Hotels, transnational corporations, IT companies - all of them are making the decision to outsource their customer service operations to the virtual world. For them, it is all about cutting costs - no electricity bills, no physical furniture, workstations, monthly wages, health insurance, bonuses and welfare.

And these are just 3 of the major conglomerates that are looking to home sources workers as a viable alternative to physical customer service operators. While some have moved part of their workforce online, others have transformed their entire operations to the digital world, opening up job opportunities like work from home customer service officers and other home based jobs.

This means opportunity for you and because they save so much money from doing this, they are able to pay higher premiums for hourly rates. Anything from $12 an hour to as high as $50 or even $75 an hour is not unheard of. This all depends on how good you are and your experience levels.

Also, being a home customer service officer also means that you can work for more than just one company, and this allows you to beef up your portfolio 3 - 4 times quicker than you would be able to if you were working offline for a single company. A better portfolio means that you are able to demand higher pay as well as a possibility of you getting head-hunted from other online companies.

I will say it like it is. This job isn't for everyone. Dealing with difficult customers is really an art and a science that takes a combination of patience, willingness to listen, a clear voice and an understanding of human behavior. That, together with good product knowledge will be the meat and potatoes that anyone would need to be an effective home customer service officer. But everyone can start somewhere - and getting good is just a question of perseverance and hardwork; tenets that can be applied to any sort of work.

It is a good idea because a home customer service officer has many benefits going for it. One thing is that essentially you are your own boss and you have no one breathing down your neck. Deadlines and targets have the good graces of being in your hands, which means you will tailor them to your capabilities and your schedules.

Speaking of schedules, you can make your own, and if you want to go on a holiday or a short break - all you have to do is pick up a bag and leave. The fact that there is neither bureaucracy nor the red tape of office politics means less stress and higher productivity levels.

By working for several companies, your experience level grows as well and within a year you will have mastered a range of industries and a range of services. If you have a natural inclination and love to talk to people as well as a flair for handling difficult situations, you would love being a work from home customer service officer.

The benefits far outweigh whatever difficulties you might face and because you work at home - you are in the most comfortable place possible. All this doesn't just make this a good idea; it makes it a brilliant one.