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VIPdesk is seeking Fredericksburg-area residents who can handle customer-service calls from home Date published: 6/13/2009
BY CATHY JETT Looking for a job but dread facing a long commute in rush-hour traffic? VIPdesk Inc., the Alexandria-based pioneer of home-based call centers, is seeking Fredericksburg-area residents who can handle customer-service calls via phone, e-mail and online chat from home. Spokesman Linda Dickerhoof said that the company normally advertises these positions nationally on such sites as Monster.com, but had read several articles about the high unemployment rate in Fredericksburg and thought the area would be a good fit. "We pay $10 to $12 an hour," she said. "That's not as much as if you'd make if you took VRE up to Northern Virginia, but it's still a good opportunity." She said applicants would have to be computer-savvy, and would undergo two weeks of virtual training if hired. They would be considered independent contractors. The average hire is a 41-year-old woman with some college education who wants to work part time while she cares for her children or elderly parents. "We have people who have worked for us for years," Dickerhoof said. "We have an 83 percent retention rate. At regular call centers, there can be a 100 percent attrition rate each year." Hoovers.com, a business information service, reports that VIPdesk was spun off by Capitol Concierge, a company that staffs office buildings in the Washington market with on-site concierges, in 1997. MasterCard and Citibank were among VIPdesk's first clients, and it now serves more than 70 blue-chip clients with more than 10 million customers. To apply for a position, visit the Web site at vipdesk.com/connectrecruiting. Cathy Jett: 540/374-5407
I have to write about my experience as an independent contractor with Vipdesk. The taxes will get ya, and you will have to purchase items such as a dedicated line, headset, paper, etc. After Christmas they started cutting my hours back drastically. They do not guarantee hours!! I was told I would need to go through another training session (they give you a small amount for completing). I had to quit, the amount of money I was spending to operate my business was more than what I was getting paid.
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