Virtual call centre offers home working

Apr 1 2009 by Karen Dent, The Journal

A US customer service company is aiming to create at least 300 jobs in the North East for people looking to work from home. Arise Virtual Solutions is looking to run its “virtual call centres” by getting individuals to set up their own business which would fulfil its contracts.

The company, whose UK customers include home shopping groups Littlewoods and Great Universal, has been operating for 12 years in the US, where it works with 8,900 people.

It has signed up 350 since bringing the concept to the UK last October and seeking another 1,000 nationally, including 300 in the North East.

Arise vice-president John Riordan said: “We may be in recessionary times, but Arise UK represents a business that is not only building a new market model, but one which will add 1,000 new independent home-based businesses to the UK economy in 2009.”

He said Arise was not a franchise and those working with it not employees: “It is a business opportunity. The basic cost is fairly small, £20 for a background check and £30 for a dedicated phone line.” Applicants must have a PC and broadband and complete a five-hour online course. Mr Riordan said: “They can choose a client and we provide all of the training in a virtual online environment. They could chose to work for half an hour a day or they could work for 10 hours a day.”