How Do Remote Call Center Agents Receive Training & Support?
by Admin Joe
published – May 31st 2021
Whenever someone starts a new job, they will probably need a helping hand in order to learn the ropes on their first day and in a lot of cases, beyond that. Nobody ever becomes an expert at anything right out of the gate. However, things can get a little complicated when you look at the divide between regular employees who commute and those who work remotely from home.
If you spend any amount of time learning about the intricacies of remote call center work (as I have), you will eventually stumble upon a number of questions that are probably well worth asking on your part.
One of the most common questions you might like to know the answer to is “How does training and support work?” “Surely, it can’t work the same way for home-based call center representatives as opposed to standard employees?” You would be absolutely right to think this.
In many ways, the two are different. On top of that, a virtual call center representative will be spending their working day at home making money, on their own. Obviously, things will have to be done slightly differently to accommodate this change.
There is far less face-to-face interaction in this scenario and workers might struggle to get help from people when they need it the most.
Training and general support can’t be administered in the same way due to these separate circumstances so what is the employer and the employee to do?
According to one study, 90% of employees agree it’s beneficial to switch to mobile-based training (Lorman). This helps push forward the argument that many workers are open to the idea of a less personal, do-it-yourself style of training. I can definitely see this as something that would personally suit me.
“Job training empowers people to realize their dreams and improve their lives.”
Sylvia Mathews Burwell (US Government Executive & University President)
If you are satisfied and confident in your job then you will probably have a much happier life, in and out of work. Proper training and support can help you with that.
In my view, education is key to accomplishing anything including making money online from home. It really doesn’t matter if you are doing this job on a part-time or full-time basis. Call center duties, responsibilities and roles often aren’t as simple as you might initially believe.
I will now run down a few of the big differences when it comes to support and training regarding call center work. From here, I will demonstrate different channels of communication that employees can utilize when they are in need of assistance.
Additionally, I will explore the tools available to help remote call center agents. I will also show how training is performed in different situations and why.
Will my coworkers provide me with support if I need it?
Who will support me? If you work in a large office with lots of other people then it shouldn’t be too difficult to get ahold of a supervisor or manager for help. If there is a serious issue, your boss will probably come and find you *nervous laughter*.
The same can’t be said of home-based call center agents who will mostly have no one around to ask for help. Doing call center work at home means that you won’t be able to tap your colleagues or superiors on the shoulder if you need something.
How do remote call center agents contact their employer?
What kind of support will I receive? For better or worse, current technology affords us plenty of methods for communicating with people who aren’t close by. In addition, I find you can often say what needs to be said without having to do it in person.
There is a great need for clear lines of communication between the employer and the employee seeing as both parties are physically so far apart. Although, there are other ways of communicating that don’t involve physical meet-ups.
Employers and employees can give or receive advice and support through:
- social media
- text messages
- talking on the phone
- video calls
What kind of training do virtual call center agents get?
When it comes to remote call center work, an employer might deem it easier for both parties to administer a training program that can be completed online. Your manager might ask you to watch call center training videos and even read a manual or guide.
Your call center training will either be in person or online. If you receive support through the internet then your training might be in the form of an online course.
What does remote call center training involve?
There may be a course comprised of modules, assignments and tests that home-based call center agents will need to take and then submit for review. It kind of feels like your back at school, doesn’t it?
Seeing as the person giving the training can’t see you, they might find it prudent to quiz you on certain things in order to prove your knowledge. Doing this allows them to judge what you have learned and how much information you have retained. No pressure!
How long does call center training take to complete?
This might sound like a hassle, but it will likely only last around two weeks before they send you away to start work on your own, making money online from home.
The length of the full training program can differ depending on who you are working for. Many call centers (including ones I’ve worked at) offer two weeks of training but it could take up to a month to finish the training.
How much training will I get? The length of the training might also differ depending on whether you are doing it on your own via the internet or together with a group of other people.
Where does call center training take place?
Where will I receive my training? Your employer might require remote call center agents to travel to a venue in order to take part in an in-person training program.
The training venue should be situated fairly close by in your local area. I imagine it should be some sort of function room or office rented or owned by the employer.
However, virtual call center agents can also do the training in their own homes if their employer facilitates online training courses.
Do call centers have there own in-house training facilities?
If you work at one of the bigger, more established brick-and-mortar contact centers, then you may be in luck. There might be on-site call center training facilities for new hires within the building itself (pretty fancy). I remember there being something like this at a call center that I worked at in the past.
You might be trained in a back-office if this is not the case. The training room should look fairly similar to a normal call center floor. There will be computers and phones as well as a few additional training tools like whiteboards and the like.
When do call center representatives receive training?
In my experience, you will usually get trained up before or just as you are about to start a new call center job. How much support will I get? If you’re fortunate, the support and training will continue throughout becoming an ongoing process, as and when you need it.
Do call center representatives get paired up mentors?
For standard call center employees, there is a chance that you might receive a mentor. This person will give you ongoing support even after the main training session is over. This individual is usually a call center agent who is experienced and has been working at the company for a while.
If you are struggling a lot, you might be paired up with this person for additional support so that you can sit with them and listen in on their calls.
Don’t take this as a sleight, even I had to participate in this when I did call center work. We all need help from time to time. This way you can learn by watching and listening to someone perform a call center job at a very competent level.
