Are Online Chat Jobs for US-Based Only?
Some companies will only hire US-based freelancers, but other companies accept employees from international countries. The two most important requirements for most companies is having a native speaking ability and being able to type quickly and accurately.
Even for US-only positions, some companies only accept applicants from certain states for legal reasons. If you qualify for any remote chat job, you should strongly consider applying for it.
When it comes to typing speed, several companies require a minimum of 60 words per minute (WPM) typing speed, but others are more lenient with a 35 WPM rate.
Do All Online Chat Jobs Provide Benefits?
Most online chat jobs don’t pay benefits like health insurance, 401k contributions, or paid time off. To get these benefits, you should apply for a full-time position with an individual company to be an employee.
Most of the suggestions mentioned on this list are agencies that connect you with a partner or brand you represent. As an independent contractor, you only earn the hourly or per chat wage. While you don’t earn as many benefits, you also have more schedule flexibility and can work for multiple clients if you choose.
What’s the Minimum Number of Hours for an Online Chat Job?
Every company has a different workload for online chat representatives. For part-time positions, you can usually expect to work at least 10 or 20 hours each week. With full-time positions, you will work between 35 and 40 hours.
How many hours you work depend on the customer volume and the availability of other customer support reps. So, you might work more hours during some weeks than others. Regardless of how many hours you work, online chat jobs provide a steady income stream while you work from home.
Are All Online Chat Jobs Remote?
A remote job typically means you can work from home all of the time. The few exceptions might be a training session that requires travel.
Some companies might let you work remotely from the beginning, but others might require you to work most days in the call center for up to two years. Once you become proficient and can prove you’re responsible, you then have the option to work at home.
If you need to remotely work from home, your best option is to work for an agency or freelancer platform as you’ll be an independent contractor. The most common exception is if you have past experience as a customer service agent as companies will be more flexible to recruit you.
Do You Need a College Degree to Work Online Chat Jobs?
Some clients require a college degree to be an online chat agent. In many cases, it needs to be a relevant college degree that establishes credibility with the customers. If you provide technical support for computers, having a computer science degree might be required, for example.
Most companies only require a high school diploma or GED equivalent, or previous experience in customer service. Having at least two years experience in inbound or outbound customer service makes you a competitive candidate for an online chat position.
Can I Have an Online Chat Job If I Have Lots of Background Noise?
The benefit of an online chat job is that you’re not required to speak to the customer. This means you can live next to a busy highway or have a screaming toddler nearby and the client is none the wiser. Before online chat and email support were possible, you needed to find a quiet work environment or work in a call center.
Obviously, excessive background noise can cause you to lose concentration. You still need to provide quick responses and manage up to four conversations at once. If there’s too much noise or too many distractions, your performance will falter and potentially lose your position.
Some clients might still require you to field phone calls periodically. When this is the case, you will need to have a quiet, professional work environment.
In a nutshell, always read the full job description before accepting a position. Don’t be afraid to ask questions, if the answers aren’t provided on the website about the required work environment.
Summary
Companies in every industry need customer support professionals like yourself. Because an online chat position might not currently be available with one of the recommendations, consider a few other suggestions instead.
It’s possible to work at home part-time or full-time with online chat. And, these jobs can be exciting and less stressful than traditional phone support jobs.
What type of online chat job do you want? Customer support, sales assistance, technical support? Let us know your experience with being an at home customer support agent too.
Some of the links included in this article are from our advertisers. Read about how we make money.
Man writing in a notebook working from home with his laptop nearby
Do you want a work from home job with consistent hours, but don’t want to talk on the phone? Online chat jobs are one possibility if you don’t have a quiet workspace and you want to work in the customer service industry.
As more customers go to the internet for help, customer service chat jobs are increasing in popularity.
In recent years, you have probably seen more brands you use on a regular basis offer chat support. Now is your chance to help others as a chat support agent.
Table of Contents [show]
Who Can Work Online Chat Jobs?
Online chat jobs can be a great work-from-home opportunity for the following entrepreneurs:
Report this ad
Parents of small children
People who don’t have a private workspace
Those who don’t want to talk on the phone
These online jobs are becoming more common as people prefer the instant communication of chat to a phone call. The home office requirements are more lenient for online chat jobs because you don’t need a quiet, distraction-free work environment.
