If you've been in this industry long enough or read a number of my reviews you'll start noticing that when a company is successful others will “bite off” them. In non-urban terms that means copying someone else. My daughter is in that annoying phase right now and it's driving me crazy but I digress. In the past, I've reviewed a few Virtual Call Center companies which include VIP Desk and Arise.com
As expected there were varying opinions on both companies. But at the end of the day I concluded that the two companies were legitimate and viable options for people with Customer Service skills. Depending on your needs one was better than the other. Well I like giving people a lot of choices when possible. So if neither company rubbed you the right way, maybe Alpine Access might be another viable option.
What is Alpine Access.com?
This is a Denver (about as alpine as we have in the USA) company who claims to be a pioneer in the virtual call center business. It seems to me that the mid 1990's is when this whole outsourcing phenom got all started in everything, so I don't know so much about the pioneer thing. For those who have not read the previous posts on Arise.com and VIPDesk, a virtual call center is the person sitting at home in their sweats and a T-shirt who professionally answer the 1-800 call you make to customer service number conveniently found on TV commercials, your bill, and/or your favorite shopping websites. They are the folks who answer product questions, solve ordering issues, deal with billing issues, help you with returns, make reservations, and all that stuff. You might want to think twice the next time you go the nasty route with these folks. Maybe they can tell you how they get their job. Just a thought.
Alpine is different because….
– This time we are talking about a job. You are not an independent contractor, when you get hired, you work for them. That means, well, you know, they pay you to work, and so they have to take out the taxes to keep Uncle Sam happy. It also means you get paid by the hour and not by “productive minutes” with customers. You do not have to have a separate bank account or incorporate yourself or any of that legal Work At Home Taxes headaches.
– They offer health,vision and dental benefits to anyone working 20 hours per week or higher after you put 30 days in and matching 401(k) after one year. Do not start jumping for joy here, you can expect these will be minimal levels and you may have to pay for some additional coverage. That is pretty common with this level of pay. Hey, something is better than nothing, right?
– You do not have to pay for training. The training procedures are rigorous, as these Fortune 500 companies that use outsourcing for their customer service expect professionals who speak well, can spell and write complete sentences and have good judgment. (I'm out of the running for this one.) At Alpine Access University, you register for a class, and then with a group of others, you go through a virtual classroom training together. Yep, you get to interact with the other class members and the teacher. You will learn about the Alpine Access, you learn about the virtual call center business and then you dig in and learn all of the specifics about the specific industry you are training for. There will be tests along the way you must pass. You will practice with real customers with the instructors critique before completing the course. Some time each day is spent in the “homeroom” what they call their virtual classroom, (yes it sounded corny to me too) and others will be with independent assignments. Once you pass the class, you get a phone interview and if everything works out, you will be offered a job.
Let's talk about the money…
The pay for these jobs is $9 an hour, and occasionally you find people making $10-$12. It might depend on the minimum wage in your state and the business you train for. But the reality is, that is what you get paid. I found lots of grumbling about the pay rate for this company and really any virtual call center, but the bottom line is that is what the pay scale is industry wide, like it or not. One thing is you will probably not get a raise, unless you are promoted within the company to be a team leader or coach or trainer or something, which could be just like most promotions I ever had in the business world, a Tylenol Promotion, (more headaches than the extra money is worth.)
You get paid every two weeks, direct deposit to your bank. Unlike other places you will know what is coming in, since it does not depend on the number of calls you get. Do the math you work 6 hour shift a $9 ($54) for 5 days ( $270) minus taxes will make it around $200/week while sitting at home, no gas, no parking, no fancy clothes, and you get two hours of your day back in wasted commute time.
When and how much can I work?
You must work at least four hours a day, 5 days a week. You have to work at least 20 hours a week and you must work one weekend day. That part is non-negotiable. They do not have overnight shifts Most shifts run between 6-8 hours. Although there are a variety of time slots, expect mainly afternoon and evenings. The coveted morning hours are first come to the long time employees so don't even bother asking for those times. Alpine Access official hours of operation are 6am-midnight (Mountain Time) which for you time zone challenged folks means 8am-10pm Eastern. (Don't worry I am too and had to look it up. lol)
Are there any fees?
Well this is a job not a home based business so there shouldn't be. But if you want to get technical, you need a PC (no Mac's) with Windows XP, Vista or 7, Internet Explorer, a high speed Internet connection, (no wireless) a land-line phone with a cord, (no wireless) and a headset with a microphone that can filter some noise. Those would be considered basics and many people already have everything but the headset. However if you don't have all that stuff, then consider it a cost you must incur. I think the headset with microphone most people would need to purchase but it isn't really that expensive if you buy it online at a place like Amazon. That being said it's still a cost but nothing crazy that makes me think this is a scam. It makes sense given the job.
But then they zing you for a $45 for a criminal background/credit check. I hate when certain online companies do this. When I worked offline in Corporate America and they ran their criminal check on me but I didn't have to pay for it. So for the life of me I don't know why this cost is passed down to the workers of certain online based companies.
Don't get me wrong. I appreciate that they screen folks out because I don't want anyone that has been convicted of identify theft with access to my credit card or personal information. It's a necessary legal precaution to cover everyone's tail. The credit check on the other hand I'm torn about. I know some people have made poor choices with their credit. But I don't necessarily think it means they can't be a competent worker. But alas it doesn't matter what I think. Just know it's part of the screening process and something they expect you to pay for.
Can I do this if I live outside the USA?
Here is word for word what Alpine Access website says, “If you can provide legal documentation proving you are eligible for employment in the U.S., you may apply. Please note that Alpine Access participates in E-Verify and work eligibility status is confirmed through the Social Security Administration and the Department of Homeland Security.”
Cons
Of course there are some cons since no work at home-based opportunity is without flaws. I would not be doing my job for you if I did not point them out. So here are the few major consistent complaints about this company. Take them with a grain of salt.
-Apparently there aren't many options to get a raise. My thing is if you go to all the trouble of training people, why not do more to keep them around for the long haul? These complaints go way back before the downturn in economy, so it seems to be a long standing issue. But I guess knowing there are literally thousands of people that they can tap into to replace a disgruntle worker makes it easier to have such a crappy policy.
– The second issue that raised a red flag for me was the required credit check. As I said earlier, I think sometimes people make poor mistakes with their credit but I don't think it means they can't perform a job. You have to consider the economy has crapped out. A lot of people who were financially responsible have fallen on tough times and thus had their credit affected adversely but are probably qualified to the job nonetheless. With this type of check they may not even be considered.
– There can be problems with communication with team leaders. From what I can tell, the people who are happy with this job have a great team leader who works with them each shift, and the unhappy ones have leaders who do not give as much help, are too bossy or they deal with a lot of turnover on their team. This is mainly due to promotions within the company and the complaint is it seems to happen frequently. These issues makes me wonder if there is the same level of intense training for the supervisory roles as they make those talking with customers go through. Promoting from within is a good sign, but promoting too quickly, or weak supervision of the supervisors can be a problem. We all know how frustrating it is to deal with a supervisor who is quick to tell you your faults, and never help you out and twists it all to make you look bad. You are stuck with no place really to turn.
– Another common complaint is that there is no paid vacation. Things like paid vacations are a perk not a requirement for companies and people seem to forget that. Perks like that are totally at the discretion of the hiring company. Furthermore you're getting so many other benefits from working from home, it sort offsets the lack of paid vacations. As long as you're not being penalized for taking days off, I don't think this complaint is really a big deal.
