Want an Easy Side Gig? Make Money From Phone Calls, at $5 a Pop!

If there’s one item that nearly everyone has that they can’t live without, what do you think it would be?

It’s that thing that when you leave the house, and realize you left it at home, you start to get the shakes. Almost instantly, you turn your car around and race back home to go grab it.

Have you figured it out yet? The answer is cell phones!

Cell phones are like security blankets to most people, these days. They’ve become our lifeline. They help us stay in touch with those near and far, and even provide us with local news, and other happenings around the world.

But that isn’t all they are good for. Cell phones are also an excellent tool to aid people in making extra money.

There are many side gigs that will allow you to use your cell phone in various ways. Some of them involve downloading apps, and watching videos, or clipping rebates and coupons. But not the gig I want to tell you about. I am super excited to tell you about one of my favorite side gigs. It simply involves making quick phone calls, and then filling out a short survey.

The gig itself is titled, QA Evaluator.

The Gig

QA Evaluator, is a position available at Call Center QA.

Call Center QA is actually based out of Boston, Massachusetts, but fortunately, you do not have to live there to apply. The company hires independent contractors from all over the US, to telecommute. This just means that you can do the work from your own home. There’s no need to change out of your pajamas, and no need to fight traffic. Everything you need to do can be done from your home office, or even your kitchen!

There are some things you need to know about not being hired on as an employee. As an independent contractor you will not be able to receive any benefits, as you would with most companies.

Then, there is the fact of taxes. When hired as an employee, your employer will withhold taxes from each of your paychecks. But in this case, you will also be responsible for your own taxes. Don’t worry, though. It’s not too scary once you get the hang of it.

Now onto the job. As a QA evaluator, you will basically be making phone calls, to numerous companies. During these calls, you will be pretending to be a real customer, and rating their service. Think of it as mystery shopping.

Your main objective is just to score the business in a variety of aspects. Was the customer service agent you spoke with knowledgeable? Were they kind? Were they helpful? How long were you on hold?

Once you complete your call, you will then fill out an evaluation, with honest answers. The feedback you provide is important. This information will allow the businesses you call to have an outside view of their operations. The knowledge they receive from your evaluation will then help them to figure out how to perhaps better their service.

Who can become a QA evaluator?

One of the best things about this gig is that nearly anyone can do it.

No previous call center experience is required. But as you can guess, if you do have some prior experience, it will certainly give you a one up, among many of the other candidates.

You are required to live in the US and be at least 18 years of age. Other than that, there really aren’t many other requirements. In fact, you don’t even have to pass a background check to get hired!

This gig is perfect for students. Sometimes it’s hard to fit in a job you must commute to, on top of hours and hours of school work. And we all know there are frequently gaps to fill when parents are unable to send money, if at all.

It is great for the stay at home mom who wants to help out with the bills, and make some cash during nap times. Or even just to talk to other human beings about something other than cartoons, toys, and video games.

It is wonderful for retirees who need to find something to do with a bit of purpose.

Even those with disabilities find this a particularly easy gig, as there is nothing strenuous about it.

Call Center QA loves hiring diverse people, because the different backgrounds can really offer a variety of feedback.

They are also looking for cheery people who can pay attention to details, and are not afraid to talk on the phone. Great communication skills, as well as listening skills, are an absolute must. If you are the type of person who texts, because you do not enjoy talking on the phone, this gig probably isn’t for you.

Is there any special equipment necessary?

Oftentimes, work from home gigs require special equipment. Some jobs require you to have a special headset and foot pedal. Others require a specific kind of software. But not this one!

There are only two things required, when doing telephone surveys for cash, through Call Center QA: The ability to send and receive emails, and a way to make calls.

What are the hours?

Are you worried about what kind of shifts you’ll have to work your schedule around? Don’t worry! I have some amazing news.

You won’t have to plan your life around the gig, at all! In fact, these surveys can be done all throughout the day, so you can actually work around your busy lifestyle.

So if you find your life to be exceptionally busy, this is a great opportunity to be able to earn some extra money, when it is convenient for you!

