Quick facts:

Remote customer service jobs are available directly from companies and also from third-party customer experience firms called BPOs.

Jobs at customer experience BPOs are the easiest to get without experience, but starting pay is relatively low, and work can be inconsistent.

The highest-paying work-from-home customer service roles are with insurance companies, but these jobs may require experience or licensing.

Those new to the field can start at a customer service BPO, then aim for higher-paying roles with specific companies after they gain experience.

For many types of job-seekers, remote work is ideal, but that doesn’t mean it’s easy to come by. The COVID-19 pandemic thrust the idea of working from home into the mainstream in 2020, and while the concept has certainly held onto some of its footing, many companies, even some in the tech sector — like Amazon — have since instituted fairly strict return-to-office policies. Remote positions, as a result, can be harder to find than they once were, especially for entry-level applicants.

One fairly broad field that consistently seems to employ remote workers, even at the entry level, is customer service. These days, customer service roles typically involve speaking on the phone and chatting online with customers (and sometimes other stakeholders like suppliers and vendors) to answer questions, resolve issues, and route important queries upward to more experienced professionals when appropriate.

Jobs like these certainly have their downsides — long, sedentary hours spent on the phone and computer and repeated interactions with sometimes-irritated customers, for instance — but the fact that they can be done remotely and usually don’t require a wealth of credentials or experience makes them a convenient choice for entry-level applicants who need to be able to work at home.

We scoured the web to find out what you need to do in order to get a work-from-home job as a customer service rep, what sorts of opportunities are out there, and what they pay.

Related: Amazon remote jobs & what they pay: Customer service, management & more

Equipment & qualifications for a job at a virtual call center

Different customer service roles have different requirements, but based on the common requisites listed across the bulk of job postings by individual companies and dedicated customer service firms, the following are must-haves for anyone applying to work as a remote call center representative.

• A modern computer with a relatively fast processor (Intel i5, AMD Ryzen 5, Apple M1, etc.) and plenty of RAM (8+ GB)
• A reliable high-speed internet connection (25 MBPS download; 5 MBPS upload)
• Headphones with a microphone
• The ability to type quickly (at least 35 words per minute)
• General fluency with common computer operations (Microsoft Office, web navigation, form filling, etc.)
• Language fluency
• Problem-solving skills and a friendly, helpful attitude

Individual positions often have additional requirements, but the core list above represents the most crucial toolkit for anyone who wants to get hired to work from home in the customer service field.

In very rare cases, certain supplies (like a computer, keyboard, and headset) may be provided by the employer, but this is the exception and not the rule, so it’s best to show up to the virtual interview already equipped.

How to find remote customer service jobs

Some companies run their own virtual call centers and hire their own remote customer service representatives, while others contract this work to a third-party customer experience company that serves many different corporate clients. These are known as BPO (business process outsourcing) firms.

It’s also worth mentioning that many of the higher-paying opportunities in remote customer service are in the insurance industry, although these sometimes require specific licenses and may involve some sales work.

For someone new to customer service work, all three of these options (working directly for a company, working for a BPO firm, and working in insurance) are worth exploring. A first job in an entry-level call center position could later serve as resume fodder when applying for a higher-level customer support position with an insurance company.

Here’s where to look for jobs in each of these three categories:

Positions at BPO customer experience companies

Positions at dedicated customer experience companies can be less stable than those working directly for a specific company, as employees may be assigned to a specific “campaign” (e.g., a one-month customer-support contract from, say, TurboTax) and then left hanging with few or no hours until another campaign comes up. For this reason, these companies and positions are known for high turnover.

That being said, working for a BPO customer experience firm can be a great way to get experience in the customer service industry, often providing support for major, Fortune 500 clients like Apple or Oracle. This type of experience can go a long way when applying to subsequent, potentially higher-paying, more stable positions in the remote customer service field.

Here are a few major work-from-home CX (customer experience) companies to check out:

Alorica

Alorica is a large, multinational customer experience company with over 115,000 employees worldwide. It contracts with major clients in both the public and private sectors, including government organizations, banks, utilities companies, and wireless providers.

Most of Alorica’s U.S.-based remote customer service jobs start at around $15–$17 per hour at the entry level, but higher-paying opportunities ($18–$25 per hour) are also available to applicants with special qualifications, like those who are bilingual, have previous customer service experience, or have industry-specific certifications (like CompTIA A+ for IT-related positions). Training is paid, and permanent positions with Alorica come with a full suite of employee benefits.

To browse and apply to the company’s open positions, visit Alorica’s careers portal and search using your location (e.g., United States) and keywords like Remote or Work from home.

Concentrix + Webhelp

Concentrix, which acquired Webhelp in 2023, is a similar business to Alorica, although it employs almost four times as many people worldwide. Concentrix’s clients span multiple industries, including technology, financial services, natural resources, healthcare, media, and others.