– The last con I don't think is often mentioned but I found interesting to me is that the percentage of people who actually get hired and work for the company compared to the number of applicants is about 2%. That's some daunting numbers for would be employees. You really need to be a shinning star for this company to hire you. This may scare away some people. But to me it says this company is picky, and will not just let any old “bloke” off the street in (I'm trying to meet my quota of using slang from other countries in. lol).
How To Apply?
If you're still reading this then it's safe to assume the cons didn't turn you off. So here's what you need to do to get started. Please note the application process will take about 7 to 10 days and is pretty much conducted online. Their training center is call Alpine Access University ( AAU). When you first go to sign up, you will be given an Admissions account to this university. They communicate with you at every step of the way to let you know what to expect next. It all starts on the home page of their website and you click on the link that says you want to “join their team of customer care professionals.”
Step 1-They will confirm that you meet the requirements for the technical side of things, which is all spelled out int the Qualifications section on the website, and I mentioned earlier, the computer, phone, headsets etc.
Step 2-You open an admission account at AAU and get your profile completed and some other odd details.
Step 3 -Take the Capability and Commitment Course online and get your application essay written. The course included videos, and interactive exercises as well as other resources.
Step 4- Complete a Skills Exam. This is literally a simulation exercise, to show that you can do this job. So it is not only about the accuracy of the information you give out, but also on the spot judgments, and how you process and respond to the situations that are thrown your way.
Step 5- If you make it this far, then you get a phone interview where you can ask all your questions and learn more about which positions they have available. When your skill set matches the programs they have available, you should receive a job offer.
Step 6 Then you go through all the background checks, drug an credit checks we talked about earlier.
Once you get hired, there will be more Alpine Access training in your specific call center job.
That's pretty much the steps from what I can tell. Feel free to correct me if I'm wrong. Click here if you want to give it a shot.
Conclusion:
So I have to say Apline Access appears to be a legitimate job, without many of the “pitfalls” of being a independent contractor, that others complain about in other virtual call center operations. However work at home seekers need to get real and remember you can't really expect all the offline benefits from an online job. The online businesses know you are saving on transportation, clothing, and food costs are cut, so they do not get factored in. That being said, I see no justification for not including a merit and loyalty raise, so if that is true, shame on them. But I still think it's worth a shot. But view it as a stepping stone that you can use for another job or opportunity that may have more the pay and benefits you want.
At the end of the day as I have said a million times, I don't know of one work at home company that everyone loves. There will always be a con or complaint. You need to be wary of the “Look in the Mirror” primpers and puffers that make it seem like their opportunity tops all others because they're full of it and may try to convince you that you've been “hired” by the next Donald Trump. The reality is you need to take all I've told you and mix it up in your head and come out with a decision that is right for you. As always, I relish the input I get from the loyal subscribers who have some relevant, not cry baby input about their experience with this company. So feel free to chime in. If I got any of the information “twisted”, please feel free to correct me to help your fellow work at home seekers out.
Hi! Will my credit really make me not get a job through them? I received an offer letter and then they ran my credit and the results say “decisional.” Does that mean I will possibly not get the job? I am just curious and really want this job! It’s my dream job to work from home. Thank you for your help!
From reading some of the comments and the article, since the article has been written I think Alpine Access has updated the way they run things. For example, the interview process now consists of going to their site, choosing a position you want to be interviewed for, you get to choose the day and time of the interview, you must get screen shots of your computer system, the Ping of speed, etc. and upload those atleast an hour before the interview, If you don’t then you will get denied access (I was denied the first time I set up an interview.)
There are 3 questions you must answer on a sheet of paper or something so it is ready. In the interview they go over the aspects of the job and there are multiple polls that everyone must answer. If you answer no to one of the polls because you are unable to do whatever it is, they will ask you to leave. At the end they give you 10 minutes to type in your answers to the 3 questions. The person then randomly calls on people to answer one of the questions. Once answered they will send you to one of two rooms, Acceptance or Denial. Once in acceptance you officially have the job and must complete the requirements for the job (Background check (Which is free), fingerprinting (Which is free), drug test (They pay for), computer system, headset, etc) Once those are done you must sign up for training. Training is paid. You receive I think it is 8.75 or so. (Once out of training you receive 9$ or minimum wage if it is higher.)
There are different positions to the company, the one I am hired with I work Monday through Friday. Before you even start your checklist of things that need to be done, you must choose a shift to work once training is completed. I believe she said the first 4 weeks after training will be PT then you will move to FT. So I got to choose my own hours and chose 11:30-3:30. Meanwhile training is going to be 11-7 (my time) Monday through Friday. You can NOT miss a day or take a day off 8-12 weeks post training as that time is the ‘On the job training’.
So far this is the only legitimate company to work for online I have found. Things I look for are;
1. Do they pay hourly? (I’m not big on the whole independent contractor)
2. Does it cost me anything and if there are costs do THEY pay for it? (In this case they paid for the drug test and I didn’t have to pay for the background check.
Every company will have cons, every company will have complaints.
Thanks for the update Anjulina.
I’m always preaching that every company has complaints or issues. It doesn’t mean they are a scam but its just good to be aware of the issues so you can decide if it’s right for you or not.
I have no doubts it is a legit company. Just be mindful just because a company charges a fee doesn’t make it a scam. Some companies you are joining are home business opportunities and nearly all businesses have some type of start up cost to get your business off the ground so that’s expected. Some companies specialize in training you to have skills that will help you make money with your own business or for a career. So there are a lot of times when paying a fee is reasonable. The blanket advice that anything that charges a fee is a scam is such nonsense. People just need to always do their research and never assume. Because there are some nasty scams that never charge a fee that can steal your identity or land you in jail. And if people blindly follow the advice that only scams charge fees then folks will probably fall for some of these other sneak scams.
In any case, thanks again for the feedback.
OMG! I am so happy to see that Alpine Access has come this far is still offering great employment opportunities and top notch service to companies. I am one of the original employees from the late 90s thru about 2004.
As a team leader under AmyLynn B, I worked with Cathy T and others, we became close office friends even thru the virtual office. I looked forward to our annual picnics and monthly meetings at head office. 1800Flowers, Discovery Channel amongst others were such joys work for. If I may brag, everyone wanted me on their project.
Well life happened and I had to move away. I could go on and on… Great company!!
It sounds like you had a great experience with this company. Thanks for sharing.
Hi I’ve been working for this company since 06/2014. It is a great company to work for. You don’t have to pay them anything. (at least I didn’t have to pay for drug screen/background check) I get guaranteed 40 hours a week and great overtime opportunities . The staff is great and are very understanding with work schedules after you’ve worked for the company for a few months. They offer a payroll card for pay every two weeks. Health insurance is offered as well. I really love the paid time off earnings.(to confirm: yes you can request PTO 2 weeks in advance) I’ve done it twice. I would definitely recommend this company to anyone who has outstanding customer service skills, quick to learn, can obtain a labtop or pc for (training and most positions supply you with a computer ) and a monitor is required, a wired home phone, high speed internet, usb headset and a headset with jack(pink/green plugs) . If you can get these items with no problem you should apply. If you don’t have a car or cant afford a babysitter. Feel free to apply, its no scam —
Thanks for sharing your insight. It’s definitely not a scam as we argued in the article above.
Hi no_newbie007,
Can you please tell me how many days was your training class, how many hours per day was the class, and is there flexibility with it?
Hello Eddie,
Your article was very helpful. I am still going through the interview process, as a matter of fact after waiting a 20 minutes for my interview, I refreshed my screen thinking that something must be wrong, only to find out that my request to enter has been denied. I have to say that I am not impressed by this company. The application process was EXTREMELY long. I have not tried any other work from home call center jobs but I will look into the ones you suggested to Stephanie. Thanks!
