Rowan Adler January 13, 2020
15 Sites to Find the Best Remote Customer Service Jobs
Sarah Bromley
Economics graduate turned freelance writer | Always on the lookout for more online income streams
Gone are the days when customer service meant working on a shop floor or in a call center. Those jobs still exist, but the profession has blown up with the Internet. With that in mind, what are the best remote customer service jobs available today?
By the end of the article, you’ll know:
- The types of customer service roles available
- How much you can make from a customer service role
- Where you can find remote work
If you decide that customer service isn’t for you, don’t worry — there are many other remote career paths available and it’s totally possible to change direction. Keep an eye out for The Best Online Courses for Remote Jobs and Online Businesses that will be published soon!
Types of Remote Customer Service Jobs
First, it’s important to define what we mean by “customer service.”
The most basic kinds of customer service jobs involve responding directly to customers’ queries. This could mean answering emails, being available via a phone line, or talking to customers through an online chat service.
Technically, a customer service representative gives general advice (like organizing a refund), while a customer support representative offers technical help (for example, like solving software issues). In reality, the two terms are often used interchangeably.
A distinct yet related area is customer success. Customer success representatives and specialists must be aware of the bigger picture of the job — they might plan and optimize the overall customer experience or manage contracts with clients. The overall aim of their role (and all customer service roles for that matter) is to make the customer feel like a winner!
Here are some other common roles you might come across:
Call Center Agent
Call center agents typically “man the phones” and handle inbound calls from customers. They also handle outbound calls and can follow up with customers on support matters. They usually aim to handle the maximum amount of calls and resolve issues as quickly as possible.
Live Chat Agent
Live Chat has taken the world by storm and it’s a great invention for busy customers who don’t have time to call. Live Chat agents interact with customers via live chat software.
Inbound Customer Support
Similar to call center agents, inbound customer support agents handle non-specific client calls of any nature. They usually can’t return calls.
Customer Service Scheduler
A bit like personal assistants, customer service schedulers organize meetings between customers and reps, schedule or reschedule appointments, services, and confirm meetings, and more.
Customer Support Fraud Specialist
This is a specialized field in customer support and it relates to helping customers with potential fraud situations.
For example, if you notice suspicious activity in your account, you usually call the bank and deal with a trained agent.
Customer Service Manager
Customer service managers usually manage other support agents and deal with more advanced customer problems such as financial transactions, disputes, etc. They also usually operate on more than one channel.
Bilingual Customer Service Representative
This role performs all the duties of customer reps but in two or more languages. If you are a pro at speaking many languages well, then this might be a great opportunity for you.
Technical Support Agent
Technical support agents are usually more technical in nature and help customers troubleshoot issues. If you’ve ever called the helpline for technical support on your laptop, you may well have been helped by a support agent. The technical requirements will obviously vary from role to role.
If you’re interested in customer service, here’s a great video by Inside Amazon on their remote customer service associates.
If you’re totally new to customer service and want to learn the skill, our article The 9 Must-Have Customer Service Skills and Online Training is a great place to start.
Earning Potential for Remote Customer Service Jobs
Now for the all-important question: how much money can you make? A customer service representative’s average salary is around $14 per hour or just under $28,000 a year according to Payscale.com and Glassdoor.com respectively. These figures aren’t specific to remote jobs, but you can expect to see similar numbers.
However, there’s growth potential — a customer success manager can expect a salary of $68,147 according to Payscale.com.
If you want the flexibility and freedom of remote working but don’t want to sacrifice human contact completely, a customer service position could be a great option for you. It’s a job that involves meeting and talking to dozens of new people every day — even if it is through a screen or phone. The role is also very fast-paced and dynamic.
Have I piqued your interest yet?
Now, if you’re more of a watcher than a reader, check out our video below. Otherwise scroll away!
Where to Find the Best Remote Customer Service Jobs
Now for the part you’ve been waiting for. It’s time to look at the best remote customer service jobs and where to find them.
FlexJobs
FlexJobs has been going since 2007 and is the best-known site on the web for remote jobs.
It’s not just customer service positions you’ll find there, but also anything else you could feasibly do from home — from proofreading to web design.
Anyone can join, and the site is updated every day with countless jobs — including full-time, part-time, freelance, and temporary roles. Jobs also include “work from anywhere” options which are for non-US candidates.