Unlike Alorica, Concetrix doesn’t provide starting wages on most of its job postings, but based on information shared by current and former employees on career data sites, starting pay for entry-level customer service positions is usually around $15 per hour. As with Alorica, however, applicants who are bilingual or have specialized certifications or previous experience may be eligible for higher starting pay. Training is paid, and most non-temporary positions are eligible for employee benefits and performance-based bonuses.

To browse the company’s open positions, visit Concentrix’s remote careers portal, click into the search bar, and select Contact Center from the “Job Categories” drop-down menu. This will land you on a list of open positions. On the left side of the screen, select the checkbox that corresponds to your country to further narrow your search.

Teleperformance

Teleperformance, headquartered in France, has a workforce of around 410,000 worldwide, making it slightly smaller than Concentrix. As a BPO, It provides similar customer communication services to Alorica and Concentrix.

Like Concentrix, Teleperformance doesn’t provide starting wages on its job listings, but the company’s positions do come with paid training and a full suite of employee benefits. Current and former employee-provided wage information on career data sites indicates that while Teleperformance’s positions vary quite a bit compensation-wise, $15 per hour is common for entry-level employees, and those with specific qualifications can earn more.

To browse the company’s open positions, visit Teleperformance’s careers site, enter your location, and toggle the “Only work-from-home” switch.

Company-specific customer service positions

For many work-from-home customer service professionals, working directly for a company rather than working for a customer service BPO can have certain advantages like stability, pay raises, upward mobility, and sometimes, company-sponsored training for certifications. That being said, these jobs can be more difficult to land, so working for a BPO first to gain experience can be a good stepping stone.

Modivcare

Modivcare is a social services company headquartered in Atlanta that works with individuals through government programs like Medicaid, juvenile justice, welfare, and others. Modivcare hires its own customer service employees, so these jobs can be more stable than those at BPO companies, and employees may be able to move into higher-paying positions with experience.

Remote customer service positions here come with a full suite of benefits, and starting pay ranges from around $14.50 to $19 per hour, depending on the specifics of the position.

To look over the company’s job openings, visit Modivcare’s careers portal, and select Remote in the “Location” drop-down menu and Customer Service & Support Group in the “Job Category” drop-down menu. Some remote positions at Modivcare are state-specific, so be sure to read job postings carefully.

CVS

CVS is an American healthcare, pharmacy, and retail company with around 300,000 total employees, most of whom do not work remotely. The company does, however, regularly hire remote employees to work in customer service, sometimes in Medicaid-specific customer support roles.

Most of these positions do require some degree of experience (usually one or more years of call center work and/or some experience in the medical field) and the bulk of these tend to go to candidates who are bilingual in English and Spanish.

Because these jobs can be a bit harder to qualify for, they also tend to have better starting pay ranges. Most of the ranges listed on open customer service positions as of this article’s last update have a lower end around $17 per hour and a higher end closer to $30.

To browse what the company has available, go to CVS’ careers site, select Customer and Member Services from the “Job Category” drop-down men,u and check the Remote box under the “Remote Jobs” heading.

Tip: Start with a job at a customer service BPO like Teleperformance. Learn Spanish on your own time while gaining experience for a year or more, then apply to a higher-paying bilingual customer service role at CVS or Progressive.

Insurance industry customer service positions

Work-from-home call center jobs in the insurance industry tend to offer higher compensation, as they usually involve some element of sales, at least eventually — and that brings incentive pay into the equation. The very best insurance call center agents bring home over six figures per year after bonuses.

Progressive

Progressive is a large, American insurance company with about 55,000 employees. The company hires a large number of remote call center employees who, once they obtain the proper licenses (usually Property and Casualty or Personal Lines), can earn higher wages by acting as actual insurance agents.

Positions are available across the U.S., and most require either two years of post-secondary education or two years of relevant (i.e., customer service) experience. Additionally, the company prefers to hire candidates who are bilingual in English and Spanish. Because of these requirements, remote call center jobs here start at $20.25 per hour (or $21.50 per hour for already-licensed candidates).

These positions come with full employee benefits, the opportunity for performance-based bonus pay, and 10% additional pay for evening and weekend shifts. The company also supports unlicensed hires through their licensing process during training. To browse the company’s open positions, visit Progressive’s careers site, type Remote into the “Keywords” field, and select Contact Center under the “Job Category” field.

Allstate

Allstate is also a large American insurance company. Based in Illinois, it employs around 55,000 people. Allstate, like Progressive, offers remote customer service positions, but they are a little harder to come by, so it’s important to check their site frequently to see if anything has become available.

Customer service positions at Allstate are usually called “Licensed Inside Sales Representative,” and as the name implies, they do require an active Personal Lines or Property and Casualty License, although some candidates can earn these certifications post-hire.