Although you don’t want a house full of rowdy children that create constant distractions, online chat jobs are a possibility if you have small children or a noisy house. Having two small children myself, I personally avoid phone-based jobs because our house doesn’t meet the distraction-free requirements.
Another reason to consider online chat jobs is that you’re not required to talk on the phone to disgruntled customers. Ideal candidates will have previous customer service experience.
Whether it’s at-home customer service or driving to a call center, chatting with customers instead of having a phone conversation can be far less stressful.
How to Qualify for Online Chat Jobs
The qualification requirements for online chat jobs are usually less stringent than other customer service jobs, but not everybody can get a chat job.
You still need to meet some of these basic requirements:
Reliable internet connection of at least 5 Mbps download
Minimum 35 WPM typing speed
Minimal typos and clear communication
Handle multiple conversations at once
Friendly and professional attitude
Self-discipline to work from home
Report this ad
Some companies may require two years of previous customer service experience before you can qualify for these positions.
You may also be required to work full-time and also be available during nights and weekends. There are many part-time positions with flexible hours available too.
Where to Find the Best Online Chat Jobs
There are many fountains of opportunity to find an online chat job. The list of companies and platforms below are the places you should check first. Some companies might not be hiring at the moment, but you should check back regularly.
Also, you might be required to have a college degree or previous customer service experience to qualify for certain positions. Other companies might require you to live within driving distance of their regional office for regular office visits.
1. Fiverr
You can also post your profile on Fiverr offering live chat support where a basic gig costs $5. Of course, you can charge more for complex tasks like being a live chat agent. If there are other freelancing tasks you’re willing to perform online, you can post those services to increase your income potential.
For example, you might decide to become a virtual assistant or provide data entry services for business clients too.
2. Capital Typing
Capital Typing hires online customer service support representatives. They also offer transcription services and translation services that you might excel at too. Online chat can just be one income stream you pursue to replace your current daytime income.
3. Apple
Are you savvy with Apple devices? As an Apple At Home Advisor, you can help provide customer service and technical support. This job won’t exclusively be online chat, but it’s one of the better at-home customer service jobs available. You can get paid vacation and product discounts.
To become an Apple Advisor you will need to meet some of the following requirements:
Have a distraction-free workplace
Own a work desk that can house an Apple computer
Wear a headset
4. Arise
Arise hires online chat representatives for various Fortune 500 brands from the United States, United Kingdom, and Canada. You can begin chatting with customers in five days from your application date and you can set your own schedule.
Even though online chat jobs are still a relatively new career field, Arise boasts these three credentials:
In business since 1994
A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau (BBB)
Part of the White House Joining Forces Initiative
Some online chat jobs seem “too good to be true” but Arise is an established company with legit opportunities.
5. Best Buy
Electronics giant Best Buy periodically hires remote customer service agents. Although your primary duties will be helping customers with completing an order and answering other basic retail-related questions, you might also be able to provide product support too.
Report this ad
6. Convergys
If you want a full-time position with benefits, consider Convergys. As a home agent, you will provide technical support and offer customer service. Because Convergys partners with many companies, you will need to be available during your assigned company’s regular business hours.
7. Fancy Hands
Another place to try your hand is Fancy Hands which specializes in 20-minute micro tasks. Because Fancy Hands is mostly a one-time gig, you will want to consider one of the other suggestions for consistent work, but you might be able to chat or email on behalf of your client to solve their problem.
8. FlexJobs
FlexJobs is a job board that vets every posting to eliminate the scams. They post many flexible and remote jobs including online chat jobs.
You will have to pay a small subscription fee to view the full job postings, but it can be worth the small investment if you can connect with large companies instead of wondering if you’re wasting your time on a fake application.
With FlexJobs, you can search for part-time or full-time jobs. Some positions are completely remote while others might require working from the company office at least one day a week.
9. Ginger
Depending on the position, you might need a medical or counseling background to chat online at Ginger. This app provides the following services:
Emotional support services
Therapy
Psychiatry
Care is available 24/7 so if you have flexible work hours, you can truly work any hour of the day or night.
Report this ad
10. Indeed
As one of the largest online job boards, you can’t ignore Indeed. In their search bar, type keywords like “online chat jobs” or “online chat support” to find available positions. Your search results will populate with local and national companies that need remote chat agents.
Using job websites like Indeed also help you save time by not having to visit each company website to comb their open positions page. Time is money and saving times means the chance to make more money or enjoy a regular work-life balance.
