If you seek work-life balance inspiration, look no further than Ellen, a veteran Working Solutions agent (PRO) of more than 15 years.
Ellen is an exceptional example of how to leverage a flexible job to find that sweet spot between working and living the life you want.
Outside of work, she has many interests to keep herself occupied. Ellen loves to paint and restore furniture, plus has a green thumb when it comes to gardening. She also enjoys shopping, sewing and listening to music.
Recently, Ellen shared her experience and growth as a PRO, offering insights into what it takes to thrive in a work-from-home environment.
Finding Balance in Life
“I have always wanted to work and continue to work as long as I am able.” Contracting with Working Solutions “helped me balance my life in every way.”
Ellen started as a PRO when her kids were in elementary school. “They are grown and gone now, but I so appreciated being able to make my schedule.”
She worked while her kids were in school and sometimes scheduled a few additional hours in the evening. “I never felt the guilt that some parents feel who miss out on so much because of work.”
“At one point, it was balancing work with kids’ schedules, dinner and housework. Now that they are grown, it’s balancing work with things I want to get done around the house and activities I want to do away from home.”
Ellen’s favorite things about contracting with Working Solutions: No commute and “having the ability to plan my own schedule.”
Personal and Professional Growth
Ellen believes she has become a well-rounded professional. Before working at home, she was with a major travel company. With extensive experience in that industry, she began at Working Solutions as an agent for a business-travel program.
“When that project went away, I was able to easily hop over to something else. At first, I was reluctant to take on a project that was not travel-related, but we have really good education courses at Working Solutions, so I felt prepared to take on something new.”
Her experience here made Ellen “so much more independent and self-reliant over the years. I’ve realized that I can usually tackle any technical issue or hiccup that comes my way.”
“I’ve gained independence, confidence, a nice work/life balance and am certainly more tech savvy than I used to be!”
Ellen’s Tips for New PROs and Anyone Interested in Remote Customer Service
- Professional Mindset: “Treat this job like you are working in an office. Be on time, work the time you have scheduled, cancel hours only when it is absolutely necessary.”
- Tech Savvy: “Try to handle technical issues as much as you can on your own. Troubleshoot while you are waiting to hear back for technical assistance. Sometimes you can fix the problem before you hear back from them.”
- Best Exchanges: With 15 years of customer interactions, it is hard for Ellen to pick a favorite. “I have had many conversations with some genuinely nice people. Those are the ones that really make your day.”
- Difficult Calls: Be as patient as you can and “be confident in what you are saying, even if it is not what they want to hear. An apology goes a long way, along with showing empathy. These can help calm a person down.”
- Quality Equipment: Her one work-from-home item she cannot live without: “A good headset!”
- Lessons Learned: “Perhaps the best career lesson that I have learned is that my family will always come before my career.” For Ellen, working from home with a flexible schedule has made a huge impact on her life.
“Having the ability to take care of my family and to be around for my kids when they were coming home from school was such a great gift.”
