Customer service is a great way to make a living. But, it’s hardly easy. The job can take its toll on you both physically and emotionally. You may have to deal with angry or frustrated customers that are rude and disrespectful.
Additionally, there are other factors that may prevent you from working in a traditional role, like long commutes and high expenses for parking or gas. So, if you’re looking for ways to earn an honest living without having to worry about these types of things, then perhaps freelancing as a customer service representative is right up your alley.
Luckily, I’ve put together this article which covers how you can get started as a freelancer in the customer service industry.
| Takeaways |
|---|
| Focus on finding freelance customer service jobs that offer competitive compensation to meet your financial needs. |
| Develop your skills and expertise in customer service to increase your chances of landing high-paying freelance opportunities. |
| Utilize online platforms, job boards, and freelance marketplaces to search for and apply to relevant customer service job listings. |
| Network and build a professional online presence to attract potential clients and increase your visibility in the freelance market. |
| Ensure timely and accurate billing for your freelance services to maintain a steady income stream and effectively manage your finances. |
| Stay proactive in managing your workload and maintaining a healthy work-life balance to avoid burnout while earning a living as a freelance customer service representative. |
| Continuously learn and adapt to industry trends and evolving customer expectations to provide exceptional service and stand out in the competitive freelance market. |
1. Set Realistic Expectations For Yourself
In addition to the amount of work you’re going to be doing, it’s also important to consider what kind of work-life balance you want. How many hours per week do you want to work? How much money do you want to make? What are your career goals and how do they relate to your freelance customer service job? With such a flexible opportunity, it can be easy to set (and not reach) unrealistic expectations for yourself.
The goal here is that in three months, you’ll have enough clients who already trust your skills and experience that you can get by on freelancing alone. The first month will be the toughest — don’t expect immediate results here but if things go well, in a few month’s time you might have enough steady customers to cover all your bills!
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2. Find The Right Jobs For You
Freelancing can be a great part-time gig or even a full-time career. It’s not always easy to find the best jobs, however. And if you’re trying to freelance full time and make enough money to pay bills, you need to find jobs that pay well and keep you busy throughout your workweek.
To make sure that you’re applying for the best freelance customer service jobs, here are some tips:
Look For Companies That Offer Benefits
When you’re working full-time as a freelancer, it’s critical that your health insurance is taken care of. Health insurance is expensive especially if your income isn’t steady from month to month so look for companies that offer benefits like health insurance or wellness programs. Benefits will also come in handy when retirement age rolls around; plenty of employers provide retirement benefits through 401(k) plans or similar programs.
Work With Brands That Have Interesting Products Or Services
If you spend 40 hours every week doing something mundane, chances are good that your job will feel pretty unfulfilling at the end of the day. That’s why it’s important to find brands whose products or services are truly interesting and engaging; it’ll give you something fun and rewarding to focus on each day!
Work With Reputable Companies Who Have Plenty Of Clients (And/Or Customers)
Sticking around at an already-established company helps ensure more consistent earnings; if one client drops off the map after getting tired of working with your company, other clients’ work will hopefully fill in any gaps and keep your paycheck steady (or growing)!
3. Look For Supportive Companies
But perhaps the best thing about working in customer service is that you get to support and interact with people. And the good news is, that there are many companies out there that choose to keep their employees’ needs in mind.
Companies like Buffer have a culture of transparency and inclusion, and it’s not uncommon for companies to give their team members a say in how things are run. Other companies have mission-driven jobs meaning they’re doing work that benefits people directly, like making affordable healthcare possible or improving educational opportunities for kids around the world.
There are also startups out there that place a high value on training new workers, as well as providing ongoing support so you never feel stuck when an issue comes up.
Freelance customer service jobs offer attractive benefits that make them a popular choice for professionals. From flexible schedules to diverse industries, there are plenty of reasons to consider this career path. Find out why freelance customer service jobs are so appealing in our article on 15 reasons why freelance customer service jobs are so attractive.
4. Understand The Financials Of Your Work
Many people love the freedom of freelancing, but they aren’t as keen on the financials. You are the one responsible for paying your taxes and following tax laws. It’s important to understand how to manage your money so that you have enough to pay back at tax time.
