Compensating a Stateside Virtual Assistant/Phone Operator

[Brian Hall]

Has anyone ever hired a stay at home mom or someone who works nights to answer their incoming lead calls?  I work full time 8-5, so it is impossible to talk on the phone during the day.  I was thinking about finding someone local who could answer calls and/or call leads back during the day for a prescreen.  My question is should I offer to pay per call? If so, how much?  Or offer a commission on deals that close?  Thanks.

[Blair Poelman]

@Brian Hall

 I've always gone direct, but I have a friend that is using odesk right now to take inbound leads for his MLM campaign.  (MLM is not my bag, but he's doing pretty good).

You need a policies and procedures manual with clear limitations of what a VA can and can't address - extremely basic and to the point, so that when a question or a situation comes up, an agent can open the book and find the answer or the solution. Any answer or solution that isn't in the book gets escalated to you and you handle a call back.

Training can be fairly minimal as long as the call center has agents with good English and phone skills - and your manual is solid.