Type your way into a role on a live web chat
THERE’S a career in chatting — as a live chat operator, helping customers with their company websites.
Tracey Jones, 46, is a live web chat PA with Moneypenny, which provides outsourced communications for businesses, interacting with customers on clients’ websites.
Tracey, a former property sales negotiator, says: ‘ I prefer communicating online than by telephone, so this job attracted me. Live chat gives customers an instant contact.
‘A good live chat PA needs excellent keyboard skills and literacy, good general knowledge and common sense, and it also requires unique skills. The biggest challenge is to ensure you use warm and welcoming phrases.
‘ You can’t give a physical or verbal nod so you have to keep acknowledging the customer during the chat so they know you are giving them your undivided attention.
‘You have to ensure customers know they are speaking to a real person quickly.’
Ceri Henfrey, head of operations at Moneypenny, which is based in Wrexham, North Wales, says: ‘We are constantly recruiting for our live chat team.
‘Candidates must be bright, reliable, capable and passionate about customer service, with excellent computer and writing skills.’
You must also be capable of documenting information, and to meet the standards for chat quality.
Many live chat jobs can be part-time or from home, and day or night shifts.