Glad it was useful Christina,
There are definitely a lot of other call center options so that should never be a problem to find. Thanks for chiming in.
Eddy with a Y. 😉
I have been working for Alpine for about two months now and I’m already up for promotion at the end of February. I do work for a program that does NOT have to work any weekend days, so both of those are myths. I didn’t have to take any tests at all. I applied and two days later I got a request to do an interview, which was through a chat room with other applicants, where the only thing they asked was if you were able to acquire the headset and computer requirements. If you could, you were then offered a job. I didn’t have to go through with a drug test but they did require a background check that i had to pay for but only after they offered me a job. I love it there…the pay does suck but I’ve worked in a brick and mortar call center and got paid less. I do also agree that they are very strict on metrics but like i said before mine have been fantastic and I am up for promotion only after my first 3 months because my experience level is that of their seasoned agents. I recommened Alpine to anyone that have the dedication of working from home!
Thanks for sharing your experience. It’s always great to hear when companies make improvements. So thanks for updating us. There is no doubt that Alpine Access is a legit company. It’s just not right for everyone and that can be said about any work at home company.
Thanks again!
I just got hired at this company and have already started training. I did not have to buy a thing besides a headset, they sent all the equipment that was needed (besides a monitor) I did not have to go through a credit check, but did go through a background check (which I didn’t have to pay for). You do in a sense get paid for vacation but it is on every check (just like alot of companies these days) The raises are not a big deal as you can apply for different positions, there is a loyality program and also bonuses in different ways (money, playstations etc…) so either some information is not correct or they have made the necessary changes to make the company better. 🙂
Jodie,
Thanks for sharing your recent experience with the company. A lot of things can change over time and it sounds like some of it has changed for the better.
I’d love to hear back from you in a few months when you’ve been there a while and the honeymoon period is over. Either way I appreciate you chiming in!
Jodie, I am confused at them sending you the equipment but in the requirements it clearly states you need to have a computer, etc..
I have to add my opinion to your article because I am very upset with what has happened to me. I was offered employment with alpine the end of October, my training was to begin dec 2nd. I was so excited, I had worked for a call center that had went out of business 6 months prior and as a single mother of 4 I needed this job. I promptly paid the $45 fee, passed my background check, was given a list of the things I would need. I was told my computer was not fast enough so I went and purchased a refurbished computer for the job. Making sure it met all of the requirements. Phone line was installed, paperwork all sent in, everything was good to go. I was given all my log in info and passwords and so on. One week before I was to start I receive an email informing me that my operating system (vista) was not compatible with the client I would be working for…. This was the first mention of me having to have windows 7, but ok, I’ve come this far, so I purchase windows 7. It’s thanksgiving Thursday, I am to begin work the following Monday, I’ve got my day care all arranged and my office set up ready to go… And then I receive an email stating that they have over anticipated their hiring needs and basically hired too many people so that I would not be able to attend training. I honestly sat down and cried.
Stephanie, I’m so sorry to hear all that you invested in time and energy only to be turned down. You have a right to feel upset but there are other companies out there like Alpine, such as Arise Virtual Solutions, WorkingSol and many more.
Check them out: https://www.workathomenoscams.com/2010/09/14/is-vipdesk-com-a-scam/
https://www.workathomenoscams.com/2010/08/03/is-arise-com-a-scam-%E2%80%A8/
When one door closes, it just means another one will open that will be better! So keep that in mind. This is just a temporary setback.
Keep your head up. Okay?
I am currently employed at alpine and agree w/ most that it has it ups and downs, as do most jobs. In regards to the credit check, bad credit wont necessarilly ban you from getting hired. If you have 3 defaults on your credit, that is what hurts you. Medical debt isnt counted against you either.
You also dont have to pay for ANYTHING until they gurantee employment.
Not sure where the info on raises and promotions is coming from, but you have to work on your hired program for 1 year before you can switch or get a raise. This is a big knock for the company w/ me. I had 10+ years of customer service, still started at $9 an hr, and cant get a raise for a year. It should be based on the individual, but unfortunatly it isn’t.
Also, if you’re hired, be ready, b/c they are sticklers on metrics. They arent afraid of letting someone go if their stats arent up to par. The good thing is, they do work w/ you and give you time to improve.
My only disagreement w/ the blog is you will not save money on food working from home, trust me on that! It does take a lot of self discipline to work from home. Its a common misconception that its easier to work from home, but you are pretty much locked down to your desk during the shift except for breaks, lunches, etc. Same work, just no commute. Hope this helps!
Just FYI, 0600-000MST is 0800-0200EST, not 2200. Eastbound increases the time, Westbound decreases the time.
I just visited the site to look into applying to do this kind of work. (A friend of mine worked for them and she said it was a good gig for her-single mom to toddler triplets) According to the website, they have incorporated a paid vacation option as a loyalty benefit. Every time you work 3000 hours, you receive a “tenured pay raise.” 335 hours in 12 weeks gets you either 2 1/2 paid days off or the equivalent in extra pay. Not sure if those days can be banked to make a week-long vacation, but that’s one question I’d ask if given the opportunity for an official interview. Sounds like they are morphing to accommodate at least some of the complaints you mentioned.
Thanks for the update.That’s a welcomed change that many will appreciate.
The Tech issues pay policy has been changed, it is now in favor of the employee if a reboot is needed and such…whoo hooo
Thanks for the update Kentucky Girl! Good to hear!
I currently work for Alpine Access and the paid time off is not what it is cracked up to be. Like most other companies you have to ask for it 2 weeks or more in advance. Here is the problem, they only release the schedules a week in advance so you will never get approved for the paid time off.
One other thing that people should know that are thinking about applying with them is, they are plagued with tech issues on the operating system that you have to work on and they will find any way at all to keep from paying for the time that you spend trying to fix the issues.
Thanks for sharing your experience.
I currently work for Alpine on the XBox program-it is a tough hiring process-however you are representing the top companies so they MUST be critical in the hiring process based on the client needs. The shifts are a little inconvienent-but you also have the option to give away and/or pickup shifts. The pay may not be top pay-but show up when scheduled, take the OT when offered and it is well worth the difference. No gas, car repairs, time in traffic, clothes to buy (heck-I work in pjs most every day). There is opportunity for advancement-just like every job you have to stand out, stepup, and do what you are being asked to do. Ive worked for Alpine for over a year-Bonus pay is avail just for working when you are scheduled-and you can get those days off you want/need-just have to ask 14 days in advance. Emergencies are handled on a case by case basis-just like any other “real job”-So if you can make the cut-it is a good job-
Thanks for sharing your experience. Sounds about right!
Honestly, I wouldn’t really know if they pocket this or not. Maybe someone who works with the company can speak to this.
I work for AA and you only have to pay the 45.00 if you are offered a position. So, 2% of aplicants are offered a position. Once you have accepted the offer you must pay the fee within 48 hours. This is not paid directly to AA but to the third party that cunducts the background and credit checks. From the first interview you are told about this fee and what you need to pass the checks.
Thanks for chiming in.
I have to comment on your comment:
“The last con I don’t think is often mentioned but I found interesting to me is that the percentage of people who actually get hired and work for the company compared to the number of applicants is about 2%. That’s some daunting numbers for would be employees. You really need to be a shinning star for this company to hire you.”
If only 2% get hired, then what about the other 98% who pays them $45.00 a pop for a so called
credit/criminal check? We don’t know that it actually costs that much or that they actually do the check. That’s $4410.00 in their pockets. Think about it. What do you think???
I was wondering when AA gives you options to choose your work hours, the hours they show you (8am to 5pm or 2 to 10pm for example), are they asking for mst or est?
