When the Weather Outside is Frightful, Working From Home is Delightful

Black ice is frightful, and a compelling two-word commercial for working from home. “It was a miracle. My husband walked away from the crash when his pick-up truck took a nose dive into a steep embankment due to a patch of black ice. His truck was totaled, but thankfully, he didn’t have a scratch on him.” said Elise Chamberlain. Black ice is actually clear ice, the color of the road and practically invisible to drivers or people stepping on it. When black ice conditions are present, there’s no better time to stay toasty and warm inside working from home. Elise is located in the southern tier of upstate New York, fairly close to the Pennsylvania border.

How long have you been working from home?

“I started in July of 2015, so it’s been five years. I’ve never worked from home before I started working with TeleReach Corporate, but my cousin did. My cousin, a computer programmer, has always worked out of his home and he was the one who gave me the idea to start Googling a search for a way to work from home. I remember how hard it was back then, slogging through so many scam ads, and then finally I found TeleReach Corporate and I’ve have been here ever since.”

Why were you looking for a way to work from home?

“Because of my cousin and seeing how much flexibility he has had working from home. I wanted to be like him, be able to take off during the day if needed and then come back and work later. Plus, I just like being in the comfort of my own home surrounded by my own things, not like working in an office where your pretty limited in your surroundings.

Another reason is that about six years ago, we moved to a rural area on top of a large hill, small mountain. In wintertime it gets icy, and it’s scary trying to drive down that steep hill on country roads. I just didn’t want to do that anymore. You never know when you are going to hit a patch of black ice going down that hill. The black ice is underneath the fresh snowfall and you never know it’s there until it’s too late. I grew up not that far from here so I’m used to it, but winter here lasts a long time and driving can be dangerous.

Last year we had just had a fresh snow storm and the roads were super slippery. My husband went off the side of the road in his truck going down that hill. The country roads don’t get plowed like the roads in the city. I knew when we moved here that I wanted to work out of my home, and it was just a matter of finding the right job for me.

Now is the time for people to come to work from TeleReach, especially during this time of COVID. The people who stick it out make good money. We see people quit early on because there is a lot to learn and some don’t stay with it long enough to see the benefits. It’s sad to see people throw in the towel like that.”

What solutions has working from home provided for you and your family?

“I like to be able to take a week off here and there to do projects around the house. For example, we just painted our shutters. With most jobs you usually get two or three weeks off for vacation and that’s it, then you’re done. But with this job, it’s great to have the benefit of permanent flexibility. If I want to go out of town, I have that option. I just go out of town. Yeah, I don’t get paid for taking time off, but I have a better work-life balance. This is the perfect job for me.”

What have you gained by coming into Houston?

“I’ve come into Houston now three times for coaching. So far, I’ve come at really good times, always in December so its been a fun time of year. I’ve been able to attend the company Christmas party and meet a lot more people that way. When you meet other people who work here, you learn that you’re not on your own. There are other people doing the same thing and it’s good to connect with them and make friends. I like that you get to meet your co-workers face to face and develop more of a relationship with them.

When I first started the job, I was slow. After working with Laurel in person instead of remotely, I learned whole new ways of doing things with the technology and moving through the records. I’ve also learned new techniques and have picked up new ways of saying things on the phone in making these outbound calls that help me sound better on the phone and help me make more appointments. I get a lot out of it each time I come in.”

What sales experience, educational background or business background did you have before you started here?

“I sold furniture and design services, but I had never worked from home and I had never done a job like this. There’s a learning curve and it takes a while. Everybody has their own pace. I do usually make my money goals now but I didn’t at first. I think it took me longer than some people we’ve seen to get to the next level but I’m so glad now that I stuck with it. Working from home is so much better than walking around in that furniture showroom all day in high heels. That was exhausting and the hours were crazy. I sometimes worked until 9 pm in the evening, and that got old. I also did have a little cold calling experience previously with the insurance business. I have a business degree with a concentration in marketing, but when I was in college, I really had no idea what I was going to do.”

Tell us about your typical work day?

“So many things can pull me away during the day, but I know that I can come back during the evening and call the west coast because it’s not yet evening in their time zone. The house is quieter during that time. I can always make it up during the later hours. I’ve been working mostly west coast accounts lately.”

What tips do you have for people who may be considering a career working from home setting sales appointments?

“I think anybody can do this job if they put their mind to it. I’m not one of the top dialers here but I’m consistent. I’m not making over 300 dials a day like Kevin, but sometimes I have made as high as 200 dials per day. I know when I have a slow day, I can stay a little later and work the west coast because it’s still early in their time zone. I make sure I get something on the board every day because it makes a difference at the end of the week. Lately, I’ve been doing well. Being consistent has really helped me build a good income. Now I want to push for more. I looked up my hourly pay equivalent and recently it has been trending a little over $34/hour. I don’t know where else I would work that has so much flexibility, is safe and sound at home and has such good pay.”

Let it snow. Let it snow. Let it snow.

Since Elise now works from home, she has no place else to go so let it snow, let it snow, let it snow. Now, we just need to convince her husband to spend more time at home and less time on those wintery roads. During such dramatically changing times, perhaps working from home can be a great solution for you too in 2021.