A good way to make sure you stay on top of it is by keeping a spreadsheet of all income and expenses. The spreadsheet can also be used when filing taxes or speaking with an accountant or financial advisor.
5. Research Your Potential Clients
Find out as much as you can about the company and make sure it aligns with your values. You should also be aware of the job requirements, what your responsibilities will be, and how much experience you need to have in order to succeed.
If a company is looking for someone with five years’ worth of experience when you’ve only had three months on the job, they’re probably not going to hire you. You want to make sure that they offer competitive pay, flexible hours, and a good benefits package before committing yourself long term.
6. Create An Outstanding Profile
Be honest about your skills and experience. Freelancer platforms attract employers with a wide range of backgrounds, so it is important to be able to prove that you are qualified for the task in question. With that said, do not exaggerate your skills or experience, because you will inevitably come across customers who know more than you do.
Use A Professional Photo
Many freelancers include casual photos in their profiles, but those may not inspire confidence among potential employers. A professional photo can go a long way toward making your profile look credible and trustworthy.
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Make Sure Your Profile Is Complete
Your profile should convey all relevant information about yourself as quickly as possible to give employers the impression that they know what they can expect from working with you within mere seconds of seeing your profile. Avoid unnecessary details and do not provide misinformation or false claims; just keep it simple and useful!
Be Clear About Your Specialties
If there are parts of customer service work that you excel at or have extensive knowledge in, indicate this on your freelancer profile (or portfolio). You may also want to list some of the specific tasks or services that fall under these specialties so prospective clients can get an idea of what kind of work they would receive if they hired you for one of their projects!
7. Apply For Gigs Regularly
When you’re working on a freelance basis, it is necessary to apply for new jobs constantly. The best time to do that is immediately after the job postings are published–the sooner you get your application in, the better.
You should also make sure you are applying not just to jobs with the clients you already know and love, but also to opportunities with companies that might be unfamiliar or intimidating. And if at first you don’t succeed, try again! Persistence is key when it comes to freelance work of any kind.
8. Upload Samples Of Your Work To Your Profile
In addition to your resume and cover letter, you can also upload samples of your freelance customer service work to your profile. It’s not a requirement, but it will help employers get an idea of what you have to offer.
They’re especially helpful if you don’t have any professional experience in customer service. If this is the case, include samples that are relevant to the job you are applying for. For example, if you’re applying for a job where good communication skills are required, submit a sample of an email response or social media post that shows those skills off.
Ask for feedback from trusted friends and family members before uploading any files to your profile.
This way, you’ll be able to identify and fix any mistakes in advance. It’s also important that everything on your profile is honest and accurate so make sure you check dates and details before submitting anything! Remember: whatever goes on Upwork stays there forever so only include things that you wouldn’t mind showing prospective employers down the road as well!
Make Sure You Can Communicate Effectively
There are a few different ways you can make sure your communication skills are well-honed:
Identify Your Weak Spots. Think of the last time you were involved in an argument with someone or vice versa. What happened? Were there any misunderstandings? What were they due to? Understanding your faults and imperfections is the first step to improving them, so give it some thought.
Develop A Schedule Or Practice Routine; Make sure that you’re making deliberate efforts to engage with your communication skills on a regular basis so as not to lose them. Every day at lunchtime, for example, challenge yourself to talk to five people and practice being an empathetic listener.
Find opportunities within your job(s) that allow you the chance to develop and demonstrate those skills (e.g., leading a meeting). It can often be difficult for hiring managers or others to recognize specifically how you’ve developed certain soft skills—for example, if you say “I’m better able to listen carefully now because I was once criticized for not listening” on an application, it isn’t very convincing by itself.
To combat this, try finding ways within work environments where you can show off those improvements (e.g., hosting a lunchtime workshop about effective listening).
As a freelance customer service professional, having the right tools, apps, and services can greatly enhance your efficiency and effectiveness. Explore our curated list of the best tools, apps, and services for freelance customer service to streamline your workflow and deliver exceptional support. Check out our recommendations in the best tools, apps, and services for freelance customer service.
9. Stay Professional
You are a professional now, so try to act like one. That means no slang, abbreviations, and emoji. It also means no “you” and spelling everything out properly. You should never use exclamation points or excessive capitalization; you’re not writing an email to a friend or roommate!