Though a quick note for parents… you won’t necessarily be able to wait until after the kids are in bed, as you will need to make your phone calls during business hours. However if your kiddos sleep in, you may be able to sneak some calls in before breakfast!

Make money from phone calls

Now let’s talk moolah! You know from the title that each call will earn you $5. While it may not sound like too much, it is actually on the higher end when it comes to phone surveys.

A majority of the phone calls you make will only last about 5 to 10 minutes. After the call, you will fill out your 1-page feedback form, which should only take an additional couple of minutes. So in reality, you are getting paid $5, for maybe 15 minutes worth of work. After a little math, you will see that it equates to $20 an hour. That’s pretty awesome for a job that requires little to no experience.

If you already have a PayPal account, you will be thrilled to find out that you will receive your payouts through PayPal. And even better yet, Call Center QA pays quickly! That’s right, no waiting an entire month before you see the money you have earned!

You can receive your money in as little as 24 hours after your evaluation has been completed. Though there is also the possibility of it taking about a week, before you will see the money in your PayPal account.

Get paid to talk on your cell phone

When it comes to work from home jobs, most of the jobs that involve you making or receiving phone calls are strictly landline only. This is usually due to the fact that they don’t want dropped calls from cellphone. Sometimes cell phones just aren’t very clear.

Fortunately, Call Center QA is a little different! You don’t even have to have a landline. It is completely acceptable for you to make your calls through a cell phone. Let’s be honest. How many people have landlines nowadays anyway?

You can even complete your tasks through Skype and Google Voice. How awesome to be able to complete call work, when your phone battery is dead!

The feedback form

If you want a better idea on how you will be rating the businesses you call, here is an example of the test form that each applicant must fill out.

It’s pretty cut and clear, what kinds of things you need to be paying attention to.

There are a few important things to note, when making your calls.

You are basically a mystery shopper. The keyword there is mystery! You do not want the business to know that you are solely calling for the purpose of a review. It is important that you actually seem interested in the product or service, and use real information.

When using your real name and phone number, there is, of course, a chance that you may receive a follow-up call. In this instance, remain polite, and simply say that you are no longer interested. You are in no way obligated to purchase anything during your calls.

On the other hand, if you are interested, feel free to carry on, and make your purchase. Be sure to make note of it in your evaluation.

Also, Call Center QA also requests that you avoid hanging up on any customer service agents, as that is pretty much a dead give away, that you are doing a survey.

What You Should Know About Talking on the Phone

Talking on the phone may not be a job for everyone, but it could be the job for you. I feel like there are some things to keep in mind, whenever you’re talking on the phone. Check out some of these tips, so you can make your phone job go even better!

Make sure you’re in a quiet room

When you’re on the phone, you don’t want a lot of background noise. In fact, you’ll want to make sure there isn’t a lot of noise where you are. You can even invest in noise-canceling headphones if this helps you make less noise on your end!

Kids and pets can be loud

You may not realize how loud kids and pets can be, but they can be VERY loud. Make sure you’re aware of this when you’re talking on the phone. Arrange your schedule so the kids are sleeping or have another adult with you, while you’re on the phone.

Making phone calls can be fun

One thing I love about phone calls is that they can be fun! You don’t have to be stuck to a computer and you get to talk to real people. If you can’t think of a phone job that might be for you, consider this type of phone work.

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Final thoughts

There are some really time consuming, and boring ways to make money on the side. But there are also some great ways to make a fair amount of cash, in just a short amount of time. If you are looking for the latter, this QA evaluator gig may be just what you are looking for.

Keep in mind you must be okay with actually speaking to another human being on the phone. But don’t worry, they don’t bite!

Unfortunately, it is unlikely that you will actually be making hours and hours of calls, to really rake in the money.

Their website specifically states that they do not have an unlimited number of mystery shops.

All this really means is that you’ll find yourself on a waiting list, once you complete your first list of paid phone calls.

As with all survey sites, your demographics will play a huge role in when you will receive more surveys calls to complete. So just be patient, and remember, this is just a side gig, not a part-time job.

What are you waiting for? Apply today, to start adding some additional funds to your PayPal account!