Question 1

How do I know this is a legit opportunity?

Accepted Answer

Sadly, there are many scams out there. Parkes & Co is partnered with Arise Virtual Solutions which is a legitimate work-from-home opportunity. There are thousands of small businesses and their contractors who have enjoyed providing services to Arise for decades. In addition, Parkes & Co has already researched them and asked many questions to determine whether they were a good fit to our already existing services. Our leadership team totals over 50 years of experience in Customer Service, Business Services, Logistics, Hospitality, Healthcare, Finance, Real Estate and Technology!

Question 2

Can I work from anywhere?

Accepted Answer

You must legally reside in the United States and must be 18 years or older. You can provide your services from anywhere that is open to new applications. If you move, you are able to bring your work with you! How many jobs can you say that about? ​ *Currently Arise is not accepting new applicants from the following states: California, Connecticut, Maryland, Massachusetts, New York, Oregon and Wisconsin.

Question 3

What are the costs to get started?

Accepted Answer

In order to partner with Parkes & Co and be given the opportunity to provide your services to clients, you must complete the following which is considered your investment into your own business. ​ The following are the fee’s: ​ Arise Background Check ($9.99). If you have felonies or bank fraud charges then you may not be eligible to provide services.  
Certification Course for the client you choose starts at $4.99 up to $289.   *Military families, receive up to $150.00 towards their first client certification course with our Arise partner! 
These fee’s are paid to Arise Virtual Solutions, not Parkes & Co.

Question 4

What is a voucher?

Accepted Answer

From time to time Parkes & Co may offer a voucher to help reduce the cost of a certification course. The vouchers will either be for a limited time, select clients or be given by a scholarship. ​ Steps to receive a voucher for an Arise client: ​ You will need to start the registration process with the client of your choice, but DO NOT PAY. 
Once you register it will tell you that you have 24 hours to submit payment.
Send us an email at Careers@TeamParkes.com, when you at that part and we will request the voucher be applied. (Vouchers may take up to 48 business hours to be applied.) 
Once applied, we will send you an email letting you know you can continue the process and checkout. 
The final cost at the checkout screen will reflect the voucher and you will pay the discounted price. 
*Please note that because it may take up to 48 business hours to process a voucher. If you are interested in a high demand course that may fill up quickly, you may not receive your voucher in time. No refunds are given for vouchers nor credits towards future client certification courses.

Question 5

What type of services will I provide as an Independent Contractor?

Accepted Answer

There are dozens of client programs for which you can choose partner with. These are sales, customer service, technical support, email support and chat support clients. ​ By partnering with Parkes & Co and working from home,  you'll be able to choose the client you want to provide services to and set your own schedule without traffic jams and gas & toll expenses, all while working in your pajamas!

Question 6

How much money can I make?

Accepted Answer

Your compensation can be as little or as big as you make it. You choose the client that you want to service. Some choose their client for the compensation rate only. Some choose a client because they are open 24/7 and some choose a client that is super easy with less hourly pay. You set your own schedule and choose when and how much you work. Your paycheck is up to you! ​ Platform members have reported making between $200–$1500+ bi-weekly!

Question 7

Are we responsible for our own taxes?

Accepted Answer

You are an Authorized agent, Independent Contractor, Sole Proprietor or Freelancer and are responsible for your own taxes. Parkes & Co does not take any taxes out on your behalf. You will receive a 1099 at the end of the year if you made $600 or more. ​ Furthermore you are not eligible to receive unemployment, overtime or benefits as Authorized agents, Independent Contractors, Sole Proprietors and Freelancers. ​ I would advise you to meet with a tax specialist to go over what you are able to write off and what deductions you can take as an independent contractor.

Question 8

How long before I can start working and earning a paycheck?

Accepted Answer

The admissions process takes as little as 1 day. Once you complete the admissions process and join the Parkes & Co team you then choose a client certification course. Realistically, it may be around 30 days before the class starts. Classes are typically around 30 days but some are self paced and can be completed in a matter of hours. Once certified you can start working immediately. Depending on how quickly you choose a class, it can take up to 2 months. ​ Because you are self-employed, you are in control on when and how much you work. Choose a client that has a contract that meets your needs. If you need to provide your services only during the daytime or would like a client that is open 24/7, you can choose to do so.

Question 9

Will I be paid during certification?

Accepted Answer

Parkes & Co, LLC does not pay for the time spent in a client certification course. We are the middleman between our partner’s clients and the Authorized agents, Independent Contractors, Sole Proprietors and Freelancers working from home. As an Authorized agent, Independent Contractor, Sole Proprietor or Freelancer, you are responsible for any certification needed that is required to educate yourself to properly provide your services to the client. ​ As a Partner for Arise, we do have vouchers from time to time for certain clients to help bring down your out of pocket expense. Contact us to find out more.

Question 10

What fees will I have to pay and why?

