Keep that headset fresh and clean!

How can you extend the life and add comfort to your headset investment? Easy!

First, keep it clean.

You will want to occasionally wipe down your headset, including the cable, with an alcohol-free disinfecting wet-wipe. Our headset cleaning towelettes will do the job safely and effectively. You can find them here: Headset Towelettes

Second, replace your ear cushions every now and then.

It may sound yucky, but it’s good to know that headset ear cushions absorb sweat, dirt and makeup. This can, in turn, breed bacteria if not replaced periodically.

We suggest changing your headset ear cushions every six months.

We offer both foam and leatherette replacement ear cushions for our Pro, Air and Flex series headsets on our website. You can see them here: Ear Cushions

Our professional grade headsets are a serious investment and are an invaluable component in your WAH career. Taking care of your headset will help you extend the life of your valuable investment.

 

Visit our headset accessories section to find everything you need to keep your headset nice and clean!

http://www.HomeAgentHeadsets.com

Thanks!

Customer Question: “How do I set up your headset telephones?”

Just plug in our headset telephones and get talking!

A recent Home Agent Headsets customer asked just how difficult it is to set up our headset telephone units. I assured them, it is as easy as can be.

All you need is an active POTS (plain old telephone line). We provide everything else you need to make and take telephone calls right away, with very little setup involved.

Simply plug the supplied 5-foot line cord into the phone outlet, plug the headset into the dial pad and you’re set to go. * If you have a longer cord and wish to use that, simply unplug the line cord that came with the unit and plug your cord into the same port.

You can check out the following videos for more information about setting up each of our telephone dial pads:

 

 

For that and many other answers to our FAQ’s please visit the helpful Product FAQ’s section of our website.

Shop for our home agent approved headset telephones here: Shop Now

5 Tips for Introverted Customer Service Agents

It has struck many people who know me well as wholly ironic that my chosen profession is 100% focused on all things telephone related. You see, I am a full-fledged introvert with a lifelong, overwhelming fear of talking on the phone.

Big, bad, scary phone!

From the time I was a teen, I would freeze up, unable to utter something as simple as “I’d like a large pepperoni pizza for delivery, please,” as if the person on the other end of the line was going to declare my request absurd and deny me on the basis of being too rude or too something.  As much as I tried, all that would escape my lips was the teeniest squeak and I’d just give up and hand the phone off to one of my amazingly talented, telephone fluent friends.

So how do I do it now? How does an introvert like me handle talking on the telephone for a living? Here are some things that have helped me if not conquer, at least face my fear:

1. Practice Makes Perfect: as the saying goes, the more you practice something, the better at it you get. As time has gone by, I’ve definitely become more comfortable talking to people on the phone. At first I stumbled on my words, didn’t speak loud enough and scrambled for the right answers to callers’ questions. I’m sure, at first, I was not as clear or articulate as I could have been. It’s impossible to know because I was so flustered for the first couple of months working as a customer service agent I blocked it all out. But sure enough, practicing has made perfect. Okay, not perfect, but perfectly okay.
2. Perfectly Okay is Perfect Enough: Realizing I’m not expected to be perfect has helped immeasurably. Quite possibly the best advice I picked up along the way in my professional life, maybe in all areas of my life, has been that it’s okay to say: “I’m not sure, let me look into that for you.”  Seriously, nobody knows everything and it’s perfectly okay to let somebody know that you don’t have the answer.
3. Speak Up, Slow Down: Being nervous does all kinds of things to the way you present yourself versus the way you perceive yourself. It’s especially bad on the telephone when you are trying to help somebody and they ask you to repeat what you just mustered all of your courage to say because they couldn’t hear you or you hurried to spit out the words so fast it came out like a lightening fast whisper. In my mind, I am a naturally loud and articulate speaker, but the reality of it is that I’m not nearly as naturally loud or articulate as I think I am. To combat the need to repeat myself, I try to speak louder and slower than I think is necessary; I strive for conscious projection and enunciation.
4. People are People: Realize that the person on the other end of the telephone line is just a person, too. As soon as I stop and think about the person I’m talking to as just another flawed human being, they become a lot less scary. They may even be as nervous to have this conversation as I am!
5. Smile: As in most unpleasant or scary situations in my life, I’ve found that putting a smile on my face instantly makes everything a whole lot more enjoyable. Whenever I’m feeling scared or upset, I purposefully smile and my brain responds. The old adage “mind over matter” really rings true for me when it comes to working on the telephone.

