Call Center Representative: What is the cost of hiring?

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Call Center Representative: What is the cost of hiring?

• Common salary in US:
• Typical salaries range from -
• Find more information on Indeed Salaries

COMMON

LOW

HIGH

*Indeed data (US) –

As of April 2021, call center representative jobs in the US are less competitive compared to other job markets, with an average of 97 job seekers per call center representative job.

call center representative: What is the cost of hiring?

• Common salary in US: $14.10 hourly
• Typical salaries range from $7.25 – $28.75 hourly
• Find more information on Indeed Salaries

$14.10

COMMON

LOW

$7.25

HIGH

$28.75

*Indeed data (US) – April 2021

As of April 2021, call center representative jobs in the US are less competitive compared to other job markets, with an average of 97 job seekers per call center representative job.

Why hire a call center representative?

Hiring a call center representative can be a great way to expand your business’s outreach. By having a dedicated team member answering calls and assisting customers, your business will benefit from positive customer interactions. Additionally, a call center representative keeps detailed records about their calls, so you can make the most of your leads.

Contributions of a great call center representative:

• Provide customer service 
• Have detailed product knowledge to assist customers
• Help increase outreach and sales

Deciding between a full-time vs freelance call center representative

Call centers typically employ full-time representatives to work varying shifts, with some centers answering phones 24 hours a day. If your business receives nonstop calls, hiring a full-time employee gives you consistent phone coverage. You have full control over your employees, and you can give your callers a consistent experience when they contact your business.

If you have nontraditional needs, hiring a freelance call center representative can give you the extra coverage you need. Seasonal businesses with temporary increased call volume, such as a landscaping company in the summer or a gift company during the holidays, can use a freelance call center representative to keep up. You might use a freelancer if you only need help for a few hours each week or you’re having difficulty filling certain shifts, such as weekends or overnight hours.

What are the ranks of call center representatives?

A call center typically works with a hierarchy that allows calls to be escalated to someone with more authority if needed. This structure helps the team handle different types of calls and delegate disparate job duties to each role. Some of the typical roles in a call center include:

• Call center representative: Typically an entry-level position, these representatives answer phone calls in an inbound call center or initiate calls in an outbound call center. They’re the first point of contact for most callers and provide necessary customer service based on the situation.
• Senior call center representative: Some call centers have various levels of representatives, with senior positions having more experience and authority. They often handle more complex situations.
• Team leader or supervisor: Experienced call center representatives can work up to team leader or supervisor positions where they’re in charge of a group of representatives. They coach their team, give feedback, resolve issues and take calls when a representative needs help.
• Call center manager: The manager sits above all team leaders, providing them with coaching and support. This person handles day-to-day operations and big-picture issues.

Where to find call center representatives

To find the right call center representative for your business, consider trying out a few different recruiting strategies:

• Recruit from customer service fields. This type of work relies heavily on customer service skills, so consider hiring from other customer service industries, such as retail positions, to find people who already know how to interact with customers.
• Post flyers. Customer service representatives are often entry-level positions, so hanging flyers where people often post jobs can attract candidates. If your business is in a heavily trafficked area, post about your position outside the building.
• Promote internally. Offer a senior call center representative position to a current employee who performs well, or offer an entry-level representative job to someone from a different department who shows promise.
• Post your job online. Try posting your call center representative job on Indeed to find and attract quality call center representative candidates.

Skills to look for in a great Call Center Representative

A great call center representative candidate will have the following skills and attributes as well as work experience that reflects:

• Customer service skills
• Ability to follow a detailed script
• Ability to multitask
• Typing proficiency
• Detail oriented
• Collaborative work style

Writing a call center representative job description

A thoughtful description is important to finding qualified call center representative candidates. A call center representative job description includes a compelling summary of the role, a detailed list of duties and responsibilities and the required and preferred skills for the position.

When writing your call center representative job description, consider including some or all of the following keywords to improve the visibility of your job posting . These are the most popular search terms leading to clicks on call center representative jobs, according to Indeed data:

• Customer service representative
• Customer service
• Call center
• Remote work from home
• Call center representative
• Work from home customer service
• Hiring immediately
• Data entry
• Remote work from home jobs on Indeed
• At home work

Interviewing call center representative candidates

Strong candidates for call center representative positions will be confident answering questions regarding:

• Customer service philosophy
• Experience assisting customers over the phone
• How they address customer concerns

Need help coming up with interview questions? See our list of call center representative interview questions for examples (with sample answers).