From researching their web site just now, it appears one can earn either extra money or paid time off if one works a full 40 hours for all 12 weeks in a “measurement period” – guess that qualifies as vacation time earned. They also offer tenured pay raises and performance bonuses, though they don’t disclose the details until one is hired!
Thanks for sharing this additional information. That’s good to know!
Alpine Access offers incremental raises in hourly rate based upon the number of hours worked.
Thank you for the thorough review. I am glad that I read your blog posting and the comments before I bothered applying. I know my credit rating is on the lower end of the spectrum! So it was fantastic to know ahead of time based on the blog and comments that it was not a good fit for me. That said, I am currently working at home as a customer service call center agent with another company, it has its perks and its disadvantages that is for sure, but always looking at what else is out there! Thanks again for the information.
You’re welcome. Glad it helped. There are lot of customer service related opportunities. We list new ones daily at our jobs page: http://www.workathomenoscams.com/jobs so you do have additional options. Thanks for chiming in.
Just an FYI, but they don’t hire in WV. This seems odd to me if they are hire work at home employees.
Might have to do with some of the local laws that they may not find business friendly. It’s not that unusual. There are other companies that won’t operate in certain states.
That is true! I almost got hired for Asurion to work at home (you know the cell phone insurance company that AT&T and others use) but when they found out I live in Illinois they told me they can not go any further with the interview process which sucks because it was a real work at home job.
You’re welcome.
Read the following article about the highest paying work at home job: https://www.workathomenoscams.com/2010/11/02/what-work-from-home-job-pays-the-most/
It should shed some light on the topic.
Thanks for your candidness..This is my first time on your blog,but i am impressed. What is your highest recommended Work at home job? I have a full time job. I just want a second income stream where i am guaranteed to get paid at the highest possible rate.
English is still a requirement and will always be. But you have to keep in mind that some jobs will always require more than the basics. If you want to stay competitive you have to learn to adapt. There was a time you didn’t need to know how to use the computer but now it’s a requirement and computers are a whole different language to a lot of people. So you either adapt and gain the skills that are in demand or don’t and miss out on opportunities. That’s life and will always be that way. With that said, there are enough legitimate companies online that if you don’t fit one, just move on to the next one. Alpine Access isn’t the only fish in the sea. We’ve covered more like it: http://www.workathomenoscams.com/recommendations
Complaining and being disenchanted won’t help you get a job. Adapting and changing your attitude will. I know you can experience the success you deserve if you do!
My major, major issue with the application process is as follows: I got to the “Review Jobs” part of the application and once I picked what I wanted there were two questions, one being “Can you verify that you can fluently speak english and spanish. HELLO, this an english speaking country and Im getting tired of not being hired by a company in an ENGLISH speaking country because I dont speak SPANISH in an ENGLISH based country. WTF? WTH ever happened to being able to speak ENGLISH in AMERICA?
You’re welcome Ana! I’ve never applied for this job so I don’t really have much to give you in the way of tips. But maybe someone else can chime in.
I do NOT recommend working for these guys. They have the most unethical business practices. I worked for them 8 months and I am seriously considering sueing them. They lie and manipulate their employees and customers. They cost me a fortune as THEIR equipment was faulty and I had to buy a new computer, get a new modem, new phone line and ended up getting 5 new routers, and the ISP was down serveral times and it was proven it was on their end and not mine. but they did not reimburse me one cent. They will not assist their employees unless that employee can get crazy sales. They do not care about the customer. We actually had a 3 hour training session on how to manipulate the customer into signing a new contract! They lie about tests, about schedules, about benefits, about your stats, etc. I could go on forever. I voiced a concern and I received an email saying I voluntarily resigned? WTF? If you want to fire me go ahead, but don’t say I quit when I did not! WORSE COMPANY EVER!!
Here’s the thing this is more of a business opportunity than a job. We list jobs here:
http://www.workathomenoscams.com/jobs
So your mindset has to be different. With a business there is an inherit risk of failure. You may invest money and time and not make a dime. That’s part of business and why everyone isn’t a business owner.
So if the risk of losing your investment scares you then you’re absolutely right not to give this or any business a shot. You should definitely focus on a job.
So I just wanted to educate you on the differences between the two and the approaches that have to be taken. I hope it helps. Thanks for chiming in. I’m glad you can appreciate our information and will be back for more. To that end be sure you become a subscriber so you don’t miss out:
http://www.workathomenoscams.com/subscribe
I was thinking about giving this a shot, but the comments that Wes made have changed my mind. I would have no problem buying a desk, desk chair, headsets etc. if I knew I had the job. Why would I fork out the money for all of this if there is such a small chance of getting the job? The whole point of trying to get the job is the fact that I need money. Thank you for the website. I will be referring to it in the future to check out other job info.
Alpine Access may be a good company, but if you’ve got credit problems, save the time and effort. I wrote to Eddie Salomon and mentioned this problem. He told me to put my comments up here, so I will. They won’t hire you with credit problems, which SHOULD be illegal, but it’s not. 9/10’s of the country has credit problems, so to me, it’s ridiculous a company should disqualify otherwise good people over this. I did comment on this in Alpine’s Facebook site. Needless to say, I got no answer, and it was removed later on. Seems they want to hide that fact. Scam or not, if you’ve got credit problems, check out a company’s hiring polices BEFORE going through their rigamarole of getting hired on, only to find you’ve wasted your time.
Thanks for chiming in and sharing your experience. I appreciate it.
I currently am an employess with AA. I love working with them. I have worked on several programs with them in my time with them. It is pretty cut and dry as you said. It has it’s pro’s and con’s as with any job but to me a single parent with children the pro’s outway the con’s. It is pretty much like any job you had at a normal job you just get to roll out of bed brush teeth get coffee and go to work. It just takes a responsible person because even though you are at home you are still expected to follow your schedule.
Alpine Access prefers you don’t work for another work at home company. But if you decide to do so, just never mention it to them. we had many people who had 2 work at home jobs with our competition.
Worked for AlpineAccess for 8.5 years, on my last project(the trraining was horrible and we were thrust into cross training while just on the new project for less than a month,doing a job that 2 people would do for the price of 1 person), I went to my mgr( 2nd mgr since other moved up and new mgr wasn’t on the ball at all) and said I felt as if I was failing at my job due to poor training on the cross training and lack of backup help when I went to the coaches. I asked to be put on the wait list for other training, this mgr went and just applied for me to be let go altogether. So now Alpine Access says I am inelgible for rehire…and it’s been almost 3 years now! ANyhow, I am now with Teletech and much happier with them than I ever was with AA.
Thanks for sharing your experience. Like any company it’s not always going to be a right fit for everyone. Your situation definitely didn’t seem like one where you were put in the best place to succeed. I’ve heard complaints about managers before with this company. But I guess that can also be argued about a lot of companies. lol
Don’t worry fortunately with this industry there are many other fish in the sea. If you like Alpine Access you might want to consider the following as well:
https://www.workathomenoscams.com/2010/09/14/is-vipdesk-com-a-scam/
https://www.workathomenoscams.com/2010/08/03/is-arise-com-a-scam-%E2%80%A8/
https://www.workathomenoscams.com/2007/10/29/live-ops-liveopscom-a-real-work-at-home-company/
https://www.workathomenoscams.com/2011/06/14/is-working-solutions-a-scam/
And if you want to stay abreast of new articles we may write or jobs be sure to become a subscriber so you don’t miss a thing:
http://www.workathomenoscams.com/subscribe
Good luck.
I called Alpine Access many months ago, and then a few months ago. They don’t hire in CA either, something to do with CA labor laws. So, I’m out, but will check back periodically as everything else sounded interesting.