11. Live Person
Live Person represents many large companies in multiple niches. In addition to chat and phone support, you might even have the opportunity to communicate through text messages or Facebook Messenger. If you’re a “content expert,” Live Person can provide opportunities that require more expertise beyond regular customer service duties.
12. LiveWorld
For social media and messaging support, consider LiveWorld. You can work part-time and get involved with non-sales conversations. Instead, you might respond to social media comments or answer questions through online chat or messaging apps. If you enjoy having a conversation while helping people, LiveWorld can be more rewarding than other chat support opportunities.
13. ModSquad
As Mod with ModSquad, you get to pick the projects you want based on your passion. You can work from any private location with a high-speed internet connection, which also makes ModSquad more flexible than other chat support companies that might require you to periodically visit their regional office.
Report this ad
Each brand and project requires different responsibilities, but you can also moderate forums and interact with others on social media.
14. Needle
As a Needle Advocate, you can represent the brands you like most. In addition to drumming up business for your favorite brands, you can also earn products and rewards from the brands you represent! Because you choose the hours you want to work, you paid on a per chat basis.
All positions are chat-only (yeah!) and you have flexible working hours. The initial application process only takes 30 minutes to complete and up to two days to review your profile information.
15. Operator
Operator is a shopping app where online shoppers have an “operator” research and make an online shopping recommendation. If you can become an operator, you can guide shoppers through the process and even share your personal experience with the product. Because you help encourage sales, you can even earn a small commission for each completed sale.
16. Paperless Pipeline
Paperless Pipeline occasionally hires online chat agents to help their business customers send digital documents to other businesses. When a customer can’t figure out how to complete a task, you will walk them through the process. And, you can also help answer the questions of other prospective clients too.
17. Presto Experts
Another multi-purpose freelance platform is Presto Experts. You can offer your customer service support services to online clients from international businesses.
18. Sedgwick
If you’re comfortable handling insurance and compensation claims, you can be a support agent for Sedgwick. Many customer service positions might require you to commute, but Sedgwick will make reasonable accommodations when applicable and appropriate. Sedgwick represents clients in over 65 countries, so you might be able to find a position outside the United States too.
Report this ad
19. Sutherland Global
Sutherland Global represents businesses with virtual customer service agents. Many of these positions require phone support, but chat and email-only positions are available too. Because Sutherland supports many companies, there are constantly new positions available that let you work part-time or full-time.
20. Upwork
Upwork is a popular platform for budding freelancers starting a side hustle. You can search for online chat jobs with part-time or full-time hours and place a bid. Speaking from personal experience, only apply for jobs from clients with a “Payment Verified” status. Most listings with unverified payments are scams and they will try to send you a virus-embedded document or (even worse) not pay you for the work you do.
21. SimplyHired
Another online job search engine is SimplyHired. Like Indeed, you can search for “online chat jobs” or “online chat agents” to find open positions for online companies.
22. Site5
For those familiar with web hosting and support, Site5 might be in need of your services. Your potential chat responsibilities might include helping prospective Site5 clients and providing technical support to existing clients. Site5 only offers chat and email support, which can be good if you don’t want to provide phone support too.
Report this ad
23. SiteStaff
SiteStaff requires you to manage three to four separate conversations at once. If you can multitask, send your resume to SiteStaff. Even if they aren’t hiring at the moment, your application will remain on file for future openings as a Chat Host to help SiteStaff customers take their service to the next level.
24. Support.com
If you don’t mind providing tech support for electronic devices like computers and printers, you can apply for a remote chat support position with Support.com. As more data moves to the cloud, you might also be able to join Support’s cloud team too. You only need to have basic technology skills for most of these support positions.
25. Talk2Rep
Talk2Rep will hire you to either be a sales chat agent or a customer service representative. Although Talk2Rep has locations in the U.S. and the Dominican Republic, their work at home jobs are for U.S. applicants only. These positions can be chat-only or also offer phone support too.
In addition to hiring native English speakers, you should also consider Talk2Rep if you speak Spanish or French too!
26. TeleTech
You can be a Home Associate with TeleTech, although you will need to own a headset as this position isn’t chat-only. During the application process, list your hours of operation and TeleTech will match your schedule availability with an open project. Most projects require you to work at least 20 hours a week.
Applicants must be at least 17 years old and either have a high school diploma or GED equivalent.
