Are you wondering if working for Arise is legit?
We were too.
And, the more we heard about it, the more confused we were.
Don’t worry though. We did the research and we have some answers for you.
You see, Arise boasts the opportunity to work from home as a customer service agent, but outlines a set of strict rules and regulations along with start up fees and monthly costs. Normally VirtForce operates on the motto, never pay a company that should be paying you. So, we asked the members who work with Arise, How can it be legit if it costs the employee money to get started?
At VirtForce, we take social responsibility of our members very seriously. When this business concept penetrated the VirtForce community, we felt compelled to research it so we could thoroughly rule it out; however, during our research, we actually found reason to not reject the opportunity. In this article, we are laying out the pro’s and con’s of what we found objectively so you can make an informed decision.
Our process
We assigned five team members to independently research the organization. We tasked them with looking for the good, the bad, and the ugly. Then, I personally interviewed employees who work in customer service for Arise. Here’s what we found.
Note: all our findings are based on the reader considering an independent contractor role, not an Arise business owner.
Pro’s
- Customer service representatives must work under an Independent Business Owner who is established as a corporation. This is a pro, because it takes any legal risk off the customer service rep.
- Customer Service representatives work as contractors and can start or stop contracts at any point in time. So for example, if you hate the contract you just started with the Vacation Cruise Lines, simply terminate it and switch to the Medical Billing company.
- Arise offers a unique web platform that allows agents to initiate contracts with the employer of their choosing and terminate at their choosing as well.
- You can have multiple contracts at a time which significantly increases your earning potential.
- At the time of this article, pay ranges from $9 to $20 an hour (depending on the employer you pick) which is a healthy living for the average customer service representative.
- There is NO education requirement. I repeat, you DO NOT need a degree to work this job.
- Training is thorough. You will select the company you wish to work for, then complete their training. However, you must pass a live call test in order to actually work for them. This is good news because it assures us that not just anybody is picking up this work. Arise cares about who they put on the phone and wants to make sure you’ll do a good job.
- Some training offered is “earn as you learn” which means the company you selected to work for will pay you by the hour when you train so you can start earning immediately.
- You must work 15 or more hours per week to maintain your contract. This is a pro because it ensures that anyone working in this position is making at least $135 a week (based on $9 an hour).
- All Military Spouses and Veterans get their training 50% off which cuts your start up cost in half.
Cons
- You do have to pay for your training. Arise team members suggest considering this similar to a uniform cost. If you were going to start a job as a nursing assistant, you would have to purchase scrubs. Similarly, starting a job as a customer service representative with Arise, you need to purchase your training. Training ranges from $20 – $100 (not including the 50% discount) depending on the employer you select.
- After you train and start taking calls, you have a website fee that has to be paid twice a month. At the time of this article, the fee is $19.95 every two weeks which means you’re paying about $40 a month to access the Arise platform. This fee keeps the website functioning so you can navigate between contracts at will. The fee also provides you 24/7 technical support so if you need help in your job, you have assistance. An upside to this con is that the fees are tax deductible.
- You can get fired. If you are a terrible call rep, you curse customers and you’re mean, you can get let go! This is a risk you take with any job, but if you’re good at what you do we don’t think you have to worry about this one.
- Because you work as a contractor, you will get a 1099 each year, and you’ll have to pay your own taxes. You can look at this as a pro or a con. 1099’s are easy, but if you haven’t done it before, it can seem intimidating. Watch our Let’s Get Live session with Naseem to learn about 1099’s.
- You need a landline and a laptop to perform this job. This is a minor inconvenience, but it is certainly achievable. Most cable service providers offer land lines for under $10 a month, and chances are if you have cable, you’re already paying for the land line in a bundle and not using it.
So, is Arise Legit?
In short, yes.
We think the fees suck. It would be great if all of this could be offered for free.
However, we understand why Arise is structured this way. Requiring you to make a financial investment means you’re literally “bought in” so you’re less likely to waste their time and effort.
You’re also more likely to be very serious about a remote customer service career if you have training fees and website fees.
Furthermore, even if you’re working at their lowest pay rate and only part time, you’re still making around $540 a month (tax free). This is more than enough income to offset the small costs you’ll have.
We think this is a great opportunity if you’re serious about customer service. We are choosing to promote these opportunities because they are a quick way to get established in a remote career.
We estimate that if you’re a good representative you can make anywhere from $500 – $3,160 a month in this position after your monthly costs.
Most importantly, if you don’t have a college education, this is a prime opportunity for you to start getting virtual experience.
Want to learn more? Head over to the Arise website.
By: Kimber Hill and VirtForce Leadership Team