Doing the cha cha

I knew real people were behind the scenes but I didn't know I could be one of them. After I read this I went to their site (chacha.com) and applied to be a guide. It was easy, now I just have to pass the entrance tests. Thanks for the article! ChaCha rocks!

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• Posted by erin201 on September 11, 2008 at 10:23 a.m.
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Doing the cha cha

I work for ChaCha and there are multiple details missing from your little expose on them. First, the base pay is a dime a question, unless you meet the Top Guide criteria, of which, only about 2,000 of 35,000 guides do each week, then it is 20 cents. Top Guide is entirely subjective, meaning that it depends on what the Quality Control person thinks or feels about your answer, taking away all validity of the achievement. When we signed up, we signed on agreeing to a pay rate of twenty cents per question answered, but there is a neatly written clause in the agreement that allows pay rate changes without notice. Their communication to their guides is lackluster. If you send a feedback (the way they prefer you communicate), you are doing well to hear a response in less than a month, and often you will not get a response at all. They classify us as independent contractors, yet specify exactly how we must do the job, tip-toeing the line of IC/employee. Third, on the company provided message board, which we were told is for discussing the job Good and Bad, they censor it so hard, that any negativity is either deleted or moved so it cannot be found. If you post something that is shady that they have done, it gets deleted inside of five minutes. They try to maintain this image of being innocent and for the best, but the way they treat their Guides is highly suspect. There is little to no communication between the Guides and ChaCha other than Feedback, which goes unanswered. You can call their headquarters phone number, leave a message because nobody answers, and not get a call back. The employees on the forum, do not accept personal messages anymore. There is no way for us to contact them to ask a question about why something happened, or what we can do to fix it. If this sounds acceptable to you, that is fine, but we want answers.

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• Posted by cavrs on September 11, 2008 at 5:47 p.m.
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Doing the cha cha

The questions are answered mostly by the disabled, work at home moms, and others whose opportunities are limited. Chaha has had financial problems and reduced pay to slave wages and is protected by defining the "guides" as independent contractors. Typical pay is $3-$6 /hour! You can log in to take questions whenever you want and that's what's attractive to their workforce. Even college students are leaving in droves since a recent pay cut. While ChaCha would say they are providing a service to people whose employment opportunities are limited, there is a fine line between opportunity and exploitation.

They use the same philosophy that the Rent-to-Own appliance centers and check cashing/cash advance stores use. Yes, I guess they supply a service, but the service does take advantage of others.

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• Posted by TammiRob on September 11, 2008 at 7:54 p.m.
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Doing the cha cha

Cut them some slack. The service is free, so they needed a business plan that doesn't cost much. I think guides have it good- answer some questions online in your spare time, get paid. Guides are tested and trained so who cares who they are? As far as complaining, I don't blame them for ignoring calls to their HQ, how is that productive? No company would last long paying unfair wages and ignoring employees, something tells me the accusations are bit inaccurate...I like ChaCha and want to give them the benefit of the doubt

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• Posted by elena3070 on September 24, 2008 at 11:03 a.m.
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Doing the cha cha

interesting

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• Posted by samanthafoster on March 7, 2011 at 2:16 p.m.
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