How To Get Freelance Customer Support Jobs Online

Today, more than six million people work as customer support agents. Their job is to provide answers to customers’ questions, either over the phone or online. Customer support agents need a wide range of skills, such as problem solving and organization. If you want to become a customer support agent yourself and are looking for jobs online, this article will guide you through the process.

How to Attract Big Customer Support Clients on Upwork

Takeaways
1. Explore the 14 best freelance jobs for customer service specialists to find suitable opportunities.
2. Learn effective strategies to get freelance customer service jobs that help you pay the bills.
3. Understand the attractive aspects of freelance customer service jobs and why they can be a great career choice.
4. Continuously learn and improve your freelance customer service business to achieve long-term success.
5. Overcome common customer support issues faced by freelancers with practical solutions.
6. Further reading: Check out FreeUp and Truelancer for additional platforms to find freelance customer service jobs.
7. Explore the FlexJobs blog for insights on top companies offering remote customer service jobs.

1. Be Sure Of What You Want

As a freelancer, you need to be sure about what you want and what you can do. Knowing your skills and strengths as well as your weaknesses will help clear out most of the challenges that come with being a freelancer and also help you set achievable goals. What exactly are the goals that you want to achieve? How do you intend to achieve them?

One thing is certain; whatever it is that you seek cannot happen in one day. You have to take it step by step, one day at a time. Setting realistic goals will not only make things easier but also pave the way for building meaningful relationships with clients since they will be able to put their trust in your services. When setting expectations, always keep your audience in mind.

Think about what they need, then find ways of making their problems seem like a walk in the park through your work ethic, passion, and dedication to meeting their needs. This will not only earn loyalty from clients but also open doors for opportunities that might just turn out to be long-term partnerships or collaborations.

Building a successful freelance career requires finding the right opportunities. Check out our guide on 14 Best Freelance Jobs for Customer Service Specialists to discover exciting options in the customer service field.

2. Ensure You Have All The Necessary Tools To Work Remotely

Before you even start applying for jobs, it’s important to have the right tools, just like a carpenter who might need a hammer and nails or a chef who needs pots and pans. Here’s what you’ll need to have in place.

Computer And Internet Connection

The first thing you’ll need is something to work on, as well as an internet connection that will allow you to work remotely. If your computer or laptop is a couple of years old and just not able to keep up with your day-to-day necessities, it might be time for an upgrade. Similarly, if your internet connection isn’t strong enough to support video calls or downloading files from clients, it might be time to switch providers.

Communication Software

You’ll also want software that will allow you to connect with clients and other freelancers in real-time over text messaging or video calling (think Slack, WhatsApp, Google Hangouts). Since face-to-face meetings aren’t possible when working remotely, finding the right communication tool will be key in helping you stay connected throughout the project lifecycle.

Need to earn extra income as a freelancer? Learn how to get a freelance customer service job to pay the bills by following our comprehensive guide.

Workplace Communication Tools

Many companies prefer their own workplace communication tools for internal communication among employees but some workplace communication tools can also be used for client management depending on the platform (like Microsoft Teams).

For example: if your team uses Slack internally but your freelance client prefers Microsoft Teams because their employees are already set up on it, then using Microsoft Teams would likely make sense when communicating with this specific client instead of Slack.

To avoid any confusion throughout the project lifecycle about where information should be stored and how best to communicate with other team members outside of email it’s always best practice for all stakeholders (freelancers included) involved in the project(s) to use whichever workplace communication tool is preferred by the company itself so everyone knows where updates are being shared publicly and sensitive documents aren’t accidentally left out in open channels due to unfamiliarity with internal protocols/tools..

3. Create An Action Plan

Coming up with an action plan is important. Your plan should include daily and weekly goals, how many applications you want to send out, how you will manage your time, and how you will market yourself. In addition to the above, there are several other ways that you can help yourself along the way.

First of all, if No one is hiring at the moment, then don’t worry! You should take this time to improve in areas where you need improvement. Perhaps there are specific reviews on Upwork where clients complained about your response speed or were disappointed with a piece of work that you produced.

If so, then focus on those areas where your ability needs improvement. You can also spend this time making sure that your portfolio is updated for when a potential client does decide to contact you.

4. Find The Right Platform

While it’s true that there are some customer support jobs you can apply for directly through a company’s website, there are also many sites and freelance platforms that offer such opportunities. It all depends on where you’d prefer to do your job search. Personally, I like using mobile apps because they allow me to search for jobs in my free time (during breaks at work or while watching netflix) without having to leave my home or carry around a laptop.

Some of these apps also send daily reminders with open positions so I never miss out on an opportunity. There are three main types of online marketplaces that offer freelance customer support jobs: digital freelancing platforms, online job boards and bidding sites.

Freelance customer service jobs offer numerous advantages. Find out why these roles are so attractive in our article on 15 Reasons Why Freelance Customer Service Jobs are So Attractive.

5. Choose The Best Site To Work With

There are so many freelancing job boards online that it is almost impossible to exhaust them all. The following are the most trusted sites for finding customer support jobs online:

Upwork
PeoplePerHour
Freelancer.com
Toptal

Some of these sites charge a fee (between 10% and 20%) from your earnings as commission for acting as a middleman between you and the employer. In this case, you should consider how much you stand to make from any given job before committing to work on it.

6. Create Your Profile

When looking to get a job as a customer service rep, the first step is to create your profile. This will help you build a professional image, one that is more likely to get you interviews.

The second step is to have a photo of yourself taken, and this should be professional as well.

What skills are required for customer service jobs? You must understand the terminology and various types of clients.

You need excellent communication in order to handle any questions or concerns from the client or employees who work with them. You also need good listening skills, so that you can understand what goes on in the mind of your client or employer when they are having problems with technology or their equipment.

