Making money from home helps dad make the most out of time with his son

June 14, 2019 | Virtual Agents | Blog

minutes

Father and son arm flexing silhouette

Independent work lets remote customer service pro be there for son’s milestones

It was 2009 when Alfredo Gutierrez found out he was going to be a father. He knew he would have to find a new job. 

“I was going to school and had a job selling windows and siding,” Alfredo said. That job required covering a lot of ground daily. 

Instead, Alfredo wanted to find work that would let him stay in one place all day. Preferably from a home office as he planned to be a stay-at-home dad. He started searching the internet. 

“I remember seeing something about Liveops and wondering whether it was too good to be true,” he said. 

Alfredo and his son.

After gathering that not only was the opportunity legitimate but it also presented a great chance to earn sales-based commissions, Alfredo started the Liveops online certification process. “That’s about when I quit my job and went all-in with Liveops,” Alfredo said. 

Soon, Alfredo began meeting and exceeding sales goals, allowing him to advance to selling products that bring in higher commissions. 

In between his duties as a new father with an infant son to care for, Alfredo said he was selling almost non-stop. 

Alfredo’s tips for introverts and extroverts who want to grow their sales

Alfredo credits his friendly, talkative demeanor for driving his sales success. He believes it’s an approach that will work for anyone, even those who see themselves as introverts. Which used to be more his style. “I was so shy that I didn’t talk at school. I was always a good listener, extremely observant, but I didn’t speak at school. Teachers tried bribing me, and in the third grade, I finally talked. Then I wouldn’t stop talking,” Alfredo said with a chuckle.

What advice do you have for people who’ve recently started in the field of selling?

One of the most important things is to engage people, build a rapport with them. Try to relate to them, figure out how to get to know them even though you only have a few minutes. If they’re elderly, talk to them about what it was like when they were young. I’ve had people tell me stories about selling the same products door-to-door decades ago. On top of that, there are four things to remember:

  1. Be nice. I always tell other agents, “you have to be friendly and remember that the customer is 100 percent, always right.” Once, I had a caller who redialed after a call with another agent, whom he’d screamed at and was confrontational toward. He called me to vent and went on for 10 minutes. I listened to him and calmly shared with him what I knew about the product. He ended up buying $500 worth of products from me. 
  2. Always upsell. I try hard not to skip any upsells, ever. I remind myself, “you never know, they might want it.” Afterward, callers often say something like, “could I speak to your manager? I’d like to tell them how great you are.”
  3. Dress for success. Most people have a picture of someone working from home as sitting in their sweats all day. As tempting as it is, staying in pajamas doesn’t work for me. Most of the time, I dress as if I’m going to work. I’ve found that if I’m in a suit and tie, I feel more confident.
  4. Reference your resources. Always refer to your certification materials. Sometimes people try to deviate from them, but they’re actually perfect, so stick with them.

How do you handle “no” as the response to a pitch?

One of the techniques I learned early on in my sales career is that if someone tells you “no,” there’s almost always a specific reason why. You can usually make a deal if you ask what’s holding them back, listen carefully and speak to their concerns or need for additional information or whatever it is.  

How easy do you find supporting and selling products in your work with Liveops?

I truthfully tell people I wouldn’t sell anything if I didn’t believe in it. When there’s an item I’m supporting or selling that could be of use to me, I’ll purchase one. I have a grill and other items I’ve purchased. I always share experiences with them and how much I like having them. 

Of all the Liveops work you’ve done over the years, what is your favorite?

I try to do any work that has to do with fundraising, such as Red Nose Day. That work is all about people coming together, raising money to help each other, and I get to be part of it.  

Read more about why Alfredo stays with Liveops.

Celebrating Father’s Day 

Alfredo is looking forward to an outing with his son to celebrate Father’s Day. “I’ll let him choose where but we’ll probably go out to eat and then head somewhere where my son likes to play,” Alfredo said. 

Are you looking for a way to earn money from home? 

Maybe you have a new baby or other loved one you’d like to be there for. We’re always looking for great candidates who want to join Liveops Nation! Find out how to apply with Liveops.

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Shelly Strom

Shelly Strom is a writer for Liveops. With a background in business journalism and corporate communications, she specializes in researching the call center industry to uncover key trends, news and analysis.

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