Amazon South Africa Job opportunity for South Africa – How to Get a Remote Seasonal Customer Service Job

Did you know that Amazon South Africa hires hundreds of people to work from home in South Africa as customer service representatives. It’s easier to score a remote job in South Africa working for Amazon as we approach the holiday season. Amazon usually hires extra customer service remote workers to handle the rise of orders, enquiries and product knowledge on the holiday season. Working remotely as a seasonal Amazon customer service employee awards you the opportunity of working from the comfort of your home, having flexible working hours, high remuneration along with the exposure of working for one of the largest e-commerce companies. This is also a great opportunity of earning extra income for the holidays without the hassle of commuting to work everyday. 

Understand the Role and Requirements for Amazon South Africa

An Amazon remote customer service associate in South Africa is the first point of contact for customers queries, basically providing information for every process from ordering, product questions, payment matters and website guidance. This is usually done through phone calls, chat and or email so this requires you to;

• Have strong communication skills which means you must be able to communicate clearly with customers while helping them with everything they need
• Have the ability to resolve customer complaint and solve problems
• Have basic computer literacy and be able to navigate software systems
• Have a stable connection(high-speed internet), reliable computer and headset but they may provide some of the equipment.

Amazon provides training for the job so they may hire you without previous customer service, however you have a higher chance of getting the job with the necessary experience.

Create a Standout Resume and Cover Letter

Make sure your resume is clear, precise and highlights your customer service skills and any other skills that would be beneficial for the job. Tailor make your CV for the Amazon remote job while highlighting the following;

• Highlight your remote work experience if you have ever worked remotely before to show familiarity to the work environment.
• Call attention to your customer service skills accentuating your good communication skills, problem solving skills and empathy.
• Knowledge of customer service tools like  CRM systems can earn you extra marks

When writing your cover letter, emphasize your ability to adapt to any work environment including remotely, your availability, how you can manage a busy working environment and multitasking skills that will help you manage a high volume of customer enquiries.

How to Prepare for the South African assessment for Amazon

It’s advisable to prepare for the Amazon remote job as you are required to complete an online assessment that determines your suitability with Amazon work culture. In South Africa, the Amazon assessment is basically a personality test that evaluates your qualities, skills that are related to customer service, problem solving skills and expected behavior at work. Prepare by;

• Polishing and practicing your fast typing skills by taking various free typing tests online. This will also help you improve your multitasking skills alongside accuracy.
• Amazon takes their work culture seriously, it’s advisable to do a thorough research on the company to familiarize yourself with their work ethic and values.

After passing the Amazon assessment test then you will be invited for a virtual interview via email. Dress as you do for any job interview and be prepared to sell yourself by highlighting your best qualities, prior customer service experience, job related skills, examples of your problem solving skills and any remote job you have ever worked. If you have a tendency of getting tongue tied during interviews then it’s advisable to note down important things on your computer screen to jog your memory during the Amazon interview.

Which months does Amazon hire in South Africa for remote customer service roles

People start preparing for the festive season as early as November all the way through January and this is the busiest time for Amazon. The company prepares for their clients by hiring extra help between September and October. This helps Amazon to train their new remote Customer service associates on time before the busy festive season. These seasonal Amazon remote customer service positions in  South Africa are in high demand and can fill up quickly so be advised to regularly check their website between September and October and make extra money.

How much does Amazon pay remote workers in South Africa

Amazon is known to be one of the generous companies when it comes to the customer service industry. Amazon is currently paying their associates R67 per hour working as a remote customer service representative in South Africa. They may also offer additional benefits like paid training, advancement in the company and some working equipment. It’s advisable to check the Amazon official job listing page to get an idea of their benefits and how you will be compensated.

Any tips to pass the Amazon assessment for customer service rep in South Africa?

The best way to pass the South Africa Amazon assessment test is to prepare well on time, practice common scenarios, enhance your technical skills, practice and familiarize yourself with behavioral questions. The following tips may help you pass the assessment test;

1. Familiarize yourself with the Assessment Format

• Research the kind of questions that may be asked and practice answering them, there is also you tube tutorial videos with people who have taken the test
• The Amazon assessment test includes multiple choice questions evaluating your customer service skills, work ethic, problem solving skills, multi-tasking skills, situational judgment and typing skills.

2. Polish your Customer Service Skills

• Take free online tests that help you brush up your communication skills by responding to hypothetical customer complaints and enquiries.
• Amazon aims to satisfy their customers all the time so be prepared to show that you have empathy and value the customers by the way you help them during enquiries and complaints.
• Show off your problem solving skills and practice how you would handle customer issues and efficiently provide solutions.

3. Practice Typing Skills

• This seasonal remote job is meant for busy times, not only does it require fast typing skills , the message also has to be clear with no grammatical errors. Use online tools to practice your speed and try to write at least 40-60 words under a minute without any mistakes.

4. Review Amazon’s Leadership Principles

• Amazon’s principles are committed to customer satisfaction, passion for invention, operational excellence,  and long term thinking instead of focusing on competitors.Familiarize yourself with their leadership principles and apply them to customer service scenarios and include them in your answers.

5. Stay Calm and Focused

• The Amazon assessment test typically takes 10-20 minutes to complete, while you are mindful of the clock make sure you thoroughly understand the question before you answer.
• You may encounter challenging questions which you are advised to approach in a calm manner making sure not to derail you from your focus of the whole test.

6. Simulate Real-Life Scenarios

• Familiarize yourself with real life scenarios that are commonly encountered in customer service situations and practice responding to these hypothetical situations in a professional manner. Popular questions may include handling angry customers professionally, efficient problem solving and displaying product knowledge.

7. Take Care of Your Environment

• During the test, make sure you are in a clear and quiet environment that is free of destruction.
• Make sure you also have a stable internet and a back up plan incase of load shedding.

8. Follow Instructions Carefully

• Take time to read through the instructions given and understand what you are required to do before proceeding. 

Does Amazon send you equipment?

Yes, If you have been successfully hired as a seasonal customer service remote associate then Amazon will ship you the work equipment alongside two security tokens to the address provided in your application. You will receive;

• An Amazon owned laptop that is configured with the software required for your job
• Headset for clear communication with customers on calls
• An ethernet adaptor to ensure the stability of your internet connection.

Important Points:

• Provide the correct address as Amazon will be handling the shipping process of this equipment to your doorstep
• You will be provided with instructions of how to set it up
• You might be required to return the equipment once your contract ends so make sure you check the terms and conditions for receiving this.

Make sure to confirm these terms and conditions during the hiring process because the benefits may vary depending on your position and location.

How long after the assessment do you get feedback

Amazon will provide you with an update within two business days after the interview through an email, the panel interview feedback may be provided in five business days. The following factors may influence the feedback timeframe;

• High volume of applications during peak season such as the holidays
• Assessment results
• The recruitment process may affect the feedback time during peak season

Tips for Following Up:

• If you haven’t heard from them in more than a week or two then it’s advisable to do a polite email follow up to check if you have qualified or not
• You can also go through the job board and track your application process to check if you are still in the running
• Check your email regularly including your spam/junk email just in case you missed it