So there you have it, my keys to facing a life on the telephone as an introvert. Hopefully keeping these tips in mind will help you tackle your fear of working on the phone. Perhaps you’ll even grow to enjoy it like I have.

Now if I could just figure out how to overcome my fear of public speaking!

 

You can work at home for these companies and more:

You can Work from Home!

When you call a company for help booking a hotel room, ordering flowers or inquiring about cell phone service, you might just be talking to a home based customer service agent. These days, many companies are figuring out that hiring professional help desk agents to work remotely from home just makes good business sense – they save money on overhead costs and, at the same time employ a happy, productive workforce.

Working from home is ideal for many, especially those that want to set their own hours and would like to skip the costs associated with a “traditional” office job. Home agents save money on office attire as well as commuting expenses. Most companies that employ home workers allow flexible schedules, full or part time, night or day. More and more professional telephone representatives are finding that working from home is the perfect job for them.

What does it take to get hired as a home agent? Usually, all that is needed is a quiet environment, a corded headset telephone and the willingness to provide exemplary customer service.

Locating legitimate companies that hire home agents is easier than you think. Here are a few we recommend:

Work for Arise	Work for Alpine Access/Sykes
Work for BloomsToday	Work for Convergys
Work for LanguageLine Solutions	Work for LiveOps
Work for HSN	Work for NexRep
Work for Teleperformance	Work for TeleTech
Work for West at Home	Work for Working Solutions

Once you land your dream WAH job, visit us to find exactly the right headset telephone equipment you need at http://www.HomeAgentHeadsets.com.

WANTED: HOME AGENT HEADSETS AFFILIATES

EARN 10% COMMISSION FOR EACH SALE YOU REFER!

 

Exciting News!

The Home Agent Headsets affiliate program is set up and ready to go. Start selling our home agent approved headset telephones and make money!

The Home Agent Headsets affiliate program allows you to generate extra income with little work by you. Earn 10% of sales you send our way. It’s free and easy to sign up.

Do you know other work at home agents that need the right headset telephone for their job? Maybe you are an Arise IBO and want to make sure your CSP’s have the equipment they need. Maybe you’ve tried our products and love them so much you just have to share that love with your coworkers, friends, family…

You’ll receive your own unique URL which will automatically track all sales you generate. We even provide you with banner ads and text links that you can just choose, copy & paste!

It’s easy to get started:   Click Here to Learn More 

Compare our Home Agent Headsets

Today I finished a project I’ve been putting together for some time. Phew, that feels good!

Compare our Home Agent Headsets

 

I’m often asked what the difference is between the headsets I offer. They may all look similar, but they each have their own unique “something” that sets them apart.

Today I put the finishing touches on a pretty comprehensive headset comparison chart that breaks down the similarities and differences of each headset series.

If you are wondering what makes the Eco unique, or the Pro, Air or Flex the right choice for you, check out my new, handy-dandy headset comparison chart here: Headset Comparison Chart

 

Up Next: I’ll break down the difference between our two telephone dial pads. Stay tuned….

Let’s talk about the Plantronics T10

Eco Series Headset Telephone

Plantronics T10 DISCONTINUED

At this time, the Plantronics T10 has been discontinued by the manufacturer and they have yet to announce a replacement unit.

While many work-at-home companies suggest using the Plantronics T10 Headset Telephone, we do not recommend it for a few reasons.

• First of all, the T10 is truly a consumer grade telephone, designed for light duty use. It’s not made for the level of call volume the typical customer service agent needs. The reviews by others are, by and large, not great. There are complaints about static noise, sound level and durability.
• Second of all, the T10 comes with a convertible style headset. They do not offer a dual ear model, which is what most professional customer service workers prefer.
• And lastly, the price point of the Plantronics T10 is significantly higher than our most comparable unit, the Eco Series. The T10 will cost you about $80 while our Eco Series will cost you just $65. Why spend more just on a name brand?

Once again, the Plantronics T10 has been discontinued by the manufacturer and they have yet to announce a replacement unit. 

We recommend our Eco Series Headset Telephone if you are thinking about the Plantronics T10 for lighter duty use. Check it out here:  Eco Series. 