And finally, with strong problem-solving abilities, you need not solve every problem immediately with this job, but you should be able to help your customers find solutions for their problems quickly and effectively once you do become their rep.

7. Tell Your Network You’re Open To New Opportunities

It’s not easy to just start freelancing out of the blue. You’ll have more success if you already have some connections in the field. So tell your network that you’re interested in getting some extra income by working on a freelance basis. Let them know what kind of role makes sense and what kinds of customers or companies you’d be interested in working with. Also, this can be as simple as posting on your social media accounts that you are available and looking for work.

8. Make Yourself Easy To Find Online

Companies that want to hire freelancers will probably look for talent online. Make sure they’ll be able to find your skills and experience when they search for keywords that describe what they’re looking for. You can do this by optimizing your social media profiles, creating an online portfolio of past projects, and publishing samples of your professional writing on your own website.

9. Look At General Job Boards Like Upwork

You can also search for customer service jobs on general job boards, like Upwork. On these sites, you’ll be able to filter the results by remote or freelance positions. You’ll probably want to use keywords such as “customer service” and “remote” to sift through the results for jobs that are a good fit for what you’re looking for.

Sometimes you may have to scroll through a ton of listings before you find one that’s workable, but it’s worth it if you can land a gig from a reputable company that pays decently.

Running a successful freelance customer service business requires continuous learning. Discover the 13 essential things you still need to know in our guide on your freelance customer service business.

10. Search For Freelance Customer Support Jobs Online

If you’re interested in finding freelance customer support jobs online, here are some options:

Use Google to search for specific companies that are hiring for remote customer support jobs. A simple search like “remote customer support jobs” or “freelance customer support jobs” could be a good start.

Search for job boards and filters that specifically hire for remote or freelance positions. You can also use keyword searches to find things like “remote customer support jobs” or “freelance customer support jobs.”

Check out platforms that specialize in freelance work like Upwork. While there’s a variety of different types of work available on Upwork, it’s worth browsing the site and looking at the options available. If you’re new to sites like Upwork, take a look at our guide on how to get started with freelancing online here!

Do some research into how other CS specialists get work online and try some of those suggestions. For instance, you can check out this extensive list of tips from SupportNinja, an outsourcing company that specializes in managing remote teams (including CS agents).

11. Apply For Jobs And Start Working

Now that you have set up your online portfolio, you can start applying for jobs. You may be tempted to apply for everything you see, but don’t do it. The best way to earn is to focus on a few platforms and make sure that you are making the most out of each one by providing quality and timely work. Here are some tips when applying for jobs:

Don’t get frustrated if you don’t get a job right away. Getting hired takes time, so be patient.
Make sure to apply only for jobs that match your skills or expertise. You won’t be able to serve the client well if the job is outside your field of expertise or area of interest or skill.
Don’t get discouraged if one client rejects your application just move on and keep applying for other jobs!

Once you have been hired, make sure that you work hard and give it all of your effort so that clients can hire you again in the future for bigger projects.

12. Work Smarter, Not Harder

You can have a simpler, more organized life. Use the following tips to get your freelance customer support career on track:

Set a timer. When you’re working from home, it can be easy to procrastinate or get distracted. Stay on task by setting a timer for every hour or so and doing each task for that amount of time. You may be surprised how much more you accomplish when you have something telling you when it’s time to move on.

Take breaks! If you work from sunup till sundown, your brain will burn out. Remember: breaks not only recharge your batteries, they also make your work better in the end. Not sure when to take them? Try this handy tool (https://workfromhometimeclockbreaks.com) that helps track how often you should take breaks based on how many hours you plan to work in any given week of freelance customer service jobs online (or whatever it is that you do).

Don’t forget about lunch! Although many people find themselves skipping lunch without even thinking about it while they’re stuck at their desk all day, freelancers need to remember that they are their own bosses and bosses gotta eat too! It’s important for your health and well-being to stop what you’re doing and enjoy a meal at a reasonable time during the day; after all, if you don’t take care of yourself first, no one else will do it for you!

13. Stay On Task, But Be Flexible

You may work anywhere, but you still have to be disciplined. Here are some tips for staying focused while working remotely:

Remember the reason you’re working remotely. Whether it’s to spend more time with family or to have a flexible schedule that allows you to take a yoga class every day at noon, remember why you’re not in an office every day and use it as motivation.

Set up your workspace so that it is conducive to productivity. If you know there are too many distractions at home (like laundry, dishes, or even kids), go somewhere else to work like your local library, coffee shop, or co-working space.

Have a daily routine. Routines help keep people productive because they lead us into autopilot mode and allow our brains to focus on the task at hand instead of having to really think about what we should do next. Make sure your routine includes all the tasks and responsibilities you need (or want) to get done during the day including things like exercise and socializing with friends outside of work.

If possible, try following this routine for at least two weeks before making any changes so that your body gets used to doing things this way!

Freelancers often face common customer support issues. Learn effective strategies to overcome these challenges in our article on solving common customer support issues faced by freelancers.

Final Thoughts

Having a part-time freelance job as a customer support is easy, and a great way to earn extra cash. Freelance customer support can offer you a variety of benefits. It is satisfying to help people out and it boosts your self-esteem and confidence. You will be able to set your own hours, and the flexibility this job provides makes it ideal for college students, parents with young children, or simply someone who wants to earn extra cash in their spare time.

Additionally, working in customer support enables you to work from home. You would not have long commutes to deal with, which would save you time and money on transport costs as well as avoid putting stress on your body. A freelance job also allows you to make more money compared to being employed by a company since they pay you per project rather than paying by the hour or month.