Outsourced customer support team

E-commerce stores, startups and software companies that want support coverage without hiring staff.

Monthly contract based on ticket volume or agent hours, with the margin between what clients pay and what you pay your agents.

• Customer service experience
• Hiring and training people
• Process and quality checking
• Selling to business clients

• Worker classification: check federal and state rules on contractors versus employees, as some states are strict
• Workers' compensation insurance and payroll taxes may apply once you hire employees
• General liability and professional liability or cyber insurance are worth checking
• Clients may require confidentiality agreements and data security practices
• Payment timing: you pay agents regularly, but clients may pay late, so keep cash in reserve

Startup costs are typically around $1,500 to $7,500, depending on your tools, how many part-time agents you train and how you find your first clients. Treat this as an estimate and build your own budget before you begin.

Check federal and state rules on contractors versus employees, as some states are strict. Also check whether workers' compensation insurance and payroll taxes apply once you hire employees, and which insurance cover is worth having.

Monthly revenue is typically estimated at around $2,000 to $10,000, depending on how many clients and agents you have. Clients may pay late while you pay agents regularly, so keep cash in reserve. Plan for at least 20 hours a week.