FlexJobs works with various major companies — like Apple, Audible, and Dell — making it a hotspot for exciting opportunities.
You can view part of the job descriptions for the listings, however there’s a small membership fee to pay to see the full description and to apply to the jobs. Depending on offers and promotions, expect to pay between $15 and $30 a month.
Pros
- Established website with a long history
- Works with major companies
- Lots of listings
- Only legitimate jobs that are vetted before posted on the job board
Cons
- There’s a small fee for full access but this is outweighed by the perks of being a full member if you are a serious job hunter
Remote.Co
If you want the convenience of FlexJobs without the fee, consider Remote.Co instead. It will push you toward signing up on FlexJobs (the two sites are partners), but you can access listings and apply without paying.
Remote.Co has a dedicated customer service jobs section where it lists jobs from huge companies like American Express and Toggl.
You can also subscribe to the newsletter to receive the latest roles directly to your inbox. What have you got to lose?
Pros
- Free to use
- Includes major companies
- Dedicated customer service section
Cons
- Promotes FlexJobs but that might not be a bad thing if you’re serious about working remotely
We Work Remotely (WWR)
The name tells you everything — this is a site for people looking for remote working jobs. With millions of visitors to the site every month and connections with impressive brands like Google, this is definitely a place to check out.
Did we mention it’s free?
WWR is a smaller site than the likes of FlexJobs so it might not have as large a selection. That being said, at the time of writing, it had a good mix of full-time posts that are 100% remote, work from anywhere.
Pros
- Free to use
- Connections with major companies
- Dedicated customer service jobs section
Cons
- Smaller selection
- Most posts are full-time so if you’re looking for a side gig, you might struggle to find an opportunity on this platform but there’s no harm in keeping an eye out
Concentrix
Concentrix is a company that frequently hires for customer service positions — not a website that hosts various job listings from other firms.
Concentrix employs almost 100,000 people and has been around since 1983, so joining them is a fantastic opportunity for progression, or even a more senior position. However, many of the roles posted require experience.
Pros
- Join a large global company
- Opportunities for progression
Cons
- Many jobs require experience though they do offer full training
Monster
When you first enter the world of remote working, it can feel like the secret to making a living online is hiding behind some mysterious door.
In reality, many opportunities are hiding right beneath our noses: on one of the most popular jobs sites ever, Monster!
This site hardly requires an introduction — Monster is one of the first places many people look when they need a new job.
You might need to hunt a bit to find remote opportunities but inserting “remote” into the search function will help.
Pros
- Well-known site
- Phone app
Cons
- You might have to hunt for remote, work-from-anywhere positions
Indeed
If Monster posts various remote customer service jobs, you can bet that Indeed does too. It allows you to filter by remote work, which makes it easier to find available jobs.
Even better, you can sign up for job alerts to make sure you never miss an exciting posting, and there’s an “easy apply” option to stop you from wasting your time.
The great news is that there are loads of jobs posted. But be warned, it might take some time to sift through them. As the saying goes, “Slow and steady wins the race.” So take your time to sort through relevant listings and you may well find a winner!
Pros
- Sign up for job alerts
- Easy apply option
Cons
- May take some time to work through all the listings to find relevant posts
Working Solutions
Working Solutions provides various services related to customer support.
It’s perfect for anyone who wants to be a freelancer rather than an employee, as Working Solutions hires people as independent contractors and then assigns them various “programs.”
Pay is $15 an hour and it offers some nice stability for anyone beginning their remote customer service career. Unfortunately, it’s only available to those in the United States and Canada.
Pros
- Choose between different programs
- Work as a contractor
- Customer service specialists
Cons
- The pay is $15 per hour
- Not available for those outside the USA and Canada
Amazon
If job stability is important to you, you might like the idea of working for a large, profitable company. They don’t get much larger or more profitable than Amazon, the giant of eCommerce itself!
Amazon is among the many companies employing remote customer service agents. It hires through its Virtual Locations page, and most positions don’t require specific experience or qualifications.
It’s a great opportunity, but job postings aren’t frequent and some may involve foreign language knowledge. If you can speak two or more languages, it’s worth keeping an eye out on this platform.
