Contract World Jobs Review – Your Out-of-Pocket Costs… a Scam???

Thanks for stopping by to check out my Contract World Jobs review. When compared to other work-at-home jobs, Contract World has a significant disadvantage. You have to pay them before they'll pay you. That’s often a sign that you’re dealing with a scam, but not always…

If we look past the start-up costs, there are some good things about Contract World…

Disclaimer:
Please note, I am not a member or an affiliate for Contract World Work at Home Jobs. This review has been researched with information and/or testimonials that are available online in the public domain. Any recommendations and/or conclusions are strictly opinions and may not to apply to, or agree with, all persons or situations. See full disclaimer for more info

What Is Contract World Jobs?

Contract World (ContractXchange.com) is a home-based customer service job, utilizing virtual call centers.

A virtual call center is a network of CSR’s (Customer Service Representatives) that work from home and connected to a central hub… in this case, Contract World.

Other examples of virtual call centers include Accolade Support and Liveops.

Some of the companies they work with are Pizza Hut, L’Oreal, Club Auto, The Shopping Channel, and various political campaigns. However, clients change over time and vary depending on country (Canada and the US), so the companies you might be working with could be different at the time you're reading this.

To earn more money and maximize the number of calls you receive during your shift, you are encouraged to work with more than one client. ​

How Does It Work?

Before I get too deep into the details, you need to be aware of the costs associated with Contract World.

As an independent contractor, there’s nothing wrong with investing in your freelance business. But, you need to weigh the costs against the earning potential and decide if it’s worth it.

Unfortunately, you do not make a lot of money with Contract World Jobs (I’ll discuss the pay rates in a moment).

They say you can sign up and become a member for free, but you can’t work for them for free… so I’m not certain what the point of that is.

You’ll need to take a one-day (8 hour) course that covers some work-at-home basics, as well as how to set-up and connect to Contract World’s network.

The cost to you is $75 plus applicable taxes, as well as the 8 hours of unpaid time.

You are also required to take client courses, which range in duration from a few days to a few weeks of unpaid training.

The cost for these courses are anywhere from $75 to a few hundred.

Other Contract World Costs

• Background Check – $45
• Contract World Monthly Fee – Of all the expenses, this is the one that bothers me the most. Access to the agent software is $29 per month… and, a further $10 for each additional Client you work with. There’s a lot I’d like to say about this… but in the interest of giving a fair review, I won’t.
• PaySource Direct (third party payment service) – Contract World partners with Paysource Direct, which is how you submit invoices and get paid. The cost per invoice is $4.95 which you’ll need to pay twice per month, plus $2.50 for each additional client.
• VOIP (Voice Over IP) – You are not able to use your personal phone. A separate land phone and a digital voice (VOIP) connection are required at an approximate cost of $25/month.

Common Costs

• High Speed Internet – Depending on where you live this could be anywhere from $30 – $60 month (of course, if you already pay for high-speed internet this won’t affect you).
• Equipment – I’ll post the equipment requirements and specs below… but these costs can range from $0 if you already own the required equipment to several hundred dollars if you don't.  

Monthy Expenses

When you add up the recurring costs above, the estimated monthly expense (if you have 3 clients as an example) is around $130 – $140.

That’s $1600 per year, which doesn’t include your start-up costs.

There are less expensive work at home options as well as home-business opportunities that not only cost less to start, but have higher earning potential.

When you consider that it’s possible to start and run an online business (all the tools and training you would need) for less than $400 per year… Contract World’s $1600 becomes astronomical. Especially when your earning potential is far less.

Contract World Pay Rates

Now that you’re aware of the expense, we can talk about the pay.

Contract World is only the middleman. You work for the client, while Contract World provides the virtual call center hub.

Pay is per transaction and they say you can earn anywhere from $11 – $16 per hour, which isn’t bad for a work-at-home gig.

But, more than a few workers have said that $6 – $8 an hour is more likely. If you have no other sources of income… that’s probably not going to cut it.

I’ve researched several sources and (depending on the client and the times of day you work) the per transaction rate ranges between $0.50 to $0.60 (give or take a few cents).

Under most circumstances I recommend giving these work-at-home jobs a try… but given the fact your investment costs are so high, it’s a risk you’ll have consider carefully.

For example… let’s say you spend $500 to get started (courses, background checks, equipment etc.) and your best hourly average is $6.00/hour.

You will have to work more than 80 hours just to break even. In addition, you may spend several days or even a couple weeks training (which you won’t be paid for).

That’s a month of full-time hours just to break even… and all you’ve done is buy yourself a $6.00/hour job (if those pay rate claims are accurate).