This had to be one of the easiest jobs I ever applied for lol I filled out the resume short and sweet, not even giving contact info for previous employers then they called me immediately because of my background I guess.
All I did was take 15 mins to write out a cover letter and short resume in HTML on their application site and I had a call within 8 hours about seeing what I was all about and my knowledge with Xbox and gaming services etc. I am about to have my phone interview now which is said to last an hour but honestly I dont know where these people are saying it was the most tedious application process. This really seems wayyyy to easy.
Apparently it must vary with certain people. Good luck my friend. Keep us posted on what happens next!
Thank you Eddy for this awesome blog. You helped me make my decision to apply for Alpine Access and I just had to share my experience with you. Somebody posted that this company had already “put him through the ringer”. That’s an understatement! The application process was tedious and almost overwhelming. It took me a couple of days to complete it. (BTW, they stopped the “skills exam” that simulated calls as of 9/1/11.) After all of that, the interview was over the phone and it lasted an hour. They would’ve ended it and disqualified me instantly if there was any kind of background noise. It really was a lot of hard work that they put you through for just minimum wage. Because that’s all they’ll pay you during on the job training.
After you’re done training then you finally get $9.00/hr. Depending on your work assignment and with which branch you are hired for, you may or may not make a little more than that. Plus commission. Anyway, I had to pay the $45 flat fee for the background check, drug test, fingerprinting and credit check.
Then I had to print out tons of paperwork (you have to have a good printer/scanner). You have to read everything, sign it and go get it notarized (a necessary PIA). My family saw what this company puts people through first hand and they all agreed, most people would not have lasted through the application process alone. Most would’ve quit. Also, I can’t remember if you covered this or not, but the #1 thing they look for and is 100% compliant is the “zero noise tolerance” policy they have. That is grounds for termination if you have ANY background noise what so ever. No dogs barking, no people talking, no children crying, no radios, no TV’s, no open windows, no lawn mowers, etc. Plus they lock you into a set shift, non-negotiable, for 12 months. I was told I’d have to work Christmas Eve, New Years Eve and NY day too. My shift hours are ridiculous. From noon to 9 pm, 3 days a wk, off for one day, on again for 2, then off one.
Other things to consider is the technical side of it. Your phone that is required to work from home can not be wireless. And unless you have a separate phone line just for this use, you won’t have any incoming calls during your 8 hour shift. And your call waiting is shut off too. Plus they take over control of your home computer and disable a lot of the functions like cutting, copying and pasting. You can’t have a wireless connection at all for security reasons. Which means I had to run Ethernet cable all through my house to connect all of my stuff ($22.00 extra). And because of the no noise tolerance policy, you have to have a private home office with a locking door. For me that meant a lot of moving things around and buying a whole new work station. I already have two new computers (you only need 1) and the required high speed internet. But I had to buy a new desk, new chair, a chair mat and the required Plantronics phone with two headsets. One for training with a USB connection and the other for when you start working. One of the things that is required and in the fine print is that you have to send them a minimum of 3 digital pictures of your workspace before you start working. They need to make sure it is ergonomically correct for long periods of sitting, typing and phone work.
So I took all of that into consideration because I wanted to make a good impression. Shop around for all that stuff if you need it. I spent around $300.00 for all of the equipment to make my office efficient and functional. Assuming you already have a nice working home office, the minimum requirements should run you about $100.00. My corded, Plantronics phone was $68.00 and the extra USB headset was $30.00. That does not include the over night delivery charge for the phone. I couldn’t find one store in this city that carried it in stock, so I had to order it on-line. Free shipping would not have guaranteed its arrival before I needed it, so that was an extra $15.00. The good news is, all of this work related stuff is a tax write off. I sure hope the perks of working from home out weigh all of these cons that I went through. I’m sure I’ll be really happy about doing this when/if Denver gets it’s first big snow storm of the year.
And lastly, I hope this isn’t true, but I heard that you may have to ask permission to use the restroom if you can’t wait until your two 10 min breaks or your unpaid 30 min lunch break. I might have an issue with that because half of the reason why you choose to work from home is so that you can be comfortable when you work. Having to ask permission for that is not comfortable to me. I hope this is helpful to anyone thinking about applying for Alpine Access “work at home”. They are a legit company, even if you have to jump through hoops of fire and bring peace to the middle East just to work for them. The pay is bad, the hours are not normal, you have to work holidays and no paid vacation. But just the fact that you don’t have to drive at all or get dressed up is worth it to me. Those are some big pro’s in my book.
Damn, that was a thorough! I’ve never really had any more be so detail about the process and some of the hoops you have to jump through. Honestly if someone can survive all that stuff they should make way more than they’re paying or one should just consider going into a home based business because the effort needed to succeed is very similar. lol
At the end the of day I’m glad you understand that the benefit of working at home far out weighs many of the hoops you’re jumping through. The ability to make money while in your PJs or in your bed can’t be beat. It’s something one has to experience first hand to truly appreciate it’s beauty and why it’s worth some of the headaches we may go through to achieve it.
I appreciate you sharing this experience with us. It may scare some folks away but so does hard work. Thanks again!
Got hired and set for training. Then got a last minute notice that training class was canceled. They set us up with another account and training was delayed a week. It seems like a legit place but they have put me through the ringer to get hired. Drove more than an hour to the drug test site. Other issues too. Hopefully it will all be worth it.
Keep us posted.
Thanks for the info. Very useful and well written. I’m going to try them out.
You’re welcome.
You’re welcome!
Thank you. This was helpful.
Hi there,
I work for Alpine Access and they’re a great company. I noticed you wrote that you must pay $45.00 for the criminal record check. I just wanted to let you know they paid for mine, as I’m sure they paid for the other people training in my class as well. It’s legit, and an excellent company working to reduce our carbon footprint (where no many business’s are including gov’t). They have been around since the early 90’s.
Maybe that policy has changed recently. But it’s good to hear you’ve confirmed my assertion that it is legitimate. It’s not perfect but for the most part it’s legit.
Nope. No policy change. I applied just this week:
“You will be required to pay a $45 fee for the combined background/credit test within 24 hours of being offered a position.”
Thanks for the update “Guest”.
If you apply from Canada, you do not pay the fee. Probably still in the States, but not here… Just got hired and will begin training by the end of the month. Love your page by the way Eddy. 😉
I work for Alpine Access. I have been working for them since March of this year. Your article is pretty much what can be expected. I paid for the 45 dollar fee and worried for the first 2 weeks if I was going to get a check. I did no issues and have been ever since. You have the same issues with this job as you would with any other. I have worked on different programs with them over my time and have noticed that each program has a pay performance bonus either each check or every so many weeks. I love the job!!
I just started working at a call center and the training I went through is exactly as described here for Alpine. It would be much nicer to do at home. Right now we are doing tech support for a DSL company I won’t name here. Trainers were more interested in us sounding like we knew what we were doing than actually knowing anything. Customers get terrible service. I would much rather be doing reservations or something of that nature. Unfortunately I can’t take a month off for the training, even if it pays minimum wage. I’m keeping it in mind though. Maybe after I have more experience at the current job I’ll be a shoe in for this.
That would explain some of my poor customer service experiences dealing with certain companies. lol Thanks for sharing your thoughts.
That was never a question and what we concluded in this article. But it’s good to hear another re-affirmation of this. Keep us posted. By the way, please don’t apply to this job with your current email. It’s amusing to me but not necessarily to a prospective employer:
https://www.workathomenoscams.com/2008/02/25/your-email-address-and-working-at-home/
FYI – this is a real job. Just got back from an interview at their Corporate office downtown Denver.