Accepted Answer

Arise charges a low flat service fee is $19.75 per payment period. We pay our contractors bi-weekly. Parkes & Co has to cover business costs including Partner fees, computers, bank fees, software costs, direct deposit fee’s and more. Our low, fees allow us to provide you with support during your certification process and beyond. We want you to succeed!

Question 11

What if I'm already an Arise Agent?

Accepted Answer

The benefits of switching your Sole Proprietor/Individual status is:   You don't have to keep up with as many Federal/State/County Taxes, Filings, Licenses and Fees related to your business. Benefit from additional bonuses and financial  incentives linked to our volume of production vs the production of just yourself. Benefit from the experience of a Team environment instead of going about everything alone on your own.

Question 12

How do I switch to your Call Center if I'm already an Independent Agent or with another Call Center

Accepted Answer

Simply continue to follow our Step-by-Step Registration Outline until you reach a point where you are requested to provide additional information regarding your prior sign up. You may need to request a release from your other Call Center.    Arise Technical Support can assist in this transition, but you are welcome to contact us directly to provide assistance as well.

Question 13

What are the Technical Specifications Needed?

Accepted Answer

PC Requirements   • A desktop/tower computer with a separate monitor is recommended. • Dual boot machines, Netbooks, and Tablets are prohibited from use. • All-in-One computers are not currently compatible with any client programs.   CPU Speed Dual-core 2.8 GHz or better or Intel i class or AMD Phenom X2 class or better Atom, Celeron, Pentium and Opteron processors are notpermitted Hard Drive 20 GB or more of available space 60 GB or more of total space Memory 4 GB of RAM or better Operating System Windows 7 or Windows 10 Windows 8/8.1 not supported by some clients Standard Connection and Speed Hard-wired connection (no wireless) Minimum 10 mbps download / Minimum 3 mbps upload Maximum Latency Threshold 120 milliseconds (ms) Monitor Recommendations 1280 x 1024 (SXGA) screen resolution 1920 x 1080 (Full HD or 1080p) Dual monitors may be required on some client programs   Mac Requirements   • Macs must have an Ethernet port • MacBook Air and Mac USB-C ports will not be supported • Boot Camp and a licensed version of Windows (please see page 2 for acceptable Windows operating systems) MUST be installed.   Accessories, Software and Internet/Phone Service Providers   REQUIRED ACCESSORIES   USB headset with microphone (required for Certification) Logitech, Plantronics, Microsoft, or similar brands recommended.                   Suggestions:                   • Plantronics PLNAUDIO478 USB                   • Logitech USB H570e                   • Jabra UC VOICE 150 Hard-wired Telephone and headset (required for Production/Servicing) Plantronics S12 or similar recommended   SOFTWARE   Internet Explorer 8, 9, 10, or 11 on Windows 7, 8 or 10 Certain client programs may require specific versions of Windows. Windows 8/8.1 not supported by some clients. (Optional) Mozilla Firefox or Chrome for Windows Microsoft Security Essentials for Windows 7; Windows Defender for Windows 8 or 10   Other security software may be incompatible and should be avoided. Technical support may be refused if your company’s software configuration is not compatible with the Arise Platform or is determined to cause incompatibilities with client required servicing software.   INTERNET AND PHONE SERVICE PROVIDERS   Hard-wired broadband Internet service via DSL, Cable, or Fiber Optic connection   The use of wireless connections to access any system at any time is prohibited, even if the connection is encrypted. Connectivity to the Platform through an unauthorized Proxy Service or unauthorized VPN Service is strictly prohibited. Additionally, Satellite, Microwave, and Cellular Hotspot Internet Services are not permitted. USB connected modems are not supported.   Hard-wired land line telephone service   Unless stated otherwise in the opportunity announcement, most client programs are compatible with the following types of services: POTS (plain old telephone service), cable telephony, digital service, or business class VoIP. The service should be connected directly from the wall to your telephone. Softphones and cell phones are not permitted. The servicing telephone line should not interface at any point with the computer. All servicing telephone lines should not have voicemail, fax, or other features on the line (other than unlimited long distance, if necessary – please see page 7 for details).   Call centers and agents have the option to use either a POTS line (plain old telephone service) or VoIP (aka digital telephone or cable telephony) to service a client program. However, call centers and agents servicing client programs that route calls through the AVG system will need to be able to dial into the AVG (786) number.       • Call Centers and agents who do not have Miami area code phone numbers (305 or 786) will need to be able to dial       long distance on their service lines which may result in long distance charges. For that reason, bulk or unlimited long-        distance service plans are recommended and available from most carriers to avoid per-minute charges.       • A small number of client programs currently prohibit the use of VoIP while servicing and a POTS line will be required       to service those programs. If the client program does not currently allow VoIP, agents will not be servicing on AVG.   Please be sure to review the opportunity announcement in detail to see if AVG is required on the client program you select.

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