27. Televated
Televated offers many customer service positions including live chat agents for the following tasks:
Report this ad
Customer service inquiries
Input orders
Verify order status
Tech support questions
In addition to providing live chat support, you might also provide email support too.
FAQs About Online Chat Jobs
There are a lot of questions about working in an Online Chat job, here are the questions as well as the answers.
How Much Do Online Chat Jobs Pay?
Most online chat jobs pay between $8 and $15 an hour. For entry-level positions, you can expect to earn up to $10 an hour.
While this wage isn’t as high as other home-based business, you save money by not having to commute. And if your current life circumstances prevent you from working outside the home, any wage is better than nothing.
What Tasks Do Work from Home Chat Jobs Require?
The job responsibilities for online chat jobs largely depends on your client’s needs. It’s possible that you may perform one task, or a combination of the following:
Customer service
Sales agent
Email support
Technical support
As a sales agent, you can earn a base salary (i.e. $10 an hour) plus a commission if your client makes a sale. Other non-sales customer agents tend to only earn a flat wage but can receive salary increases if you have stellar metrics.
Are Online Chat Jobs for US-Based Only?
Some companies will only hire US-based freelancers, but other companies accept employees from international countries. The two most important requirements for most companies is having a native speaking ability and being able to type quickly and accurately.
Even for US-only positions, some companies only accept applicants from certain states for legal reasons. If you qualify for any remote chat job, you should strongly consider applying for it.
When it comes to typing speed, several companies require a minimum of 60 words per minute (WPM) typing speed, but others are more lenient with a 35 WPM rate.
Do All Online Chat Jobs Provide Benefits?
Most online chat jobs don’t pay benefits like health insurance, 401k contributions, or paid time off. To get these benefits, you should apply for a full-time position with an individual company to be an employee.
Most of the suggestions mentioned on this list are agencies that connect you with a partner or brand you represent. As an independent contractor, you only earn the hourly or per chat wage. While you don’t earn as many benefits, you also have more schedule flexibility and can work for multiple clients if you choose.
What’s the Minimum Number of Hours for an Online Chat Job?
Every company has a different workload for online chat representatives. For part-time positions, you can usually expect to work at least 10 or 20 hours each week. With full-time positions, you will work between 35 and 40 hours.
How many hours you work depend on the customer volume and the availability of other customer support reps. So, you might work more hours during some weeks than others. Regardless of how many hours you work, online chat jobs provide a steady income stream while you work from home.
Are All Online Chat Jobs Remote?
A remote job typically means you can work from home all of the time. The few exceptions might be a training session that requires travel.
Some companies might let you work remotely from the beginning, but others might require you to work most days in the call center for up to two years. Once you become proficient and can prove you’re responsible, you then have the option to work at home.
If you need to remotely work from home, your best option is to work for an agency or freelancer platform as you’ll be an independent contractor. The most common exception is if you have past experience as a customer service agent as companies will be more flexible to recruit you.
Do You Need a College Degree to Work Online Chat Jobs?
Some clients require a college degree to be an online chat agent. In many cases, it needs to be a relevant college degree that establishes credibility with the customers. If you provide technical support for computers, having a computer science degree might be required, for example.
Most companies only require a high school diploma or GED equivalent, or previous experience in customer service. Having at least two years experience in inbound or outbound customer service makes you a competitive candidate for an online chat position.
Can I Have an Online Chat Job If I Have Lots of Background Noise?
The benefit of an online chat job is that you’re not required to speak to the customer. This means you can live next to a busy highway or have a screaming toddler nearby and the client is none the wiser. Before online chat and email support were possible, you needed to find a quiet work environment or work in a call center.
Obviously, excessive background noise can cause you to lose concentration. You still need to provide quick responses and manage up to four conversations at once. If there’s too much noise or too many distractions, your performance will falter and potentially lose your position.
Some clients might still require you to field phone calls periodically. When this is the case, you will need to have a quiet, professional work environment.
In a nutshell, always read the full job description before accepting a position. Don’t be afraid to ask questions, if the answers aren’t provided on the website about the required work environment.
Summary
Companies in every industry need customer support professionals like yourself. Because an online chat position might not currently be available with one of the recommendations, consider a few other suggestions instead.
It’s possible to work at home part-time or full-time with online chat. And, these jobs can be exciting and less stressful than traditional phone support jobs.
What type of online chat job do you want? Customer support, sales assistance, technical support? Let us know your experience with being an at home customer support agent too.