I’ve been working for Alpine Access for 6 months now. It”s a real job. You get paid per hour and full time you get 30 minute unpaid lunch and 2 10 minute breaks. There’s always opportunities for overtime. You are not an independent contractor. You are employed by Alpine Access.You do have to pay $45 for the background check but i didn’t mind that
at all because you make that fee back on your first day of training. I
passed the credit check and my credit is awful. They focus more on your
background than anything. If you’ve been arrested before then forget
about applying. I work on the gaming program. It’s an OK job. The 1st thing i want to get out of the way is that at some point you will suffer a tech issue. Whether it’s your pc or the software provided by Alpine Access it’s almost unavoidable. If it makes you feel better most of the time Alpine’s software is to blame. When it works its fine but when it’s not working it’s a pain. Ok so the actual training itself is average at best so be prepared to learn on your own as you go. My training coach was a cool guy so I felt lucky. Training pay is your state’s minimum wage and it’s 40 hours a week for about a month or so depending on which program you’ve signed up for. They do direct deposit to your bank or assign you a debit card that they load every 2 weeks with your pay. Once you’re done with training the nesting begins. This is when your pay is bumped up to what their pay rate is for the program you’re on. I was getting 9.50 p/h but they recently increased it to $11 which is not bad at all in this economy for a work at home job. The trade off is that there’s now more responsibilities with the position. When nesting starts you’re assigned a “team leader”. Nesting is basically starting the job at hand but they make it seem like it’s the actual job with alot of support from your team, team leader and other leaders as well who pop into your team chat room. You do that for a week and then you’re officially working your position with that same support so I don’t even know why they call it nesting lol. I was like a deer in headlights for a bit after training was done because on my first day of nesting I was clueless as to what chat room i was supposed to go to and how to communicate with my team lead. Logging into the system also took a few tries. They sort of throw you to the wolves on your first day of nesting. The final day of training explains very little about the “first day of nesting” process so you may feel lost on that first day. As far as the team leaders go, some are nice but you can tell that most just care about what THEY have to do to get ahead instead of helping you out. They also seem to switch your team leaders every few weeks so there’s no point in trying to form a bond with any of them. My team actually went without a leader for 2 weeks lol. It’s a weird thing socially because there’s no face to face communication and again, unlike a physical job there’s no befriending going on. Everyone seems out for themselves. It’s something that alot of people may have a hard time adjusting to. I definitely feel like a number but that’s fine with me. Once a week you’ll dial out(you dial in to start your shift) and have a phone meeting with your whole team and team leader while also in your team chat room. This actually is beneficial to your job. Like I said it’s not a requirement to form any type of bond with your team or team leader although they try to encourage it. As long as you do what you’re supposed to do and communicate with your leader once in a while none of that stuff Alpine tries to throw on you (“you’re part of a TEAM!!!”) really matters. The benefits they offer are a joke so don’t sign up for the package. You’re better off paying for your own insurance. The pay is average at best with little room for advancement. You do get paid time off after working a ton of hours. One of the few things Alpine does really well is give you access to all your information. I’m talking about how many hours you’ve worked, you’re projected pay, how much unpaid time accumulated during your shift, how much paid time off you’ve built up and how many hours you have to go before you can use it, your schedule for the week, shifts available that you can take over, copies of your paystub, etc. All of this is updated in real time every 20 minutes. It’s reassuring to take calls and then go check to see how much you’ve made so far for the day and how much your check is going to be at the SAME TIME. This is a LEGIT employer. They outsource for alot of major companies. Don’t believe the dream job hype just because you’re working from home. After a few weeks you’ll realize it’s just like going to work. Yes you save on gas and all that but the stress is the same if not worse because Alpine’s communication amongst the different departments are awful. I’m not bashing Alpine, in fact I like the job but again, it’s a JOB. As far as the quality of the work goes, if you’ve done customer service in the past than you already know the ups and downs that come with it. If you’re unemployed right now and have a decent pc, high speed broadband access, and a landline(which you can get with any isp plan for cheap) i’d say go for it. That’s what I did and I hope this helps.
can we decide the time for our breaks? or they just fix it??
Not really sure, just visit their website and email them.
No, it’s already put in.
No, it’s already put in.
No, even though they say its great for stay at home moms or disabled workers, they choose the shift and times you work, but if there is an option during your interview they will ask you what shift you prefer. Ive been working with them for 1 year and 5 months. I work for the Xbox program which is great but the policies can become overwhelming since they change them every week, its not Alpine’s fault, but still an annoyance. After you get your job and into production, no longer in training, nesting, or in ABAY, you can request what shift times and days you want in the employee time center, if it doesnt get approved the first time, keep trying, I changed my shift more than 3 times over the past year to suit my needs.
“If you’ve been arrested before then forget
about applying.”
Seriously? I just had a interview today, and a offer (just had to get DSL started) for the background/credit. Yea, I know I have to pay it. They already had a part in the application where you give them your background/criminal stuff. I haven’t had any issues.
Then again, maybe I’ll find out here.
I just started at Alpine this week! they are hiring a lot right now. I like it so far….well I LOVE it so far! everyone seems nice and everything. My trainer as given us her email, yahoo instant messenger, and her cell phone number everytime i needed to contact her she responded right away. They do the credit check to avoid fraud, a lot of ppl now days are taking credit card numbers and what not. You just cant have 4 outstanding acounts within the last 4 years and all medical bills count as 1 my credit score is like 520 and i still got in.
Thanks for sharing your experience.
AA, is definitely a good company if you can get in. I have been here now going on 10 months and I have made $20,000.00 +/-. With this company, its no different from any other although your at home. There are plenty of benefits associated with working for AA, and a few negatives. If you get in here is some advice. Learn your tools try to be the best and the rest will be fairly easy. The program im on out of 1200 agents im currently ranked 17th! And I did not know a thing about the program until I was trained! They (AA) will work with you if you desire to move up the chain. I have been offered several other promotions but turned them down (dnt need any extra headaches) nonetheless the oppourtunity is there.
how in the world did you make $2000 a month if they only pay minimum wage?? That doesn’t sound right to me. I always wonder about some of these comments, if they are actually marketing people in the company trying to make it sound better than it is…
First off, $20,000/yr is not $2,000/month. 😉 Secondly, most programs have extra shifts and OT available. I don’t know about AAA, but the program they hired me for pays $11.30/hr. and 1.5 times for OT hours so that would be circa $17/hour for OT hours for me.
I just tried to complete the application process and it informed me that Alpine Access does NOT hire in Ohio at this time. 🙁 super sad face!
No biggie. They’re not the only virtual call center out there:
https://www.workathomenoscams.com/2010/09/14/is-vipdesk-com-a-scam/
https://www.workathomenoscams.com/2010/08/03/is-arise-com-a-scam-%E2%80%A8/
https://www.workathomenoscams.com/jobs/display_job/37499/Customer_Service_Representative.html?searchId=1293578216&page=1
When it comes to legitimate work at home opportunities there are plenty of fish in the sea.
So don’t ever fret. Just move on to the next one. Hope this helps.
Not really sure. You might want to contact them directly about it. They may not want you working with other competing virtual call centers but they can’t expect that you wouldn’t find other work at home options.
Can you work for another at-home company while also working at Alpine?
Michael, you’re welcome. I’m not sure, you would have to contact them directly about that.