I don’t want to discourage you from joining Contract World if a work-at-home customer service job is what you want. It’s hard to put a price on the benefits of working from home.

But, you need to be aware of the math. There is a significant financial investment and time commitment here.

Payments are made bi-weekly via direct deposit, and as mentioned, PaySource Direct takes $4.95 per pay period plus $2.50 for each additional client.

Is Contract World Jobs a Scam?

When you consider the cost of getting started and the less than spectacular pay, it’s understandable that some would call Contract World a scam.

Especially if they’ve invested a significant amount of time and money, and quit before that investment was recovered.

You’re not supposed to lose money on a job.  

Contract World reminds me of a courier company I worked for in my early 20’s.

I had to use my own vehicle, pay my own expenses (including fuel), and the pay was per delivery. After two weeks of tracking the numbers, I realized I was losing money…

I quit.

The courier company kept hiring and whoever took my place probably had the same experience.  

No one was online back then, so unless you stood in the company parking lot warning new couriers, they could keep running that scam indefinitely. Every two weeks, bringing in a batch of new drivers.

But… was it really a scam?

Not really. The courier company was legit, and we were independent contractors… we were not employees. As independent contractors, we were running a business and profitability was OUR responsibility, not theirs.

Were they deceptive in the way they sold the opportunity? Absolutely.

There’s no question it was a shady operation, but they paid you the rate per delivery that they promised.

It’s not like we paid themto join and showed up to an empty building the next day.

Looking back though, it could have been profitable. I had an employee mindset when I was younger and it would never have occurred to me… but there was an opportunity there.  

I lived just outside of Vancouver Canada at the time, and had some business connections (who employed their own drivers). I could have easily negotiated some deliveries for them… and if I could have combined them with the courier deliveries… it would have been profitable.  

I could have made a deal with a few pizza places to pick up the overflow deliveries that their regular drivers couldn’t handle.

There would have been some logistical challenges, but I had options. 

My point is, as a Contract World worker… you are NOT an employee. You are an entrepreneur and there may be a way to improve your profits.  

If you think of it as an employee… it’ll seem like a scam.

On the other hand… if you combine it with other work-at-home jobs, you can spread out your expenses (you don’t need two computers), and you can fill in the gaps of time that you’re not working.

For example, if you’re already sitting at your computer and waiting for a call… do some freelance writing or plug away at an online business. 

Contract World might not be the best work at home opportunity, but if you approach it as an entrepreneur, you won’t view it as a scam. It’s a legit company and you can be profitable. 

Reviews and Complaints

Contract World is like most work-at-home jobs… some people are positive about the experience and others not so much.

The biggest complaints are the low pay (which is claimed to be about half of what Contract World has said) and not getting paid for question and complaint calls.

That’s a significant issue with many call centers (virtual or otherwise). Dedicated hourly employees get paid for all the issues they deal with… complaints and all.  

That’s not the case with Contract World… and the negative reviews clearly point that out.   

Technical Requirements

• Windows PC (no Macs or tablets) – 3.6 GHz for single core processors or a dual core + processor.
• 2.0 GB RAM
• 13” or larger monitor with 1024×768 resolution
• Two available USB ports
• Wi-Fi is NOT supported. All network devices must be hardwired, and your router must support VPN pass-through.
• Separate phone line (If you are outside of a local calling area VOIP is required)
• Quality USB Headset – Things to consider are comfort, sound and mic quality. It must also have volume, hold and mute controls.
• High Speed Cable or DSL internet service.
• Web Browser – Google Chrome, Internet Explorer, or Firefox.
• External or built-in web Cam
• Updated anti-virus
• Quiet workspace with no distractions

What I Like

• For those that are new to the work-at-home lifestyle, Contract World is beginner friendly.
• Flexible schedule (you set your time in half-hour blocks).
• They work with reputable clients.

What I Don’t Like

• Low Pay, high start-up cost, and monthly fees.
• You don’t get paid for question and complaint calls.
• A lot of unpaid time during training.
• Unavailable in some states including Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, Missouri, Ohio, Tennessee, and Wyoming

Final Thoughts

Most work-at-home jobs are worth trying, even if it’s just for the experience, and getting used to being a home-based entrepreneur. The problem here is that Contract World is expensive… especially considering the monthly fees which, in my opinion, makes this opportunity a non-starter.

But, that’ s just my opinion… 

If you have the financial resources and want to give an at-home customer service job a try… Contract World is a legit way to get started.

If you find that the work at home lifestyle is your thing… you might want to consider upgrading to something more significant where you can earn passive income (which is what most people who make money online are working towards).

I hope this Contract World Review has been helpful, and if you have any comments or questions please share in the comments section below.