Vantaggi
Getting to work with a good trainer and lead. Two weeks paid training. Getting to meet people from all over. A lot of those met within the company are incredibly nice, positive people. Being able to work from home. Job itself is pretty easy to learn. Shift pick can work in your favor depending on your circumstances. Paid learning time is a nice breather. You're allowed to warn and even disconnect (after warning) abusive callers which shows some care towards the employees. The company's environmental focus.
Svantaggi
The biggest con is a lot of the work itself. The majority of the time being unable to disclose that callers are speaking to an answering service and that most of the time the only thing that can be done is to "take a message". Its one thing when calls are on overflow or the call is during off hours but when you're receiving calls from people who are at the courthouse, at the site of the business (meetings, delivery drivers), etc...and you're unable to transfer because either no one's available (which is the majority of cases) or the client outright doesn't want to take the call. Again you often can't say you're with the answering service but also can't assist callers with the majority of the things they request or even answer most of questions they might have. Which of course results in the callers becoming irate and taking out their frustrations on you because "you work there" (yet you really don't). Its less on AW and more of the clients but really a lot of these clients seem to simply not want to be bothered with their customers. As a result many are repeat callers who have already left messages and are often fatigued and frustrated because clients never bother to get back to the people who are doing business with them. You're expected to placate and reason with these callers who think yelling and arguing will get them through and being the middle person you get all of the blame with no way out thanks to the clients who take advantage. It isn't always the case but many times it is. Legal, real estate and city services calls can be particularly stressful. Even if you're assigned a department you're still taking calls for everyone. Back to back calls without even seconds between on busier days doesn't help to what essentially becomes a quick burnout, especially when you're dealing with the above all day. Also no part time options, you have to work a mandatory 40 hours minimum.