These positions come with a base salary of around $36,400 annually (around $17.50 per hour), but the company states that average performers usually bring home between $57,000 and $69,280 per year, including performance-based incentives. These positions also come with a full array of employee benefits that go into effect immediately.

To see what jobs are available, visit Allstate’s careers portal and select the Call Center box under the “Departments” heading.

Related: Apple remote jobs & what they pay: Customer service, AI engineer & more

How to land your first work-from-home customer service job

• Make sure you possess all of the equipment and qualifications listed above.
• Craft a resume that highlights any relevant job experience (i.e., anything involving interpersonal interaction like retail or service work) and your technical proficiency with computer and telephone systems.
• Apply to as many jobs as you can, including those at BPO customer experience companies, especially if you don’t have any previous call center experience and aren’t bilingual.
• During interviews (which are usually remote and conducted via video chat), wear clean, smart clothing (i.e., business casual attire).
• Look your interviewer in the eye, speak slowly and clearly, and maintain a polite composure to demonstrate your ability to respond calmly to questions and concerns as you would in a customer service role.

How to advance your career in remote customer service

• Become bilingual. If you are in the United States, this means English and Spanish, although other, less common languages can qualify you for very specific positions that may offer higher pay.
• Once you have at least a year of experience and are bilingual, begin applying to higher-paying positions at pharmacy or insurance call centers.
• If you are able to land a job at an insurance company, begin working toward your certifications. In some cases, the company may be willing to reimburse you for the cost of courses and exams.
• Once you are licensed, hone your sales skills, and aim to earn as much incentive pay as you can.
• Over time and with experience, try to move up to training and management roles, which come with higher base salaries, while continuing to conduct sales in order to earn incentive pay. 

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Some words have no legal definition even if most consumers take an "I know it when I see it" approach. 

You can call your company "low cost" or "discount" and that can mean very different things. 

For someone who shops at high-end retailers, Macy's may seem like a value brand (although the company does not make that claim). Or a regular Dillard's shopper might see Marshalls, Bealls and other retailers that market based on offering low prices as the low-cost or discount brands.   

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When it comes to airlines it becomes even more confusing. Many full-fare airlines have higher prices and charge for "extras" like checked bags and onboard WiFi.

The lowest-cost carriers — Spirit (SAVE) , Frontier, Allegiant and similar players — market themselves as low-cost, but they are really a la carte. Passengers pay little for their tickets, but they pay extra for everything from carry-on bags to checked luggage and even getting an actual seat assignment.

Southwest Airlines (LUV) , which considers itself a discount carrier, has always operated differently from its rivals at both ends of the pricing spectrum. The airline's fares are generally cheaper than traditional airlines like United, Delta and American, but they cost more than Spirit, Frontier and Allegiant.

In addition, Southwest included carry-on and checked bags in your ticket price, so it's offering added value in that way as well. Ryanair Chief Executive Michael O’Leary, a longtime supporter of Southwest, no longer sees the company as a low-cost carrier.

Ryanair CEO makes Southwest Airlines claims

Southwest clearly defines its "purpose" on its website: "To connect people to what's important in their lives through friendly, reliable, and low-cost air travel." 

At the top of its "About Us" page, the airline also touts its "one-of-a-kind value."

O’Leary does not see it that way.

“Southwest’s average fare in the last decade has crept up – their average last year was $170 a seat. That’s not a particularly cheap airline. Our average airfare in Europe was €44 [$47] a seat. I don’t think Southwest is really a low-fares airline anymore,” he told Skift.

Ryanair's CEO says Southwest is causing itself problems by not charging for checked bags. He noted that his airline saw its rate of passengers who check bags drop to 20% from 80% once it started charging for the privilege.

“And yet at Southwest, you go through American airports and people are carrying on five bags, checking in five bags. The whole process is delayed," he said. "They put out all this schlock about ‘our passengers are our guests, and you wouldn’t want to charge your guests for their bags,’ but why do you charge for the seats if that’s the case? Give it all away for free.” 

Southwest allows two free checked bags per passenger.

O'Leary took one parting shot at the airline he studied when building Ryanair: “Southwest has lost the passion for low-cost, low-fare air travel.” 

Data show Ryanair's O'Leary may have a point

While 2022 may have been an abnormal year as airlines and the overall economy recovered from the covid pandemic, a study of airline revenue per seat mile conducted by Flight Advisor was not favorable to Southwest. 

"Although Southwest Airlines is technically the world’s largest low-cost carrier, the airline’s total revenue per seat mile is the highest on our list at $0.1729," wrote Amy Lancelotte. "This isn’t much more than Delta, but travelers who think that Southwest offers the lowest prices are in for a surprise. This brings forth the question of whether Southwest should even be considered a budget carrier."

Spirit, Frontier and Allegiant, in that order, had the lowest revenue per seat mile. 

A similar report by LendEdu, done in May 2023, also ranked Southwest as the most expensive of the major U.S. airlines on a cost-per-mile basis.

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