If you are looking for a durable, call center grade headset telephone, check out our Pro, Air and Flex Series. You will get a lot more for the money over the Plantronics T10.

Business, Casual or PJ Professional?

One of the perks of working from home is that you don’t have to get dressed up. In fact, you don’t even have to get dressed. You can just work away in your pajamas all day long if you want to. But do you want to?

I don’t know about you but I find that the days I work in my pajamas are some of the least productive days for me. Somehow, even though nobody can see me, I can see me and I just don’t feel very professional or motivated.

Now don’t get me wrong, you will never find me wearing full business attire, button down blouse, pantyhose and heels. NO WAY, NO HOW! I definitely value working in comfort.

For me, taking that extra bit of time in the morning to fix my hair, put on my face, and ditch the pj’s makes me feel good about myself and I feel like it affects the image I’m putting forth to others, even if they can’t see me.

Not only that, but the act of getting ready for work, no matter how casual, somehow helps with the isolation I occasionally feel working at home alone rather than being a part of a physical workplace. My getting ready for work routine feels like a tangible act that takes me into the real world.

Perhaps most importantly, dressing for work is one of the tricks I use to draw a line between my home life and my work life, something that can be hard to do.

Of course, comfy slippers are always welcome.

 

How about you? Do you find yourself getting dressed for work? Or are you comfortable to be a pajama wearing professional? There’s no judgement here! Just curiosity…

 

 

Product Spotlight: Pro Series Headset Telephones

Pro Single Ear with DA207(3004) Telephone Keypad

Meet the Pro Series Headset Telephone, our most popular system. And for good reason.

 

Our Pro Series headsets are used in call centers around the globe. Praised for their long lasting durability, comfortable design and clear sound, all at an affordable price, you can see why the Pro Series is such a popular choice.

Available in single ear or dual ear styles.

 

Featuring a 20° rotating ratchet metal flex microphone boom for optimal voice output, the noise-cancelling microphone enhances speech accuracy while eliminating almost all background noise. The adjustable headband is ultra-comfortable because of it’s “Sure-fit” design.

 

These telephones feature either our 3003(DA-202) keypad dialer or our 3004 (DA207) computer style keypad dialer. With all of the features required for work at home agents including mute and volume control, the Pro Series Headset Telephone may be just the workhorse for you as a professional work at home agent.

Shop Now for the:  PRO SERIES HEADSET TELEPHONES

Add a USB cord to plug the Pro into your computer.

 

Add the dial pad of your choice: Both the DA202(3003) and the DA207(3004) Telephone Keypads are compatible.

 

DA202 Dial Pad Features: Receiving volume control Transmission volume control Tone controller to adjust low and high sound Mute switch for temporary call suspension Last number redial Flash Repeat dial Simultaneous call selection Extension jack to the other desk phone and modem Recording jack for external recorder LED light in use Mute switch (w/LED light)

DA207 Dial Pad Features: Receiving volume control Transmission volume control Tone controller to adjust low and high sound Mute switch for temporary call suspension Last number redial Flash Repeat dial Simultaneous call selection Extension jack to the other phone and modem Recording jack for external recorder LED light in use Mute switch (LED light) for agent or supervisor Two headset jacks for agent and supervisor Computer keyboard style buttons

 

Shop Now for the:  PRO SERIES HEADSET TELEPHONES

Headset Telephones for Arise Virtual Agents

Arise Virtual Solutions agents are required to use a corded telephone with a compatible headset for production as well as a usb headset with microphone for training.

** Click Here to See Arise Virtual Solutions Headset Telephone Requirements

Our Pro, Air and Flex Series headset telephones feature an optional interchangeable bottom cord – one headset can function as a telephone headset and/or a usb headset with ease. No need to purchase two separate headsets!

Q. What is the advantage of our headset telephones over all the others?
A. Our phone has a separate microphone volume adjustment, so your customers will always hear you. Guaranteed!

Your connection to your customers/clients is the most important part of your job. Our professional grade, complete headset telephones are made specifically for Arise customer service agents.

We recommend our Flex Series Headset Telephone with the added USB adapter for Arise work at home agents. It is our best quality, professional call center grade unit. Your clients will hear you, guaranteed!

Click here to visit our storefront: HomeAgentHeadsets.com

 

Flex Series Headset Telephone for Arise Agents