Pros
- Stability of big company
- Doesn’t require qualifications or experience
Cons
- Job postings less frequent
- Some jobs require second language skills
TTEC
TTEC is a company that sells customer experience as a service. If you want to take your customer service career seriously, this is the place to go. Oh, and it’s a billion-dollar company.
There are no requirements to get started other than having a high school diploma and an internet connection, and you’ll be supporting customers with both technical and general service queries.
TTEC often has remote positions in the United States, Canada, Mexico, Philippines, Australia, the UK, Greece, Bulgaria, and Egypt.
Pros
- Customer experience specialist
- Huge company
- No specific requirements
Cons
- Limited to certain countries
Virtual Vocations
Not to be mixed up with Amazon’s Virtual Locations, Virtual Vocations is a website that posts a collection of various virtual jobs listings.
It’s not quite as big as the likes of FlexJobs, but definitely worth a look — the site has thousands of employer partners. Most are in the United States or according to US time zones, and Virtual Vocations tries to stipulate if the job is available anywhere.
You can apply to jobs for free, but need to pay for full access to the database of jobs and some additional features.
Pros
- Thousands of employer partners and profiles
- Free to apply to jobs
Cons
- Not as large as FlexJobs
- For those outside the US, most positions are within the US
- Have to pay for full access
Hubstaff
Hubstaff is a fully remote company that provides software to track employees. It also has a talent section that connects remote employees with companies who want to hire them.
Get all the benefits of a freelancing platform without the fees or middlemen! There’s a dedicated customer services section, where you can post your profile and/or apply for relevant positions. However, there are less jobs posted than more mainstream sites.
Pros:
- No fees
- Apply to jobs or contact companies directly
Cons
- Less jobs than bigger sites
Upwork
Upwork is probably the best-known and most popular freelancing site around, and for good reason. The platform offers an incredible number of job opportunities, and it’s a convenient place to get started.
But it’s greatest strength is also its biggest weakness — every prospective freelancer wants to join, so it’s tough to get accepted. Especially if you have limited experience. Even when Upwork accepts you, it takes a while to build up reviews and increase your rates.
Upwork takes an initial 20% fee to cover costs but this drops to 10% once you hit $500 with a client. They also offer payment protection so if a client doesn’t pay or defaults, Upwork will pay you and sort it out with the client.
Pros:
- Lots of job opportunities
- Easy to get started
- Comprehensive support center
Cons
- Can be tough to get accepted
- You have to pay for connects to post proposals for jobs
- Takes time to build up a profile
Fiverr
Don’t let the name scare you off — you can sell your services for more than $5 on Fiverr.
The freelancing site is a great place to begin your customer service career if you just want to dip your toes into the water. Anyone can create a gig, even if they have no experience.
However, competition is fierce, and Fiverr takes a 20% cut from all your sales.
Pros:
- Quick and easy to get started
- No experience required
Cons
- Competitive
- Takes 20% commission
Workana
Workana might be less well-known than Upwork and Fiverr, but don’t dismiss it. This freelancing site lets you set up your profile, send proposals out to clients, and handles the admin for you.
Started by Argentinians, the site is best-suited to Latin American freelancers — great if you’re from that part of the world, not so much for anyone else. Workana also takes a 15% commission — but it’s slightly less than Fiverr.
Pros:
- Workana handles the admin
- Send proposals to projects that excite you
Cons
- Not ideal for anyone outside of Latin America
- 15% commission
Most people have heard of LinkedIn, but it’s tailored jobs section is criminally underused. Browse roles, create job alerts, and make instant applications using your LinkedIn profile as a CV — all in a few clicks.
Plus, all users get a one-month free trial of LinkedIn premium every year, which lets you access in-depth data about companies you’re considering applying to.
Downsides are few and far between, but bear in mind that LinkedIn is best for professionals who want serious careers — so if you are looking for a side gig, it might not be that suitable.
Pros:
- “Easy Apply” feature
- Regular free trials of Premium
Cons
- Less suited for “side gig” work
Time to Get Hunting for the Best Remote Customer Service Jobs
Whether you’re a budding customer success superstar or you just want a side hustle that allows you to make a few bucks while working in your pajamas, remote customer service work could be a great fit.
If someone else came to mind when reading about the opportunities available, we’d greatly appreciate it if you could share this article with them — you never know what it could spark!
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