You should always aim for a friendly but formal tone: be polite, helpful, and concise. Never resort to swearing at the customer or using text-speak; not only is it unprofessional, but it could get you fired from your freelance customer service job!
10. Keep Learning
Freelance marketplaces like Upwork and Fiverr make it possible for people with very little experience to land their first gigs. But no matter how much experience you have, there’s always more you can learn about how to do better work and that’s especially important if you want to stand out from the crowd.
First, consider taking a class online or reading a book on customer service basics. You should also do some research on basic interview etiquette, which can help you feel more confident when applying for new jobs. Finally, look at what other freelancers in your field are doing in order to get inspiration for your next gig.
Wrapping Up
Generally speaking, the more jobs you apply to, the more jobs you will get. However, we always recommend that you take a quality over quantity approach. Each application should be tailored specifically to the job description and have a cover letter included with detailed notes on why you would be right for the role.
Freelance customer service representatives can typically earn between $15-30 per hour depending on their experience and skill level. Keep in mind that this is an hourly job so your hours may vary week-to-week based on client needs but it’s also possible to create full-time work based on how many clients are brought in (or if they return).
Freelancers often encounter common customer support issues that can impact their work. Overcoming these challenges is crucial for success in the field. Our guide on solving common customer support issues freelancers face provides valuable insights and strategies to navigate and resolve various issues, ensuring client satisfaction and professional growth.
Further Reading
Here are some additional resources for further reading on related topics:
Get Paid as a Freelancer or Consultant: Learn about different payment methods, invoicing tips, and strategies for ensuring timely payments as a freelancer or consultant.
How to Bill Clients as a Freelancer: Discover best practices and techniques for creating professional invoices, setting payment terms, and managing client billing as a freelancer.
Freelancers: What to Do If You Don’t Get Paid: Explore steps and options available to freelancers when faced with non-payment or late payment from clients, including contract safeguards and dispute resolution.
People Also Ask
Can I Do This Part-Time?
Yes! Customer service jobs are often flexible, so you can work during the times that best suit your schedule. We’ll talk about some of the most popular remote customer service companies in a later section.
How Much Can I Earn?
It depends on your experience and how many hours you want to work each week. The average pay for someone who works 20-25 hours per week as a freelance customer service professional is about $2,000/month. Some companies pay more and others to pay less, but if you don’t have any prior experience with CS, it’s likely you’ll fall somewhere in that ballpark.
As long as you’re accurate when calculating your costs and ability to store non-perishable food items, this should be enough to pay the bills while still leaving room for savings.
Can I Work For More Than One Company?
Absolutely! Many workers find they enjoy working with multiple companies because they get to try different things and boost their income through multiple streams at once. We recommend not taking on too many companies at once (3 or 4 is plenty) so that it doesn’t become overwhelming. After all, freelance customer service jobs are meant to be fun.
What Are Freelance Customer Service Jobs Like?
You’re probably familiar with the idea of freelance writing or graphic design jobs freelance customer service gigs are very similar.
You’ll be paid to answer phone calls and emails from customers and potential customers. Some companies only want you to answer emails, while others want you to take calls and respond to emails. Either way, you’ll serve as the first point of contact for people interacting with the company, so make sure that you’re ready to be friendly and professional!
How Do I Find Freelance Customer Service Work?
There are several websites out there dedicated solely to connecting companies with freelancers of all sorts. If you’re looking for freelance customer service jobs, try searching we work remotely.
You can create a profile and search through its listings yourself, or use the site’s handy search tools just set your parameters based on what kind of job you want, what your skill level is, how much money you want to make per hour/week/month, how many hours a week you want to work, etc., and the site will provide you with a lot of jobs/gigs.
What Does A Customer Service Job Entail?
Customer service is all about helping people! You’ll be providing assistance by answering questions and solving problems. You might help people with their phones or computer problems, or you might help people figure out how to use your company’s products.
Costantine Edward is a digital marketing expert, freelance writer, and entrepreneur who helps people attain financial freedom. I’ve been working in marketing since I was 18 years old and have managed to build a successful career doing what I love.