Will I receive documents to help me with my call center work?
Your employer should give you some written down information no matter if you work from home or not. I don’t always like being handed papers to read (like many others) but it can occasionally come to your rescue in a call center job.
Employers can even send useful documents to home-based call center agents in order to help and support them. This might be a physical document or something that you can view digitally on a computer.
There is a good chance that you will receive extra documents as a virtual call center agent to make up for not having people around to assist or train you.
When will I receive call center documents?
Your supervisor will likely give out these documents during your induction or training. It’s a good idea to hang on to these for a while as they will probably come back into play as you continue your work (take it from me).
Are documents always helpful in a call center job?
Tough situations can arise that you haven’t been prepared for. In this case, remote call center agents will need to go out of their way to ask for help if the documents don’t prove useful or relevant.
In my opinion, having something written down for you on paper is great for reference during call center work when you feel lost during a call.
These documents sometimes remove the need to actually speak to someone as you will have all the information you need, typed out. This saves time for both parties. If you are stuck then you can just read the document for answers without having to bother other people.
If you can study and learn these documents in-depth then you are far less likely to need help in the future.
Do call center agents need to attend meetings?
I totally understand why employees hate sitting in meetings, but sometimes, they are necessary. In an office setting, it’s pretty easy for employers to summon call center agents into meetings, as and when they are needed. All the managers, supervisors and representatives are in one building so it isn’t difficult to get everyone together.
Meetings operate differently for remote workers. In certain positions, virtual call center agents may not have to attend meetings at all (lucky things).
Where do home-based call center agents attend meetings?
If a meeting is necessary for a home-based call center agent, they might be asked to attend it at a physical location. Alternatively, they might take part in a meeting arranged through a video conference call. You won’t be in the same room as the person you want to speak to but there are ways to remedy this.
When do call center meetings take place?
You can accomplish this during one of your shifts so you don’t need to go too much out of your way. However, home-based call center agents might have to attend meetings for training and support outside of working hours.
Being a call center agent is one job among many that you can do on the internet. If you are looking for an alternative then I would suggest taking paid surveys online. A couple of good survey websites to get you started include branded surveys and swagbucks.
Why are meetings necessary in call center work?
Some employers might see meetings as all the more relevant seeing as remote call center agents spend so much time working alone with minimal outside help.
After all, one of the purposes of a meeting is to disperse relevant information and support to the people there. There may also be an opportunity for you to ask questions which can be valuable. You might learn a few tips and tricks you can employ in your work too.
Will home-based call center agents need to do video calls?
Video calls won’t really be necessary if you work within a call center with lots of other colleagues. This is usually true unless you desperately need to contact a specific employee who isn’t working there on that day. Dammit, Tim!
Employers can even arrange video calls with their virtual call center agents. This is really the next best thing to talking to someone in the same room, who isn’t in the same room (hopefully that’s not too confusing).
In a lot of ways, video calls probably aren’t vital in a call center job as you can easily get the same basic message across through other forms of communication.
In fact, some employers will insist that their remote workers use this form of technology for support. Companies might conduct training sessions through video conferencing for home-based call center agents.
Which video calling services can virtual call center agents use?
Your boss might ask you to communicate and ask for support through:
- zoom
- google hangouts
- skype
- any other popular video calling application
Is video calling necessary for support in a call center job?
Video conferencing is helpful in remote call center work if you need a more visual medium in order to facilitate face-to-face interaction. In some cases, a better understanding can be had if you can see the other person you are talking to.
Video calls are sometimes necessary if you run into a more complex issue that you need to resolve. A video call can aid in a conversation that requires advanced detail and context where other communication methods like email might be lacking.
Although, being able to see the person you are communicating with is sometimes helpful to the other person. This is true in terms of explaining convoluted matters in a very clear way.
As you can see, training and support can be accomplished fairly adequately in this digital age whether it happens in person or not. If face-to-face support is off the table, it can always be done through online channels pretty smoothly.
This might not be ideal for some people, but it is better than nothing. Conversely, you might find it easier and more convenient to receive help in a virtual call center job this way.
We can learn that call center agents will receive paperwork to help them when they’re stuck. This is good for when face-to-face support isn’t available.
We also know that remote call center agents will sometimes have to attend in-person training sessions and meetings. This is in order to ensure that they aren’t falling behind their counterparts.
I suggest that you conduct further inquiries about the training and support policies of certain employers. Do this regardless of whether you want to do a call center job remotely or not.
If you are currently working as a call center agent, it might be wise to ask your supervisor for assistance. Ask if there are any extra resources or documents you could have in order to help you improve.
Are there any call center jobs near me? If you are looking for call center work from home, I recommend you perform some online searches for job listings, vacancies, opportunities, positions and openings. There are plenty of call centers hiring people with no qualifications or experience.
To help you on your job hunt, I would advise you to check out jobscan and myperfectresume. These two tools will allow you to optimize your resume and give you tips on nailing the job interview.
Alternatively, you don’t have to apply for a call center job the conventional way. You can advertise your services as a freelance call center agent on fiverr. This platform has thousands of clients globally and will help you make money online from home.
Do you think that home-based call center agents receive all the on-the-job support that they need? Would you prefer to receive training and support in person (in a group session) or by doing it online (by yourself)?
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