The company is a scam in my opinion. I recently worked for them. They promise that if their programs don’t work then they will pay you for “Tec Pay” but they NEVER do! They still owe me 1,000’s of dollars and I will never see it. I tried, I contacted all departments but in the end, they really screwed me over. I’m not working for them now because they fired me for no reason, didnt pay me for any tec pay, forced me to upgraded my phone service & dls to over $60 a month *which now i have a 2 yr contract i cant get out of* & they told me to buy a 2nd work phone because I was a trainer for them. So I’m stuck in two 2 year contracts where i’m wasting tons of money all because of this company. Its a scam. DONT DO IT
Thanks for sharing your experience. I can totally understand why you may feel that way based on your experience. But the fact of the matter is your experience isn’t the norm. However it doesn’t take away from it.
I have worked for Alpine Access for more than 4 years. Your information is pretty comprehensive and correct Eddy. The pay is not the greatest, but not bad considering all the expenses you don’t have by working outside the home. Shame on them for not giving the raises though.
Benefits used to be a great deal better than they are now and there was PTO. This has sadly changed along with the economy. There’s a poor excuse for a limited insurance plan available at your own cost, and no paid time off whatsoever. However there is a bonus plan now where you can earn some extra $$$ by adhering to your schedule. If you are a full time employee you can earn up to $210.00 extra per quarter by working the majority of your scheduled hours. This replaced the 8 paid days off per year we formerly had. I personally preferred the paid time off, but not all agents feel that way. And the reason for the change is basically the problems with schedule adherence. Some folks think working from home means you can just casually take time off whenever you don’t feel like clocking in. It’s a real job, with real people depending on you to commit to your fixed shifts. Although of course they realize ‘life happens’ and you can still earn the maximum bonus even if you were out 2 days with the flu or had to take an afternoon off to take a child to the dentist.
The program I work on starts at $9.00 per hour but I am able to earn another $1.00 per hour by meeting performance metrics. There are some programs that offer sales opportunities as well and pay commissions in addition to hourly wages.You are indeed paid for technical issues unless they originate on your end. If you have problems with your hardware or your ISP the time you miss is not paid by the company, nor should it be, IMO.
You certainly don’t have to have brand new equipment. But it does need to perform well and meet the requirements. If it doesn’t, you’ll have issues with the security and software systems that will frustrate you and cause you to miss time and money.
There are opportunities for advancement, some as you described that seem to be more headache than it’s worth for the difference in pay. Sometimes it’s a necessary step on the ladder though, to bigger and better things. If you are Colorado based there are corporate opportunities as well. I really believe this job can be exactly what you make of it. If you just want a 25 hour a week job to augment the family income or retirement or disability benefits it’s great. If your goal is a career with advancement opportunities and salary increases that is there too if you work for it.
The team leads, coaches, and other support team members I have worked with have mostly been great. As in any field or job some you will appreciate more than others. Working at home doesn’t change that reality.
It’s not easy to get a job with this company, sometimes people wait many months for a job offer. But I’ve never known of anyone being terminated for no reason. The few that claimed that… well… some people will always make those type claims because it’s easier than taking responsibility for your own actions.
Good luck to those of you seeking at home employment! It’s great for me, I really love it. But it’s truly not for everyone. There are many companies out there that hire at home workers, I don’t know what it’s like to work for the others, but Alpine Access does treat you right. If you deliver what you promise, so will Alpine.
Thanks for sharing your insight and experience. I really appreciate it. I don’t necessarily agree that folks who have been terminated were at fault. I’ve heard this happen in many other companies as well. So it’s not something unique to Alpine Access. I think what happens in a lot of cases is that people don’t realize if they’ve violated some rule. In which case it would be nice if a company warns people that they have or before terminating them detailing why. But a lot of times this doesn’t happen. So folks are left to think they were unjustly let go for no reason. So there is definitely two sides to situations like that.
That being said, I don’t think it’s a huge problem for Alpine Access and something that is occurring in great frequency. Either way I agree that the company is definitely worth a shot for the right people.
Hi Eddy, thank you for all the info you have given here. I just applied this morning and waiting for interview. This is all very new to me. I’m doing alot of reading today. I had one interview set up 2 months ago and while trying to connect for the interview somehow we got disconnected and there went my interview. I was a nervous wreck and very upset for blowing the interview. To this day, I don’t know what went wrong. Any pointers you can give me to get ready for it. Recruiting for this job will end 3/9 and training will start 3/12 Monday. Any advise or info is greatly appreciated. Thanks
with an attitude like that, it sounds like you should have been fired. perhaps you were a little upset when you wrote this.
Just an FYI – You have the timezones messed up. Mountain is GMT-6 and Eastern is GMT-4 (in DST that is, which we are), which means the times you have are a bit off.
You got it half right: “Alpine Access official hours of operation are 6am-midnight (Mountain Time) which for you time zone challenged folks means 8am””10pm Eastern.”
Yes 6+2=8, so 8am, but midnight +2 10pm, it’s actually 2am…
So the hours for Eastern are 8am-2am, and the hours for Pacific are 5am-11pm.
Just thought I’d help you there 🙂 Timezones can be a real pain, but when you work across multiple zones, like I do, you get used to it.
I agree the credit check is bogus, as it should be IMO, especially in this economy, but like you said, the worker pool is so large right now, pretty much anything goes…
Keep up the good work!
-Michael
Thanks Michael. Numbers were never my thing. Lol
In any event you’re absolutely right that because there is a larger available work pool it does seem like anything goes with these companies. I guess it could be worst. But I still think it’s an unnecessary requirement for certain type of jobs.
I’ve worked for this company before in the past.Eddy you are right on with everything that you said.I would rank them as being ok to work for.My team leader was wonderful but the hours (4pm-midnight) wasn’t fun. It is possible to get promoted but most of those promotions are only work an extra .25/hr and to be quite honest it isn’t worth the pain.So it is a legit company.If you don’t mind late hours and handling an extremely high call volume this would be the company for you.I noticed that they frequently hire for the Sprint program.They pay on time and occasionally offer overtime.The only knock on them that I have is that you could be there for years and won’t get a raise.There are performance metrics to reach but no extra compensation.
Thanks for sharing your experience with this company. You definitely confirmed some of our findings.
I have also worked for this company and enjoyed it. However, I would now like to find a company that I can work for doing data entry and/or word processing. If anyone knows of a company like Alpine Access that would be great!
Thank you!
Thanks for this detailed review! I had bookmarked this site a while back, and had considered applying once I purchase my new computer, probably in the next four to six months.
Credit checks are pretty standard for most jobs now, either telecommuting or in the office. It is difficult though; sometimes it’s not a matter of people making mistakes with their credit. In this economy, foreclosures and bankruptcies are happening to people who would have never even considered it a possibility. I always wonder if someone needed to file a bankruptcy due to unemployment, would that be a catch-22 to prevent them from getting another job?
Anyway I appreciate this review, and once I upgrade am looking forward checking over the site in more detail. I actually did do at-home customer service for many years at another company, and definitely find the perks outweigh any drawbacks. As long as you can keep a professional cool, and let any nasty callers roll off your skin, I think it’s a fantastic opportunity for someone who wants to work at home.
You’re welcome Memphis.
I agree with you regarding the circumstances that can cause someone’s credit to go south. This is exactly why I don’t think it should be a factor in hiring someone. Let’s say your job is to flip burgers, what difference does it make if you have a low credit score. If you can still hook up my whopper, I’m a happy customer.
I think credit checks should be based on the function of the job. At the end of the day that’s their policy and anyone interested in the company will have to deal with it for better or worst.
Thanks for chiming in.
Eddy:
You GAVE the $64 dollar ANSWER!!! “BEING AN INDEPENDENT CONTRACTOR” As an Independent Contractor…ONE essentially by applying “bids” on the job. YOU perform the duties as agreed. YOU ARE NOT AN EMPLOYEE…that is why they require you to file a 1099 at the end of the tax year.
