Remote Telephone Service ReceptionistFull-time (Oregon, Texas, Idaho, Utah, Kentucky, Tennessee)

While prior call center or answering service experience is preferred, we are willing to train candidates with high-volume customer service telephone experience who demonstrate strong communication skills.

Who are we? We are statistically the highest-quality “human first”* telephone answering service in America. We’ve been in business for 41 years under a single owner, and our corporate headquarters are in Bend, Oregon.

* “Human-first” indicates an answering service in which incoming calls are answered directly by a human being, not by artificial intelligence or voicemail.

Again: This is NOT a sales position. Our TSRs process incoming calls only.

Here is one very important point before you continue exploring this opportunity. It has to do with the sensitive, private, and often urgent nature of the service we provide: An online 3rd-party, professionally administered drug test is part of the application process. Then, if you pass this initial test and are hired, you will be included in several additional company-wide tests per year that will be conducted at random, unannounced intervals. If you fail a test, you will be immediately dismissed with this blemish appearing on your permanent work record. If you use or plan to use illicit drugs, it is best that you do not apply for this position. The good news if you are drug-free? You will know for sure that your coworkers are also drug-free…in these topsy-turvy times within our culture…it’s an unusually refreshing work environment.

We hire people with professional warmth who exhibit a clear, empathetic demeanor. They are pleasant, easy to understand, and confident in their decision-making abilities. They are customer-centric and detail-oriented, with solid typing skills and strong linguistic skills (verbal and written).

Voice tone and voice quality are critical.

Training will be intense and thorough; work guidelines clear and precise. The “people skills” you’ll learn will prove valuable for the rest of your life.

Paid-training is provided. And the benefits, 401K, health insurance, PTO, are solid.

Another important point to consider is that, because of the nature of our 24/7/365 business, which creates heavy incoming call traffic on weekends, you can expect to work both Saturdays and Sundays, as well as three consecutive days during the week. Yes, there is weekend “differential” pay. See below for details.

Job Description:

You will process incoming calls for various businesses, including professional medical and veterinary offices. The TSR’s task is to accurately and efficiently receive and then record messages, and then deliver that information to our clients per their individualized message-relay protocols. The Centratel TSR utilizes a proprietary telephone system specifically designed for answering services.

The clients we serve include service businesses whose personnel are in the field and away from their business phones; and, as mentioned, medical and veterinary offices that receive emergency patient calls during and after normal business hours. Also, property management companies, heating and air conditioning firms, funeral homes, hi-tech operations, public and private utilities, and others.

Centratel is a great place to work! It’s true: Many of our full-time staff members have work-tenures of 10, 20, and even 30 years. The CEO and owner, Sam Carpenter, has intensely operated Centratel as “the highest quality answering service in America” for over 40 years.

We carefully follow all non-discrimination rules and guidelines, yet approximately 90% of Centratel’s staff are female.

Job Requirements:

• Prior call center or answering service experience. One year of remote work experience is helpful…
• Per our typing test, type a minimum of 40 WPM
• As noted above: Absolutely drug-free. An initial monitored professional drug screening, and subsequent intensive random/unannounced/tightly monitored drug tests will be conducted
• Understand basic internet navigation; messaging tools
• Excellent oral and written communication skills
• Adept at active listening. Can communicate efficiently
• Empathetic, personable, yet professional demeanor. Sharp!
• Reliable, dependable, and customer-centric. Focused, calm demeanor with a long attention span…
• Disciplined and resourceful
• Receptive to feedback through frequent one-on-one online meetings with supervisors and quality specialists
• Able to patiently and calmly train remotely via our self-guided classroom programs
• Can troubleshoot very basic internet connection challenges, guided by our experienced and always-available tech team
• Attend paid (virtual) monthly staff meetings
• In this role, attention to detail is critical. Please include the word “Call Control” in your application to confirm you have read this full job description.  

Physical Requirements:

• Important: Must have secured a separate workspace free of distractions and extraneous noise, for HIPAA compliance requirements
• Up-to-date computer with Windows 10 Pro or higher operating system (Mac & Chromebooks are not supported) with 20 GB of hard drive space available, dual monitors, standard keyboard, and webcam with microphone
• Provide a reliable high-speed (minimum 100mbps) broadband internet connection. No satellite connections
• Reliable landline or Voice-over-Internet Protocol (VoIP) service. Must have a personal mobile phone with unlimited minutes as an emergency backup source

Wages and Benefits:

The starting wage is $26.00 per hour, with most TSRs attaining performance-based escalations to $31.00-$36.00 per hour. Paid online training takes 3-4 days, depending on your various attributes/skills. To meet the highest performance criteria typically takes 30-60 days. This pay scale is 25-30% higher than competitive answering services/call centers.

• Full time: 40 hours per week
• Overtime available at two-times the hourly wage
• A 401K retirement plan with a 3% match, after 60-days
• Fully paid health insurance, after 60 days. (Note: If you choose not to use our group health insurance, we add $200 per month to the above-described compensation)
• Weekend hours: add a $4.00 per hour “differential.”
• Set work schedules per seniority-based bidding process

Example Shifts:

Although your first shift schedule will probably not be your ultimate preference, as you gain seniority, your preferred schedule will emerge over time as newly available shifts are awarded based on seniority. (Note that shift-bidding occurs twice per year as well as every time a shift opens).

Listed below are example shifts, which may or may not be currently available.

Note: These shift times are listed per the Pacific Time Zone, but as noted, we’ve also shown each example in Eastern Standard Time:

To apply, fill out the application.

If your application qualifies, we will contact you to arrange for an interview and aptitude testing. No phone calls please.