What it takes to work a Text Chat Operator job

The world of text chat operator jobs can be an exciting one. Chatting with people through text is definitely a skill that takes some time to get used to, but you will quickly find that it’s worth it when you see how much fun it can be and how many different opportunities there are in this field.

And it’s not just customer service. A text chat operator job can also be to be responsible for the training of new hires, monitoring social media accounts, and more.

This article will give you an overview of what it entails to be a text chat operator.

What is a text chat operator?

A text chat operator is a job where you are responsible for chatting with clients and customers through text. You may be answering questions, providing customer service information, or following up on complaints that arise in your conversations.

A chat operator can also provide training to new hires, monitor social media accounts of the company they work for, and pretty much anything related to textual communication and typing.

How to become a text chat operator?

In order to become a chat operator, you will need some basic requirements. The requirements for a text chat operator job differ from company to company. They can include: experience in customer service, ability to type quickly, familiarity with a specific computer program. Think of things like Word, where you will be taking notes of your conversations.

The skills needed vary depending on the types of chat operator jobs available. If you’re interested in being a text chat operator who provides training, then good communication skills would be essential but if you want to monitor social media accounts then it might not matter so much what programs you know how to use.

It’s also important that if you’re working in this field, you have patience – because interacting through text takes time!

The three requirements that benefit you the most are these:

1. Good typing speed

You need to be able to type at least 40 words per minute. This is usually the bare minimum requirement for this kind of work. So it’s important that you meet those standards if you’re looking into becoming a text chat operator.

It can sound simple enough but when put in practice, these are things that need to be taken seriously as they impact your success on the job immensely.

For example – there is no use being a great communicator if you cannot keep up with typing out responses quickly!

2. Creativity in your responses

Don’t just give out the same answer every time, be creative! Variety is the spice of life, and will make your job as a chat operator more enjoyable.

As text chat operator you need to be able to think fast on your feet. So you can come up with responses that are not only quick but also entertaining. This is because the success of these jobs relies heavily on how well you can keep your customer engaged through conversation.

A good rule of thumb for this is: when answering a question, don’t just give them one answer! Keep it lighthearted and friendly so they stay interested in what you have to say.

Creativity will also help you handle possible complaints professionally and efficiently.

You need to know how to find solutions quickly or at least guide people who are frustrated into understanding what’s going on without losing your patience or taking sides too much either way.

3. Know when it’s appropriate to take a break or stop chatting for the day

As with all jobs that involve communicating with customers, frustration is just around the corner. You need the ability to handle abuse from angry clients and not let it affect your mood during other chats.

You should be able to deal with your frustration without taking it out on a – sometimes completely different – person on the other side of the chat window.

It might take some practice but at least try hard not to get offended if they’re asking something unreasonable. This isn’t personal. There are always going to be people who make mistakes or ask things we’ve heard before too many times.

Just remember, this is a two-way relationship. Customers need to treat the person on the other side of their chat with respect too!

Because of these frustrations, it is very important to know when you need a break and how much time you can spend subsequently chatting with customers.

How much does a chat operator earn?

The wages for being a text chat operator differs from $200 to even $800 a week, depending on the type of tasks you do. Also, the amount of money you make will depend on how many hours are worked per day, on the industry, and the amount of required experience, education or training.

What is also fairly common, is that chat operators get paid per message. This means that the more messages a chat operator processes, the higher their hourly wage will be. The rates for these jobs are usually in the $10-25 per hour range.

Let’s say you can process 60 messages an hour, for a fee per message of $0.15. This will earn you $9/hour. It might not sound very attractive, but a great advantage is that most companies will give you the freedom to determine your own working hours.

So let’s say you work 4 hours in the morning, then take the afternoon off to hang out with friends, go to the gym or take care of your kids.

Later, you work another 4 hours before going to sleep. And let’s say you do that for 6 days a week.

That amounts to $72 per day times 6 days → $432 weekly, all while maintaining the personal freedom to work whenever it suits you.

Why you should consider becoming a chat operator

The benefits to being a text chat operator are the flexibility of your schedule, finding meaning in your work through making connections with people all over the world and getting paid for it!

However you need to be able to take care of yourself while performing this job so that those other things can happen as well.

It’s important not to overwork or burn out while doing these chats. Otherwise there is no way you’ll make it long term! Which means knowing when it’s appropriate to take a break or stop talking entirely for the day if necessary.

Interested in a job as a text chat operator?

If you want a job that allows you to work whenever, from wherever, and find meaning in your work by connecting with people (among other benefits), then becoming a text chat operator may be the perfect option for you.

The flexibility of this job is hard to beat. It allows you to work when and where you want, as long as there is an internet connection nearby.

Chat operators find meaning in their work by connecting with people. It’s an interesting way to explore your interests and passions while earning money for the hours you put in.

Chat operators are responsible for providing customer service via text-based chat on behalf of their company’s website or app – no phone calls required! It doesn’t require any previous experience either.