Independent Contractors RARELY IF EVER get “perks” such as paid time off…raises…benefits, etc.
People MUST know this and NOT expect that it is anything remote as a “job”. Like you Eddy…YOU must either commit to “work” because YOU are the income generator…by your success…YOU have proven that to “be your own boss means…they ain’t no body to answer for but you. Anyone knowing this and entering into such a “contract” knows what it takes to be an “Independent Contractor”. Should you do less…then the contract is broken…and they are perfectly free to release you and find someone else. Yes they train you…because they have their “own” way of doing things, however lacking the “contractor” thinks…
When I was accepted…they even footed the cost of the drug screening…Not cheap…because it is done at a lab. They pay for the test and the results report. Right there they have shown their commitment. Now multiply that by the numbers of those that don’t pass or just don’t follow through.
When it all boils down to it…whether a “job” or “independent contractor”? It’s like Jesus said when He was questioned about the so called “fairness” of such…Matthew 20:1-16
(1) For the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is an householder, which went out early in the morning to hire labourers into his vineyard.
(2) And when he had agreed with the labourers for a penny a day, he sent them into his vineyard.
(3) And he went out about the third hour, and saw others standing idle in the marketplace,
(4) And said unto them; Go ye also into the vineyard, and whatsoever is right I will give you. And they went their way.
(5) Again he went out about the sixth and ninth hour, and did likewise.
(6) And about the eleventh hour he went out, and found others standing idle, and saith unto them, Why stand ye here all the day idle?
(7) They say unto him, Because no man hath hired us. He saith unto them, Go ye also into the vineyard; and whatsoever is right, that shall ye receive.
(8) So when even was come, the lord of the vineyard saith unto his steward, Call the labourers, and give them their hire, beginning from the last unto the first.
(9) And when they came that were hired about the eleventh hour, they received every man a penny.
(10) But when the first came, they supposed that they should have received more; and they likewise received every man a penny.
(11) And when they had received it, they murmured against the goodman of the house,
(12) Saying, These last have wrought but one hour, and thou hast made them equal unto us, which have borne the burden and heat of the day.
(13) But he answered one of them, and said, Friend, I do thee no wrong: didst not thou agree with me for a penny?
This economy? Sure there will be those that take advantage. But I believe…there are FAR MORE upright companies, businesses, employers out there than not.
Agreed!!!
Great job! Thanks for covering this for us, Eddy!
I don’t have a problem with them requiring background checks and credit checks, as you pointed out the reps may be handling personal and sensitive information. And to this end, it is something that is done industry wide. I have been kind of looking at this company but have not taken any action, not really sure if I want to commit or not. I do have a mac not a pc and not sure my environment is quiet enough so that no background noise will be heard over the recorded line (which is the kiss of death). But then again, when your not committed you come up with excuses, when your committed you say “I’m going to do it!” and you come up with solutions… As far as paying for the background checks, I don’t have a problem with that either, I’m wondering if they have a much higher turn over than in a brick’n’morter call center, due to the folks at home not having a quiet environment and other reasons as well. If so then they may have to charge for the background checks if it would be counter intuitive to business needs for them not to do so…I went to their site and didn’t see anything about PTO (paid time off) which is almost always part of a CSR’s benefit package. Customer service work can be a TOUGH gig and in order to maintain life balance companies offer loads of PTO, and trust me, you do need it. When I worked in a call center for a fortune 500 company I was given five weeks of PTO in my first year (it started accumulating from the date of hire). Eddy, your article has prompted me to send an email to Alpine and ask them if PTO was part of their benefit package. I will let everyone know what they say. Hopefully, someone who has worked or is working for them can help us out and provide an answer. ~ thanks agian Eddy for giving your usual best! You inspire me and I do appreciate it, and you!
God bless
Teena,
You’re welcome. Glad you found this useful. By the way I have no problems with the background checks, I just don’t feel the potential workers should have to pay for it. But I’m sure there is a reason the company has passed the buck to the worker.
Credit checks, I still feel is a bit suspect because I don’t think it really factors into your capability to do the work at hand. So that’s my two cents.
Thanks again for sharing. I really appreciate it!
Great job! Thanks for covering this for us, Eddy!
I don’t have a problem with them requiring background checks and credit checks, as you pointed out the reps may be handling personal and sensitive information. And to this end, it is something that is done industry wide. I have been kind of looking at this company but have not taken any action, not really sure if I want to commit or not. I do have a mac not a pc and not sure my environment is quiet enough so that no background noise will be heard over the recorded line (which is the kiss of death). But then again, when your not committed you come up with excuses, when your committed you say “I’m going to do it!” and you come up with solutions… As far as paying for the background checks, I don’t have a problem with that either, I’m wondering if they have a much higher turn over than in a brick’n’morter call center, due to the folks at home not having a quiet environment and other reasons as well. If so then they may have to charge for the background checks if it would be counter intuitive to business needs for them not to do so…I went to their site and didn’t see anything about PTO (paid time off) which is almost always part of a CSR’s benefit package. Customer service work can be a TOUGH gig and in order to maintain life balance companies offer loads of PTO, and trust me, you do need it. When I worked in a call center for a fortune 500 company I was given five weeks of PTO in my first year (it started accumulating from the date of hire). Eddy, your article has prompted me to send an email to Alpine and ask them if PTO was part of their benefit package. I will let everyone know what they say. Hopefully, someone who has worked or is working for them can help us out and provide an answer. ~ thanks agian Eddy for giving your usual best! You inspire me and I do appreciate it, and you!
God bless
Hi Eddy! In my research for my blog I have applied and interviewed for little part time jobs that would be a good fit for a retired person. I also applied for some part time on line work. What seems to be standard, across the board these days is a ridiculously thorough back ground, credit and drug checks and tests. I don’t care if you’re just going to count tooth picks, they want your signature on several release of information forms. Even your drivers license number, and driving record is necessary. It doesn’t matter that you don’t own a car and will be riding your horse to work. They want to know if you’ve had anything worse than a parking violation ticket. These companies have a team of attorneys waiting in the wings that want all this documentation in the event the company is brought to court. “See your honor? We’ve done everything in our power to make sure we can never be sued!”
Have a great day!
Amen Cathy. lol
But you’ve hit it one the head.
Great article! It hits the nail on the head with this company. I worked for them and I truly enjoyed my experience during my tenure there. The Team Leaders that I had were in fact awesome and they training was great!
Thanks for the positive feedback and sharing your experience with the company.
Thanks for the positive feedback and sharing your experience with the company.
Eddie,
The only problem with Alpine Access, (and which prevented me from completing the application process), is that you MUST have a brand new computer with the latest features as far as processor speed and RAM capabilities. If you have a 3-4 year old computer, (as I currently do) forget it! You can’t even take the application test. Otherwise, yes I agree with you. They’re a legit company!
Jeff
Hey Jeff, I don’t believe it has to be a new computer. It’s more about your computer having all the up to snuff capabilities which is more about the specs you picked for your computer. I wonder if they provide a way to test your computer to determine where you stand?
Either way, thanks for chiming in.
By the way it’s Eddy not Eddie. 😉
Thank you Eddy for the great info. excellent work and it came right on time:) I have one question…does this company report income and pay unemployment insurance to the state from which you are working out of…in case you should ever be laid off would you reflect wages to file for umemployment in worse case. Or are you just a p;rivate contractor with them?
Part of the 1st interview has you take a screenshot of your system information for them and submit it for their review.
My computer is 5 years old and it was the cheapest model available when I bought it and they still hired me, so not sure why you had a problem?